Further details on legendary manager Walter Smith's impact on Cristiano Ronaldo continue to come to light.
The Scot, best known for his two spells with Rangers, passed away last month, aged 73. He guided his boyhood team to 10 league titles, five Scottish Cups, six Scottish League Cups and, in 2008, the UEFA Cup final.
He would also spend four years as a Premier League manager with Everton, before joining fellow Scot Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United as his assistant manager.
In his single season in Manchester, Smith made a huge impression on a number of United players - including new signing Cristiano Ronaldo.
At Smith's memorial service on Friday, Ferguson reflected upon the impact his friend had on an 18-year-old Ronaldo, who had just joined from Sporting Lisbon.
Ferguson spoke of how Smith took charge of training games and made rule changes to both hamper and help Ronaldo, who “came with all the tricks in the world and wanted to beat all the players”.
Ferguson said: "[Ronaldo] walked up to me and says ‘Boss, do they not have fouls in Scotland?’ And he learned. He learned how to pass the ball and he can thank Walter for that. No question.”
Darren Fletcher was part of the first-team squad at the club that season and has previously recounted Smith’s pivotal role in United’s training that helped develop Ronaldo’s game that season.
When asked who had the biggest impact on Ronaldo’s quick change in development that season, Fletcher responded: “Walter Smith, when he joined as assistant manager.
“With Ronaldo, you could always see his talent and ability – it was obvious, and that is why the club had signed him based on that pre-season game when he tore us apart playing for Sporting Lisbon.
“He was a charismatic kid who had the ability and drive to become the best player in the world but he frustrated the life out of everybody.
“Everybody thought that if he could learn, it would take him up to the next level and then Walter Smith came in and decided not to give fouls in training.
“But Walter said that there would be no fouls and for two weeks, Ronaldo was tearing his hair out. He was going bananas because it was open season for fouling him.”
Smith's methods would certainly reap their benefits for Ronaldo - going on to become one of the greatest players of all time.
