Man United legend Sir Alex Ferguson doesn't regret tough approach

Sir Alex Ferguson insists he has no regrets about taking a hardline approach to management even though he admits it may have cost Manchester United Premier League titles.

Ferguson won 13 league titles with United during his 27-year tenure at Old Trafford before he retired at the end of the 2012/13 season.

However, he believes he may have won even more silverware if he had not adopted a tough disciplinary approach.

The likes of David Beckham, Roy Keane, Jaap Stam and Ruud Van Nistelrooy all incurred the Scot's wrath during his reign at Manchester United.

"People will give a manager plenty of opportunities to crack the whip so it's best to pick and choose your moments," Ferguson writes in his new book Leading, which is out on September 22.

"You don't have to dish out a punishment very often before everyone gets the message.

"I place discipline above all else and it might have cost us several titles.

"But if I had to repeat things I'd do it precisely the same because discipline has to come before anything else."

The extracts from Leading by Sir Alex Ferguson first appeared on Manchester United's Official Facebook page.