Sir Alex Ferguson on Karel Poborsky's hair: 'He looked like he played for Led Zeppelin rather than Manchester United'

Poborsky's shaggy locks were just not sensible enough for Fergie

James Orr
Tuesday 22 September 2015 13:09 BST
Comments
Karel Poborsky in action for United in 1997
Karel Poborsky in action for United in 1997 (GETTY IMAGES)

Your support helps us to tell the story

This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.

The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.

Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.

Sir Alex Ferguson was well known for wanting his players to have short and sensible hairstyles (David Beckham never played under him with a mohawk), so it was no surprise that he made Karel Poborsky trim his shaggy locks when he signed for Manchester United from Slavia Prague back in 1996.

In his new book, 'Leading', Ferguson reveals that he could not fathom why a player would have long hair.

"I never understood why players would want to have long hair. Anything, even a few extra locks of hair, just didn't seem sensible.

"I had my first issue with a player on this topic when Karel Poborsky came to Manchester United from Slavia Prague in 1996, looking as though as he was going to play for Led Zeppelin rather than United.

"I did manage to persuade him to trim his locks but even so, they were always too long for my tastes."

David Beckham revealed earlier this year that Ferguson once made him cut off his mohawk before the 2000 Charity Shield, in the Wembley Stadium toilets hours before kick-off.

David Beckham and his mohawk
David Beckham and his mohawk (GETTY IMAGES)

"I was in the dressing room with an hour to go before kick off when Sir Alex Ferguson saw it and made me shave it off," Beckham said in an interview which was broadcast on the Graham Norton Show on BBC 1.

"I said no at first and then I saw his face change very quickly so I went and shaved it off in the toilet. He was very strict."

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in