Former Ireland rugby captain and Tyrone man Willie Anderson has compared Mickey Harte to Alex Ferguson.

Anderson, who famously fronted up to the All Blacks' Haka at Lansdowne Road in 1989, is friendly with the Tyrone boss and reckons he has modelled his management style on the former Manchester United manager.

"I know Mickey Harte is big fan of Alex Ferguson and there is degree of communication there," Anderson said in the Ulster Herald.

"There is no greater man at gamesmanship that Alex Ferguson. If Tyrone can use whatever means to psychologically disrupt the momentum of Kerry or put doubt in their minds, so be it. I think that's brilliant for the sport. Bring it on.

"Obviously this current hype could be a distraction for Kerry as well. If Tyrone can get them to take their eye of the ball, fair play. That's what sport is all about. Jose Mourinho does it every week, it's certainly nothing new.

"Because Tyrone have got to the semis against the odds everyone is asking why and how. But they have got there and they do have a siege mentality as well."

Anderson also claims that critics of Tyrone and their tactics are envious of their success.  

"Everybody and everyone in society who has been successful there are people to have a sleight at them or their team," the Sixmilecross native continued.

"Probably because of Tyrone's success of the last number of years people are going to have a degree of a sleight.

"Mickey Harte will want his team to win at all costs, not necessarily by going outside the line but if it pales the line and he gets away with it, then fine.

"The greatest rugby player in the world at the minute is Richie McCaw. Some referees would say he is illegal while others say he is completely legal. It depends on the law, on the referee and on which particular day.

"In terms of Tyrone's success, obviously everyone is having a cut at them because they are back in the semi-final.

"Dublin and Kerry now consider themselves "professional" and they see that Tyrone have come from nowhere this year. They have done it one way, Tyrone another.

"Tyrone have got there, no matter what sport it is they are always going to have a cut at the team from the North anyway. It's down to rivalry, I suppose. It's in rugby, soccer and it's in Gaelic games. And it's brilliant for sport."

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