• Premier League

Ferguson told me to pull out of England squad, says Butt

ESPN staff
September 11, 2014
Sir Alex Ferguson withdrew Nicky Butt from England duty © Getty Images
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Nicky Butt says he was forced to withdraw from an England squad by Sir Alex Ferguson during his time at the club.

Butt, currently working as a reserve-team coach at Old Trafford, won 39 England caps during his career.

Yet, despite being involved in squads for the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004, the 39-year-old said that on at least one occasion he was prevented from joining up with the team by his manager.

Butt told the Soccerex Global Convention: "He never once said to me to fake an injury. He'd just say 'You've got an England friendly coming up and you're not going'. And that was that.

"At one stage there was nine of us and he would pull one or two of us out and let the other six go."

Butt, who also played for Newcastle and Birmingham after leaving Old Trafford, was speaking alongside ex-United team-mates Ryan Giggs and Phil Neville.

Butt also answered questions on players' attitudes in the England squad towards David Beckham's fame.

"Some resented him [Beckham] for the power he had in the England set-up," Butt said. "A lot of decisions went through him."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd
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