Nani and Sir Alex Ferguson.
- Former Manchester United star Nani says Sir Alex Ferguson used to let players turn up to training drunk on New Year as a reward for their hard work.
- "On New Year, we could even go to training drunk and the coach didn't care about it," he told the Portuguese outlet Tribuna Expresso. "It was a joy, a moment of relaxation, a different kind of training - clowning around."
- Nani won 12 major honors during a seven season spell at United, and the 33-year-old now plies his trade in the MLS with Orlando City.
- He also says he has given up the booze in recent times so he can continue to be "able to play at the highest level."
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Former Manchester United star Nani says Sir Alex Ferguson used to let players turn up to training drunk on New Year as a reward for their hard work.
The Portuguese midfielder, who made 230 appearances for United between 2007 and 2014, made the claim while speaking with Tribuna Expresso.
"On special days like Christmas or New Year - no one in England cares about that," he said. "On New Year, we could even go to training drunk and the coach didn't care about it. That's the side of [Ferguson] that knew how to deal with the players and have the perception to say, 'This day is special, I can't make demands.'
"We had been playing non-stop all year long. If one day Wes Brown gets drunk, what are we going to do? It was a joy, a moment of relaxation, a different kind of training - clowning around."
Manchester United told Business Insider that it believes "Nani talking overall to Sir Alex' unique man-management skills, using an example."
Nani helped United win 12 major honors during his seven season spell at Old Trafford, including four Premier League titles, two League Cups, and the Champions League.
He left the club in 2014, and has since been a journeyman, playing for five different clubs in the last six seasons - first Sporting Lisbon, then Fenerbahce, Valencia, Lazio, back to Sporting, and most recently, MLS side Orlando City.
While he's now 33, Nani says he has no plans to stop playing just yet, and is working on improving his game every day, and has even sacrificed his nights partying for the cause.
"I won't lie, I liked nights out," he said. "But now I avoid them because to be able to play at the highest level you have to drop the nights out and know the right time to enjoy yourself. That is basically what I do."
He added: "My goal each day is to be stronger, to work so that I can always be in shape and continue to do what I always did. Continue to be attractive on the field, so people keep saying I'm a good player, still fast, agile. That is my goal. That is my focus and it takes us a long time. There is no time for other things."
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