Dwight Yorke has revealed that he had a private message of congratulations from Sir Alex Ferguson after winning his first trophy as a manager.
The former Manchester United striker took charge of Australian A-League side MacArthur FC in July, his first job in club management. He quickly proved himself to be a capable boss, guiding the Bulls to their first trophy since they were formed.
That came in the Australia Cup, which is played across pre-season in the Oceanic country. Yorke's men cruised into the final, where they faced second-tier Sydney United, though they avoided an upset thanks to goals from Al Hasan Toure and skipper Ulises Dávila.
Yorke is likely using tips he learnt from Ferguson, having spent four years playing under the legendary Scot at Old Trafford. And the three-time Premier League winner has now revealed that Ferguson got in touch to congratulate him after Macarthur's win.
"I learned from the master in Sir Alex Ferguson. Funnily enough, he's here in Australia at the moment, which is great. I saw him yesterday and after he congratulated me on the trophy, straight away he told me to focus on getting the next one!" Yorke told LordPing.
"Winning is in my DNA and I’m lucky to have been managed by the greatest of all time, and it's also nice to have him challenging me to become the best manager that I can be. After winning the Australian Cup, the expectation level around the club has definitely risen.
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"Which is exactly the reaction that I wanted from everyone associated with the club. Now is the time to work even harder. It's a pleasant surprise that he's here in the country. I treasure the relationship that I have with Sir Alex.
"But, he has been great to me. I can't talk for others, but he has always been there for me. Yeah. To have that seal of approval from him encourages me to keep driving forward as a manager."
Macarthur are unbeaten after the opening three games of the new season and sit fourth in the A League. And Yorke has admitted that he is enjoying the responsibility that comes with leading a professional team.
"It's certainly different from playing. As a player, you feel like you’re in the moment, but managing a team you affect the game so much through the decisions that you make and the work that you do on the training ground," he added.
"Seeing a team implementing your ideas and winning a trophy was an amazing feeling for me and one that I’ve experienced relatively quickly in terms of my managerial career. Whether playing or managing, the winning feeling is amazing.
"To be part of lifting the first trophy in Macarthur’s history and to see the effect that has had on the team, the backroom staff and everyone at the club is incredible because they’ve never experienced anything like this before. It was a great moment in the club’s history and to play a part in the achievement is just phenomenal."
