Sir Alex Ferguson warns David Moyes

LONDON - Sir Alex Ferguson claims David Moyes must make sure all his staff are singing the same tune - no matter how bad it is. Moyes is struggling to follow Fergie at Manchester United and has lost three of his seven English Premier League soccer games in the champions' stuttering defence of their title.

The United manager has been questioned for clearing out Ferguson's successful back-room team to bring his own people with him from Everton.

Ferguson says the key for Moyes, and any other manager, is to ensure all his coaching staff share his vision for the club.

"Three things are very important when you are working with them - work ethic, loyalty, philosophy," said the former United boss.

"You all have to be singing the same tune, no matter how bad the tune is. It's important that your people agree with you and the way that we at United wanted to play, that was very important. My attitude to a game of football - never give in. At half-time in a game of football, if you're behind, never give in."

Following Ferguson was always going to be difficult because of his phenomenal success, but the Reds legend sees all challenges as positive.

Speaking at the 10th Uefa Coach Education Workshop in Budapest, he claimed coaches should not shy away from difficulties.

"I think that the more difficult you make the challenge of being a top coach, well that's a challenge that any coach should take because if you're successful that way then you'll be successful anyway," he said.

"Sometimes it's about inspiring to make players better than they are and the best that they could have been.

"On the football field, it's generally a player with character who wins the match."

Ferguson, who was granted the freedom of Trafford yesterday and had a road near Old Trafford named after him, does sympathise with Moyes for having to deal with some many different nationalities of players.

He claims he had to turn down his famous hair-dryer in his last years in charge at United because players nowadays are more fragile.

"The human beings I've dealt with are far more fragile than the human beings of 30 years ago," he said

"And I say that in a good sense because they're coming from better conditions. I couldn't lose my temper the way I did back then with people nowadays. Also, which has become very dominant in the English game, is the culture of players from different countries.

"At United I think there are people from 20 different nationalities and that's a challenge because people from different cultures have to be addressed.

"You have to make sure that they are comfortable in their environment because it's a results industry and you need to get the best out of them."

Ferguson also spoke of his pride after unveiling a street named in his honour near the English champions' Old Trafford ground on Monday.

What was Waters Reach will now be known as Sir Alex Ferguson Way.

During the Scot's 26 years in charge, United won 13 Premier League titles, including last season's top-flight crown and two European Champions League trophies among a slew of silverware.

Ferguson, the most successful manager in British football history, retired at the end of last season.

Having revealed the new road sign, Ferguson said on Monday: "It encapsulates probably the last 26 years - coming to the great club, the history of it.

"It's been an incredible journey for me, ending today for me to unveil this road sign

"I'm really proud of that and I'm proud of everyone who has been associated with the club.

"I'd like to thank Manchester United for inviting me down here, 26 years ago. It was a fantastic elevation in my life and a challenge I accepted. And we are where we are now.

"It's a great, great football club. You, the supporters, have enjoyed it. And I still think that a lot of our young fans don't remember that there were bad days.

"Dealing with bad days is what we're good at. This club will always go on."