SAF: Europe, Longevity And Nev
Guardian: Sir Alex Ferguson marked his 21st anniversary at Manchester United yesterday by speculating whether he could outlast Sir Matt Busby, who was manager for 24 years.
→ continue reading
The Last Days Of Fergie
Sir Alex Ferguson will today celebrate 21 years in charge at United. The tributes will flood in and new ways of telling the world of the manager’s greatness will be found.
By way of contrast with this incredible feat, Chris Hutchings will spend the day polishing his excuses, after he was fired by Wigan Athletic, pleading that his six months in the job were not enough to improve the club’s fortunes.
As every football fan knows, Hutchings fate is the norm for managers with Sir Alex being the exception that proves the rule.
Hutchings began with a ringing endorsement from his chairman. “I feel Chris is the right person to progress this club into the next era,” said Dave Whelan. “I know Chris Hutchings and I know how good he is. I’ve every confidence he’ll push us forwards. I’d like to take this opportunity to welcome him as manager and give him my assurance that he will have my full and total support.”
Hutchings reign at Wigan came to a jolting end amid jeers and catcalls. Seven defeats and no wins from the last nine league matches, sent him down the plank, a hapless victim of professional sport’s cruellest gag - that most careers end in failure.
Sir Alex has survived so long because of his single-minded obsession to bend fate to his will. Managerial genius, an unquenchable thirst for success, a gambler’s luck with players and an ability to revive himself over and over again, have given Ferguson the means with which to outstrip his peers, allowing him to be rightly recognised as indisputably the best-ever coach produced in these islands.
Ferguson cannot last forever. United fans should celebrate this anniversary today and cherish these last days of a legend.
READ:
SAF: Agents In His Sights
Telegraph: Sir Alex Ferguson has reopened the controversial debate on football agents, accusing them of being ‘unprofessional’ and calling for the industry to set strict tariffs to prevent too much money flowing out of the game.
→ continue reading
SAF: Limit Foreigners In Our Game
Guardian: Sir Alex Ferguson’s apparent determination to reignite his feud with Arsène Wenger now that Jose Mourinho is no longer around has led to the Manchester United manager questioning Arsenal’s right to field a team exclusively made up of foreign players.
→ continue reading
SAF: Mourinho Won’t Come Back
Mail: Sir Alex Ferguson has cast doubt on whether Jose Mourinho will return to manage a club in England.
→ continue reading
SAF: Pride In The Next Generation
Mirror: Sir Alex Ferguson will give the world a glimpse of Manchester United’s future today, with the promise that his emerging young stars can go on to conquer the world.
→ continue reading
SAF: World Domination
Sun: ALEX FERGUSON has told his young stars: You can rule the world.
→ continue reading
Fergie’s Winter Gamble
With the transfer window due to open in just over two months, Sir Alex has moved to end any speculation that United plan a winter surprise.
→ continue reading
The Clearout Continues. Who Is Next?
Another United youngster is to leave on loan, giving fresh impetus to the clearout Sir Alex has promised.
After failing to land Chris Eagles, Sheffield United boss and former Red hero Bryan Robson, has netted defender Phil Bardsley on a month’s loan. Robson will hope that Bardsley can shore up a porous defence.
The 22-year-old full back who has already been on loan at Rangers and Aston Villa, had the misfortune to make his only appearance of the season against Coventry in the 2 – 0 Carling Cup defeat last month.
Defender Adam Eckersley has agreed to a temporary move to Port Vale whilst midfielder Lee Martin has been loaned to Plymouth for three months.
The deals show that Ferguson is as good as his word. The manager promised a swift review after the Coventry defeat and hinted that some of the younger players in his squad would be on their way.
With three already out, can Chris Eagles, Frazier Campbell and Dong Fangzhou be far behind?
Even highly-rated keeper Ben Foster expects to be loaned out again when he recovers from a cruciate ligament injury next year.
Foster said: “It is going to be difficult to get past Edwin van der Sar and Tomasz Kuszczak. I might have to go out on loan for a couple of months just to blow the cobwebs away.”
SAF: The Deluge To Come
Guardian: Sir Alex Ferguson yesterday admitted his Manchester United team’s unspectacular start to the season had been a strange one but, with Wigan Athletic travelling to Old Trafford today, he expects an avalanche of goals to restore an air of normality.
→ continue reading
Who Would Fergie Buy With £100m?
It’s become something of an urban legend but nevertheless a staggering public relations coup for Arsene Wenger, who says he would turn down the offer of £100 million to buy new players.
→ continue reading
SAF: I Rate Arsenal
Mail: Sir Alex Ferguson has paved the way for a resumption of his rivalry with Arsene Wenger after marking out Arsenal as the main challengers to Manchester United’s Premier League crown.
→ continue reading
SAF: Kids Out
Sky: Sir Alex Ferguson has hinted a number of his budding Manchester United stars will go out on loan following the club’s Carling Cup exit to Coventry.
→ continue reading
Has Fergie Given Up On A Very Public Grudge?
At last, after many years of a very public grudge, Sir Alex has finally agreed to a BBC interview.
→ continue reading
Has Fergie Mucked Up United’s Attack?
If it aint broke, dont fix it!
→ continue reading
SAF: Ridiculous Pressure On Mourinho
Sun: ALEX FERGUSON claims that Chelsea had put ridiculous pressure on Jose Mourinho.
→ continue reading
