I’m so glad Fergie turned hairdryer
MICHAEL APPLETON will always be grateful for “the “biggest rollocking of my life” delivered by Sir Alex Ferguson which reignited his career. The 41-year-old stands on the brink of history with League One Oxford United – if they beat Middlesbrough today it will take them to the quarter-finals for the first time since 1964. And Appleton credits an meeting with his former Manchester United manager Ferguson – just after being sacked as boss of Blackburn in 2013 – as a turning point.
“I went to see him at Carrington just before he retired,” said Appleton, who played only two games for the Reds despite coming through their youth set-up. “It was a few weeks after losing my job at Blackburn. I went thinking he would give some advice.
“But for the first half an hour I got the Fergie hair dryer – the biggest rollocking ever. He did it for the right reasons.
“He told me I had to do my due diligence. I needed to do my homework in terms of the squad and what it could achieve, that type of stuff.
“And that was invaluable because that is what I did when I came here. In the past I would have taken jobs due to the opportunity. I was inexperienced and thought I could sort it out. But you are only as good as the players.”
Appleton waited a year before taking charge of Oxford but had Ferguson’s advice ringing in his ears.
And he has helped the club to League One as well as becoming a successful cup team.
“I followed his advice when I took the job,” said Appleton. “And if I was thinking of ever leaving Oxford it would have to be the right job at the right time. I would need to do my due diligence. There have been opportunities but the grass is not always greener. It would take a very good offer and very good club to take me away.”
Appleton’s early years at United also shaped him.
“There were lots of values and principles in place from Sir Alex,” he said. “In terms of philosophy it helped me.
“We want to have a patient build-up but you need to have a purpose, get a shot on goal, cross, corner, but not just for the sake of doing it. He was a born winner.” Middlesbrough boss Aitor