We’re exactly 7 days away from the start of a fresh season for the top division of English Football; the most popular football league in the world – The Barclays English Premier League. In addition to the usual excitement at the start of a new season amidst football fans, there’s new sense of anticipation, a sentiment inspired by events that indicate the coming of winds of change & a shift in balance of power in world football. Each of the sides that finished in the top 3 positions last season, have new managers and varying degrees of new players on their roster; but none of it changes things as much as the absence of one man – Sir Alex Chapman Ferguson – the custodian of Manchester United FC, who finally relinquished his position after 26 years & 38 major trophies at the club – a reign that will forever be etched in the history of global football; one that not only earned the man knighthood, but envy, respect, admiration and anger from fellow managers all at the same time. While the United loyals still haven’t come to terms with the departure (being one myself, trust me the feeling hasn’t sunk in yet), we take a moment to remember a few things about his amazing personality that not just United fans but football fans the world over will forever miss:
8. Squeaky Bum Time? Nay! Fergie Time:
squeaky bum time (n.): (informal, chiefly UK) An exciting part of a sporting event, particularly the final minutes of a close game or season.
Sir Alex pretty much redefined this term, so much that pundits & fans the world over started referring to this phase of a game as ‘Fergie Time’. SAF’s United has scored countless number of goals in the dying moments of a game – none more famous than the two goals in stoppage time against Bayern Munich in the European Champions League final of 1999 – Manchester United were trailing at the end of 90 minutes of regulation football, only to score 2 goals within the space of 2 stoppage time minutes to win the game and subsequently bag an unprecedented treble in United’s history. Ferguson’s team has been scoring goals late into the game, especially deep into injury time to win/draw games consistently throughout his reign. His influence on the touchline towards adding on sufficient time when his team is losing has also amused and angered many.
Regular Sight – Fergie Recording his own Time
7. The Hair Dryer Treatment:
Countless games have changed for the Old Trafford based outfit after a disastrous first half. What exactly goes on in the dressing room, in the middle of a full-fledged game, only those who have experienced would be able to give a full account of; but rumors of his flying temper and maligned speeches in the middle of a poorly played game have forever lingered during his illustrious career. Many of his players have confessed to being openly scared of the Scottish gaffer at the end of a poor performance. The transformation that 5 minutes of Fergie-fury can have on a team has been testified time after time by United’s comeback victories. This uncanny ability to motivate and will his players into giving their 100% if not more game-in game-out is one of SAF’s several secrets to long-term managerial success.
‘I am the manager of the most famous club in the world. I was demonstrative. I am always demonstrative. Everyone knows I am an emotional guy but I am not abusive.’ – Sir Alex
6. Slapstick, Amusing Soundbytes:
Ferguson’s press conferences have always repeatedly been a bit of a circus. For a man backed by so much success, the man has made several controversial, erratic statements in the public that have made good laughing stock and earned him several enemies. Be it the occasion he said he would not sell Real Madrid ‘a virus’, shortly before United pocketed £80million for selling Cristiano Ronaldo to the Spanish side or in more recent times his uproar over Swansea center half Ashley Williams kicking a ball into star striker Robin van Persie’s head, claiming it could have killed the Dutchman. Many believe Ferguson constantly made such statements after poor games to take the focus off his players and draw it upon himself instead while some believed he had a crazy side to him anyway. Either way, it seems to have worked for the old man, hasn’t it?
Here are some of his classic gems:
“It was a freakish incident. If I tried it 100 or a million times it couldn’t happen again. If I could, I would have carried on playing.” – After kicking a stray boot at David Beckham’s head after a FA Cup loss to Arsenal.
“That lad must have been born offside.” – Another famous phrase coined at the expense of Milan striker Filippo Inzaghi.
“Sometimes you have a noisy neighbor You cannot do anything about that. They will always be noisy. You just have to get on with your life, put your television on and turn it up a bit louder.” – on newly rich rivals Manchester City.
