Former Rory McIlroy ally gives verdict on Tiger Woods' 'flashy' son

Rory McIlroy's former manager Andrew 'Chubby' Chandler has implored Tiger Woods to keep his son out of the limelight as much as possible if he is to have any chance of success. 

Chandler managed McIlroy at the beginning of the Northern Irishman's professional golf career in 2007 through to their acrimonious split in 2011. 

The 71-year-old reckons Woods, 49, is currently doing the right thing by keeping Charlie, 15, out of the spotlight as much as he possibly can. 

But this must continue over the next few years. 

Chandler explained he once had a conversation with Sir Alex Ferguson about how to approach managing young stars. 

And he has encouraged the hall of famer to do the same with his lad. 

"I have no idea really how good he is right now," Chandler said of Charlie.  

"You see him. Looks great. Bit flashy. Obviously [he has] got a great mentor next to him but that'll be a hindrance as well as an advantage having to live up to his dad's name. That's pretty difficult."

He continued: "What I would say, I was very fortunate that in 2007 in the first year of looking after Rory I went to Cheltenham Races in a helicopter with Sir Alex Ferguson. 

"On the way down, I said to Sir Alex that I'm going to look after his boy, Rory McIlroy, and I asked him for a few pointers because he looked after Ronaldo, and I asked how he went about it because he did a fantastic job.

"He said there's two things with people like that. 

"Don't let them talk to the press much because they always say the wrong thing. Number two, I cut off all the hangers on."

Chandler touched on the current situation involving Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford. 

The England striker has expressed his desire to leave the club.

Manager Ruben Amorim recently claimed he'd rather put his 63-year-old goalkeeping coach on the bench ahead of the 27-year-old because of a perceived lack of effort. 

"It's very interesting because when you look at the lads that go astray, it's usually the hangers on," Chandler said. 

"With Marcus Rashford now, it's now Marcus Rashford. It's the hangers on and his family who are looking after him.

"And to be fair, Tiger is looking after him. You've never seen an interview with Charlie Woods yet. This is not a criticism, I think Tiger is doing the right thing.

"If you can keep Charlie Woods outside of the headlines as much as you can, and you can't do it all because the media are going to want to do this or that, but they never interview Charlie Woods ever. 

"You cut away the media from the young kid so they don't get carried away. 

"The difference between conceit and confidence is nothing. It's really interesting how they've done that.

"I know Andrew Flintoff and his son Rocky is Charlie Woods in cricket. His son Rocky is playing for the England A Team at 16. 

"I've seen interviews about him. [You] never seen an interview with him. You see stuff about him, you see stuff about Charlie.

"The longer Tiger can carry on doing that, and that’s really down to him and his team, keeping him under wraps for another two or three years and let his golf do the talking, the better. 

"Dad will be a proper positive but also a negative to try and live up to his name.

"If you want to cut a player off from the press, you can do it. Someone has to say yes somewhere to let it happen. 

"But I was very aware of it with Rory and you try to make sure he didn't do press interviews where possible. 

"Those 20 minute one on ones about when you think he's going to win the Open, you don't want that. 

"That's where Mark Steinberg and Tiger's experience must come in."

Chandler was speaking to Vision4Sport. 

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