Former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has insisted that any player who is unsettling the team or the coaching staff must be kicked out of the club.

The Scotsman, who spent 26 years at the helm of Old Trafford, was ruthless in some cases with regards to offloading players, one example being the departure of David Beckham to Real Madrid in 2003.

Following Ferguson's retirement, new manager David Moyes was faced with a decision on striker Wayne Rooney's future following reports that the England international was keen to leave Old Trafford.

Despite being the subject of two bids from Chelsea, United stood firm and kept hold of the 27-year-old, who is currently nursing a head injury.

In a number of interviews with Harvard Business School professor Anita Elberse in 2012, which have just been published, Ferguson has explained why keeping control of the dressing room is vital.

"There are occasions when you have to ask yourself whether certain players are affecting the dressing room atmosphere, the performance of the team, and your control of the players and staff," the Manchester Evening News quotes Ferguson as saying.

"If they are, you have to cut the cord. There is absolutely no other way. It doesn't matter if the person is the best player in the world."

Meanwhile, Ferguson will receive honorary freedom of Trafford following his glittering career at United.