▁him ▁lose ▁his ▁preferred ▁right ▁mid field ▁position . ▁When ▁Mc Man aman ▁did ▁play , ▁he ▁failed ▁to ▁redis cover ▁his ▁old ▁form ▁and ▁speed , ▁only ▁occasionally ▁demonstr ating ▁the ▁ability ▁he ▁had ▁shown ▁in ▁his ▁earlier ▁career . ▁Part ▁of ▁the ▁problem ▁stem med ▁from ▁the ▁fact ▁that ▁to ▁find ▁a ▁role ▁at ▁Madrid ▁he ▁had ▁changed ▁his ▁playing ▁style , ▁cutting ▁down ▁on ▁the ▁fla ir ▁play ▁( as ▁Madrid ▁had ▁a ▁sur fe it ▁of ▁fla ir ▁players ) ▁and ▁instead ▁foc using ▁on ▁being ▁a ▁holding ▁player ▁and ▁making ▁short , ▁simple ▁passes ▁of ▁the ▁ball ▁in ▁central ▁mid field , ▁where ▁he ▁was ▁known ▁for ▁his ▁one - touch ▁passing ▁and ▁ability ▁to ▁never ▁give ▁the ▁ball ▁away . ▁Young sters ▁Wright - Ph ill ips , ▁Jo ey ▁Bart on , ▁Stephen ▁Ireland ▁and ▁Lee ▁Cro ft ▁c ited ▁Mc Man aman ▁as ▁a ▁major ▁motiv ating ▁influence ▁on ▁them . ▁In ▁February ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁Mc Man aman ▁was ▁critic ised ▁by ▁Sir ▁Alex ▁Fer g us on ▁after ▁an ▁FA ▁Cup ▁Manchester ▁der by ▁at ▁Old ▁Tra ff ord ▁for ▁" int im id ating ▁Gary ▁Ne ville " ▁to ▁get ▁him ▁sent ▁off ▁in ▁a ▁head but t ▁incident , ▁adding ▁a ▁der og atory ▁comment ▁that ▁he ▁had ▁no ▁idea ▁what ▁other ▁role ▁Mc Man aman ▁had ▁in ▁the ▁game ▁[ and ▁possibly ▁for ▁Manchester ▁City ]. ▁ ▁Off ▁the ▁field ▁at ▁City , ▁F ow ler ▁and