SIR ALEX Ferguson leaves his players "petrified and scared" with his explosive dressing-room rants, according to Manchester United's trio of French stars.
Louis Saha, Mikael Silvestre and Patrice Evra revealed what it's like to be on the receiving end of Fergie's infamous 'hairdryer' treatment and claimed the United manager's mood swings are completely unpredictable.
Fergie has cultivated a reputation as one of the most fearsome managers in the game during his 20-year reign at Old Trafford.
Silvestre, who joined United from Inter Milan in 1999, said: "It took me over a year to get used to it. It is so aggressive, quick and committed.
"Champions League football is slick but the tempo is slower, like the French first division. "Everything is 200mph stuff in the Premiership, non-stop. Your lungs get done in very quickly."
And Evra said: "I felt useless and not fit for anything at times. People never stop running and tackling, and the strikers always pressurise you.
"The fans drive you on to run. I almost feel like I am having to learn a different job."
FERGIE'S GREATEST RANTS
Fergie famously blew his top in the dressing-room when he kicked a boot which struck David Beckham above the eye following their 2-0 FA Cup defeat by Arsenal at Old Trafford in February 2003.
At Aberdeen, Fergie kicked a player's bag so hard a pair of underpants landed on the poor lad's head. The boss continued with the tirade, slammed the door on the way out, then came back in and demanded: "You! Take those pants off your head!"
Danish midfielder John Sivebaek got the treatment in Fergie's fourth. Keeper Chris Turner recalled: "He gave Sivebaek such an almighty, John just sat there bewildered, not daring to move a muscle as the gaffer laid into him for what seemed an eternity."