Ferguson once highly praised Gerald, but changed his words many years later and caused controversy

Recently I saw someone dig out Ferguson's comment on Gerald's past, which is very interesting. Ferguson first praised Gerald, saying that he was as outstanding as Keane and was the most influential player in England. But a few years later, he said in his autobiography that "I don't think Gerald is a top player." What should we think of this inconsistent evaluation?

I think that to understand Ferguson, it is necessary to combine the background that he wants to sign Gerald. A head coach's public remarks, especially the core players of his competitors, are often not just simple evaluations, but a strategy and psychological warfare.

Ferguson was so strong all his life. What he was most reluctant to admit was that he had tried to sign a player twice but failed, and this player later became the legendary captain of his arch-rival Liverpool. So in his autobiography, it is actually a very normal mentality to appropriately "belief" Gerald. This is not only a way to maintain one's authority, but also a manifestation of a "sour grape" psychology, which means "I didn't sign him back then, and it was actually no big deal."

So, when evaluating a coach's true view of a player, don't just look at what he said, but also what he did. Ferguson tried every means to bring Gerald to Manchester United. This action is enough to show his true comment on Gerald.