There would be a certain element of natural bias given his allegiance to Manchester United but Rory McIlroy was still effusive in describing the talk that former Red Devils boss Alex Ferguson gave to the European team in Gleneagles.
The world number one described it “as the highlight of the week so far.” He explained: “I was just sitting there and looking up at him, and I didn’t take my eyes off him. I was sort of in this trance just listening to everything that he was saying and I’m sort of thinking this is all the stuff that he’s probably said to Manchester United teams over the years.
“He told us a couple stories just of past experiences in some big games and big matches, and some of the players that he managed, and it was a great evening. It was a really cool thing to be a part of. Look, not everyone in that room is a Manchester United fan, and they made that known (laughter). But (it was) very useful, because we got to ask some questions, just about different things and what he thought was the key element to being successful, and successful as a team.
“Yeah, he’s a very inspirational sort of man when he talks. He’s got a lot of authority and the room just goes quiet and everyone listens. So as I said, it was a great experience for everyone, obviously, but especially for me being a big Manchester United fan.”
The concept of introducing a keynote speaker to chat to the European team is not a new one as, for example, in 2010 Colin Montgomerie asked the legendary Lions and Wales scrumhalf Gareth Edwards to address his troops in the build-up to the event.
The effect of such a motivational gambit is no doubt coloured by the final outcome of the biennial match; win and virtually everything is deemed a success. McIlroy is adamant though that an external input is something that the players enjoy and find beneficial in gleaning something from the experience.
He illustrated his point by recalling a poignant moment from 2010. "I remember about Celtic Manor is we all got on a conference call with Seve (Ballesteros), and that was incredible; all of us huddled around this little speakerphone and Seve just rallying the troops.
"Those things do help, those things really do. It galvanises us and brings us together, especially something like that. Seve was back in Spain and couldn't travel; he obviously wasn't feeling too well at that time: and then something like last night, as well.
“Okay, everyone might not be a Man-United fan, but at the same time, everyone has to respect what Alex Ferguson has done and what he’s done in his career and how successful. These things, they help. They are little details in the bigger picture, but it would be that half a per cent or that one per cent that helps us to get back that little trophy.”