Prev Next 5. The Rivalries & The Fallouts:
One of the many great joys of Ferguson’s reign was his unmatched sense of competitiveness. The guy has overcome challenge after domestic challenge and not done too badly overseas either. We’ve witnessed some great rivalries along the way, none better than the one with Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal. Some may argue that the challenge presented by Le Professeur’s erstwhile Invincibles has waned in recent times, but the period most English football lovers loved most passionately was when the pair of them were at each other’s throats both on and off field. Ferguson’s equation with Liverpool’s Rafa Benitez was equally enthralling and the Scott has often been brutal in his description of the Spaniard. It is somewhat sad that Fergie decides to hang up his boots just when ‘The Chosen One’ decided to make a comeback to the English game, for many were of the belief that if anyone, it was Jose Mourinho who ever really managed to get under Ferguson’s skin. Fact remains however, be it Jack Walker’s Blackburn Rovers, Wenger’s Invincibles, Mourinho & Abramovich’s Chelsea or the noisy neighbors spurred on by their limitless middle-eastern wealth, it would be safe to say Fergie has overcome every challenge in the long run & emerged victorious.
His countless fallouts with star players within the team, be it Roy Keane, Paul Ince or David Beckham, is a clear indicator of his belief that the club is bigger than any single individual, no matter how vital.
No trophies for guessing who prevailed in the war of words between Fergie & Rafa.
4. The Chewing Gum:
Ah! The frantic, monstrous, unrelenting assault on the lone piece of gum in Ferguson’s mouth has never gone unnoticed. In good jest, SAF has often been known as the single greatest ambassador of Wrigley’s Extra Peppermint. The great old Scott chewing his way away to glory in the United’s Audi branded home-team pit will be a sight missed sorely by every single United fan. Such is the fanatism behind Ferguson and his gum, that the last piece of gum rumored to have been chewed by the great man as manager of Manchester United was recovered by a fan and auctioned for £390,000.
And Sold! For £390,000!
3. The Habit of Winning:
Manchester United under Sir Alex developed a fierce habit of winning – all the time. They never seemed to be satisfied with coming in second best – if ever such thoughts did cross a player’s mind, #7 always ensured they didn’t become prevalent. Time after time, United overcame opponents far superior to them on paper and in quality on the basis of sheer will-power and the hunger for success that stemmed from their iconic manager. Be it the Treble winning team of 1999 or the record breaking 20th title which also proved to be Ferguson’s last after losing out to their bitter rivals City on goal difference with the last kick of the season just an year ago – Fergie’s Red Devil’s have become renowned for winning games & titles they should never have won on paper.
Prev Next 2. Longevity, Culture, Loyalty & Tradition:
Ferguson is no saint – the man has twisted, choked & cringed every single unfair bit of advantage that he could seek out of any single situation at every stage of his life. The man has made several tactical errors as well as disastrous overpriced transfers. Yet, ALL of that is overlooked merely by the scope of everything he has achieved. And in hindsight, the man has given the world a proper lesson in how to run a successful football club. A perfect mixture of youth and experience, the man was never shy of making big spending transfers every time he saw his dominance challenged.
Yet, one of Fergie’s biggest achievements beyond the trophy cabinet is the golden class o 1992 – Fergie’s Fledglings! A group comprising of amazing home grown talent, the likes of Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt, Gary & Phil Neville as also David Beckham. Most of these players dedicated their entire careers to the red of Manchester United and went on to become legends of the game. Sir Alex was able to not just build a successful football team but also help the management develop the club into a global brand of such value that they can depend upon their revenue streams for several decades to be able to compete diligently in the transfer market.
Fergie & his Fledglings – a great testament of longevity, loyalty & tradition!
1. The Man Himself:
Without doubt! What will be missed most is the charismatic presence of a man that is difficult to miss in a football game. At the ripe age of 71, the man was seen jumping up and down in the dugout, screaming instructions, insults or tactics to his players in what went on to become his last season. During every difficult phase, the United faithfuls have taken solace in the presence of the great man! Always depending upon him to pull a rabbit out of the bag and the Scott rarely failed to deliver.
The man has left behind huge shoes to fill! One can’t help but feel a little sorry for David Moyes, who will take his place next season. Yet, in all rational thought, SAF seems to have made the right call by choosing a man with lesser fame, but a proven track record and a rich eye for talent. United have once again invested in another Scotsman with a long term plan in mind – surely on the recommendation of their talisman for all of the last two decades. Only time will tell if his last appointment as Manchester United’s manager was a wise call like most others in his long, evergreen career!
“I would like to remind you this club stood by me in bad times, the players and the staff. Your job now is to stand by the new manager.” and Fergie signed off on that note. Thank you Sir Alex, for several years of heart-wrenching football – you taught us everything about being a fan, a fanatic and a true Red Devil!
Thank you Sir Alex! You sir, will forever be treasured!