Life of Ryan: Caretaker Manager Page #5

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the ground and the buzz,

and I just couldn't then

wait for the game to start.

(WHISTLE BLOWING)

I don't know if it was all the emotion,

and maybe we trained

a little bit too much during the week

that it was a bit of a slow start.

It was half-time,

and all I said to the players was,

"You're playing too slow.

"Every time you play quick,

you look like you're gonna score.

"You look like you're gonna do something,

so quicken the tempo up.

"Take one or two touches

on the ball and we'll be OK."

(CHEERING)

I wanted them to press Norwich

and get the crowd up.

I also picked a team where

the subs could have an impact

if it went well,

and it couldn't have gone any better.

I brought Juan on, and Chicha,

Ash as well, and they all made an impact.

It was great to see, because it wasn't easy

leaving players of that quality out.

(CROWD CHEERING)

WINTER:
I could understand the euphoria

after the Norwich game.

It was just good to see Manchester United

get their swagger back.

Thank you, cheers.

RYAN:
If you saw us after the first game

against Norwich in the office

after the game, we were shattered.

We were shattered

emotionally because it was

a big moment for all four of us.

We had to deliver.

No, I'm just so knackered,

honestly. lt's just, uh...

(YAWNS)

It's a tough job.

And I've got, obviously,

massive respect for any manager

because I haven't seen the other side

like I have this week. It's rewarding,

it's hard, it's time-consuming.

You're always

having to think of things.

You're always constantly thinking,

"What have I forgot?"

And you need help in this position.

Obviously, like I say,

I've just been in it five days.

Yeah, I walked into George's, got a round

of applause and a standing ovation.

(APPLAUDING)

I think they were expecting a free round,

which they were never gonna get.

But, no, it was great. I had a beer and

just relaxed with my family and friends.

- This looks good, you and the cake.

-(LAUGHING)

It's a Mother's Day cake that

didn't go down very well yesterday.

Nobody had any but myself for Mother's Day.

That's like we didn't get her anything.

- Yeah, exactly, yeah.

- I didn't say anything.

- When we went to a lot of trouble, didn't we?

- Yeah, we did.

Go and get the card.

No, don't get the card.

- Why not?

- I think Ryan goes through

his phone and looks for the worst pictures,

and then thinks, "I'll use that one."

Me sleeping.

- On Mother's Day?

- No, you can't.

(RYAN LAUGHING)

Stacey's always been supportive toward me,

and hasn't got a clue about football

and she doesn't care.

She doesn't want to know

anything about football,

which is good.

Wouldn't have it any other way.

STACEY:
I was up at the lodge with my cousin

and he walked through the door

and he just said,

"I'm going to be the manager,"

and we both laughed.

We went, "Really? Are you taking the mick?"

And he was like, "No, no, seriously."

How can he be a manager?

He's a player. It's such a big role to do.

I did worry a little bit because I just thought,

"Oh, God, here we go,

all the pressure, stress."

But, to be fair, it hasn't been that bad.

The only change is, he's not sat on his arse

watching telly all afternoon.

RYAN:
I have a little two hours where,

or I used to anyway,

anyway, just get home

from training, you relax.

Just put my feet up. I like my TV programmes,

a bit of escapism,

-but I also like my quizzes.

- You're just like, "Shut up.

"Eggheads is on, or the Chase.

The Chase is on, be quiet."

Then you answer all the questions,

and get them all right,

and then you get one wrong

and you go, "Oh!"

RYAN:
Well, I'm trying to broaden

my horizons. I like quiz shows.

I forgot about The Chase and Eggheads.

- One Direction movie.

-It's on re-run at the moment.

I watched it 28 times and counting.

# You light up my life like nobody... #

-it's world!

-"Light up my world," you're right.

Might write in to One Direction,

ask if they'll change it.

Why?

Because I think mine are better, my lines.

Really? Really, Daddy? Really?

Coming home to Stace and the kids

has always been

sort of escapism, really, from

the pressures or the disappointments

or even bringing you back down to Earth.

It's always the place where

all these things happen.

(BOTH SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY)

Away from the spotlight,

that's your safe haven and

the place where you just feel comfortable

and relaxed

no matter what's happening in football.

They've been watching the whole game,

and she's so proud.

She's like really, really proud.

- Yeah.

- But she went...

She was telling you to take somebody off.

- Yeah?

- Yeah.

She went, "Will he have his phone?"

So I went, "No, no, no, he won't have it.

You can't do that."

"Take such and such off, and

such and such ended up scoring two goals."

Yeah.

So she won't make a manager.

RYAN:
For 20 years, Sir Alex used to say,

"Wait until all you lot are managers

and you'll find out

"how hard it is to pick a team,

to leave good players out,"

and I was just sat there going,

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever."

You know, it's like having your first baby.

You can prep as much as you can,

but until it comes down to actually

living it, day in, day out,

you can never prepare for it.

I said last week that I was

gonna start training on the Monday,

but it was actually Nicky, Nicky Butt come

into the office Monday morning and said,

"I think it's a good idea

if you don't train this week."

And I went, "What do you mean?"

And he went, "No, I think

"it's better if you're just seen

out there as the leader,

"and you're not getting involved in training.

"Say one of the players kicks you,

and you react."

it was a really good point, so I stood away

and really have just been a manager,

rather than a player, which I expected to be,

so it was good advice and

definitely the right thing to do.

Morning.

Get changed now,

and then just going for breakfast.

Porridge, scrambled eggs,

toast, orange juice, coffee.

Big breakfast. Big day.

You win the lottery every day when

you're coming training at a place like this.

The facilities are great, the people are great,

the challenge is there,

and it's a great place to come in and work.

Can you see them? Where are they?

Butt, Scholes, Giggs, where are they?

Where are they?

They're up there having

a cup of tea, a cappuccino and a latte.

RYAN:
Phil,

even though he's had a great career,

I think he was born to be a coach.

His knowledge, his enthusiasm.

And he has been brilliant for me.

I would sort of say what I wanted,

and he was the voice

on the training pitch, and he would put up

the session plan, "Right,

how can we get the best of that?"

We've all got the same views

of how we want this Man United team

to play, and it probably dates back to when

we was players here and

the styles that we were brought up on.

You know, fast-attacking football,

energy, spirit, togetherness.

Nicky's the lad who brings,

obviously, his experience, his know-how,

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