Sir Alex Ferguson was renowned for giving players the 'hairdryer treatment' - but Roy Keane wasn't one of them.
The Irishman had a successful partnership under the legendary boss as he spent 12 years at the Red Devils, eight as captain, winning a dozen major honours, including four Premier League titles.
But the pair's relationship plummeted when Keane went public with his desire to leave United at the end of the 2005/06 season. That prompted a bitter fallout with the former United midfielder claiming that he will never forgive Ferguson for the part he played in his departure, demanding an apology from Fergie.
Sir Alex's style of management was a fairly traditional one and he would not hold back if a player did not perform to the required standards or stepped out of line - also known as the 'hairdryer.' But Keane admitted he was never on the receiving end of one of Sir Alex's infamous rants as the Scot used a different method to motivate and get the best out of the midfielder.
The Sky Sports pundit revealed in 2019 that it was a case of saying "the right thing at the right time" and if he saw that Ferguson was disappointed in him, he would do anything to make up for it because he didn't want to let him or the club down.
Keane said: "The brilliance with Sir Alex Ferguson, you'd be in a situation either before the game or at half-time and I just felt they said the right thing at the right time, just what the team needed. As I got older, I analysed what I thought the players needed, they'd always get it spot on, I'd think 'that's just brilliant what they've said there.'
"You hear about the hairdryer treatment. I never really had the hairdryer treatment for a performance, he might have given me it for an off-the-field incident. The players had huge respect for him, ultimately you didn't want to let him down, you wanted to give your all.
"I was really poor one game, at home against Aston Villa I think. He spoke to me at half-time, forget the hairdryer treatment, I could see the disappointment in his face, it was like a dagger in the heart and I'm letting this man down, the club down. It wasn't always about the hairdryer, these stories can grow legs."
Despite their personal beef, Keane has a lot of respect for Ferguson professionally and what he did for his career. But it was never a case that he was ever "in" with Sir Alex as he revealed he wasn't one of the senior players who would routinely have a cup of tea with him in the canteen.
Asked if he had a close relationship with Ferguson during his time as captain, Keane added: "I don't think so. I know some of the senior players would go upstairs and have a cup of tea with Sir Alex. They'd be all having a chit-chat. I never wanted that relationship with any manager I worked with.
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"Our relationship was built on loving Manchester United and wanting to do what was best for them. There was huge respect between us but that was probably lost in the end, unfortunately.
"Ultimately, I look back at my time with Sir Alex Ferguson and he was a brilliant manager and very good to me, there is no getting away from that. It (the fallout) doesn't take away from my career at United, 12-and-a-half years, it was fantastic.
"These things happen towards the end. I never felt I was 'in' with Sir Alex Ferguson because I was captain, you know pals. We always kept it pure and professional. This idea of going having a cup of tea in the canteen and biscuit, not for me."
