Like many others, I had huge doubts during the summer of 2006 when, after a couple of barren years, we sold Ruud and only signed Carrick. I had very little faith that we'd be able to keep up with Chelsea at the time and had resigned myself to us not winning the league for an extended period. Instead it turned out we were entering Fergie's golden years, with the likes of Fletcher also proving me wrong. That's the major one.
Name the cases when Fergie proved you wrong?
- Thread starter Sir Erik ten Hag
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Coming out with result after result with some really iffy team selections at times.
Around 2005/6(?) when the fanzines were saying he was sounding like Thatcher and would just go on and on even though the team was not winning titles and he should quit.
The wily old fox.
The wily old fox.
From what I recall he was left with little choice with Ruud. His behavior in his final season seemed engineered to get the move to Madrid. There were several instances such as the league cup final and the incident with Ronaldo.
Was pleasing that he apologised years later and made up though.
I see this myth still persists, he didn't let Pogba go, Pogba was offered and refused a new contract
Given SAF is almost a Communist in his political outlook I'd have loved to been a fly on the wall when someone suggested that he sounded like Thatcher!!
And that to me is the main reason behind his "there is not enough value" stance in his later years, much more so than the Glazers penny pinching.
Maybe but he wasn't wrong, it still applies today, fans are calling out the prices of the likes of Antony, Mount, Hojlund, Onana, Maguire as being over priced, irrespective of their ability or lack thereof
True enough but Id argue that's semantics.
We had issues in midfield and Pogba was showing bags of talent. A lot of fans, myself included, wanted him to get more playing time. And it was clear Pogba wanted to play more, but Ferguson seemed reluctant to give him a real go.
Then Juventus came knocking and turned his head.
Selling Van Nistelrooy in '06. Seemed crazy to me at the time as he was a world class striker but three titles in a row and the Champions League again in '08 proved him right.
SAF said he wasn't ready to play on a regular basis and Pogba threw his toys out of the pram
Controversial, but Beckham. I don't think he was ever as good after leaving United.
Yeah, Fletcher grew into a fantastic footballer.
Not really controversial, I think quite a few people would agree
There were various midfielders he could have signed for cheap. In terms of replacing Scholes longer-term he could have got Sneijder for a fairly low price as part of the Ronaldo deal, for one, when Madrid were shedding excess midfielders and 10s to balance the books. Dembele was available from Fulham for less than we paid for Carrick 6 years previously and had perfect profile as a dynamic, strong tackling, technically good no. 8 who could have played alongside Carrick and a more advanced 8/10. In terms of a 10, its been confirmed by Rooney himself that he advocated SAF signing Ozil in 2010 before Madrid were in for him (and available for around 11m) and, whatever you think of Ozil, alongside a couple of strong midfielders and hard-working forwards willing to run behind, he would have been great. If we delve deeper, more examples can be found - there is always 'value' somewhere with a little acumen ( investment in scouting) combined with the will to speculate.
SAF failed to use the leverage his success had given him properly in this regard - Van Persie aside, every window after 07 was a disappointment - all it would have taken was the Glazers kicking in a small amount of their own money or watering down their share in the club slightly to free up investment funds rather than crippling our power to refresh the team at a key conjuncture through a debt situation resulting from a leveraging-mechanism that should, with a competent FA, have precluded them from acquiring the club in the first place.
Absolutely, but I didn't see it that way back then, which is why SAF proved me wrong
Very rare, but:
- Having no idea what to do with Veron.
So the saying goes that the league was too fast for Veron. The reality is we bought him and didn't give him the midfield, instead keeping Keane as the main man with Veron a very peripheral figure basically cheerleading and looking quite lost as to what he should be doing. Veron was top 3 in the world at what he did at that time, but we never allowed him to play like he did in Italy or for his country. Keane of course, was also top 3 in the world at what he did, plus he was the captain, plus it was his team, plus he was entering his peak so.... unlucky Seba. We bought him to become consummate performers in the CL utilising a denser, more cultured midfield, but it never worked out he could have if Veron didn't have to defer to Keane and relinquish most of what made him so good.
- Buying Berbatov.
We had the best frontline in the world at that time, and they were growing and developing as a unit. Tevez was not quite himself, but the signs were there that the 3 of them had gears to go up and it should have been our time to dominate the CL. In comes Berbatov, and our game changed, our flow suffered, Tevez's nose got knocked out of joint and Berbatov's style did not mesh with the wild, vibrance, aggression and unpredictability of the other attackers. It didn't work out as it was envisaged to and made us a lot easier to play against compared to the dynamic, cross-positional play of the trio that were disrupted.
- - Letting Rossi go.
Rossi was the talk of the club at academy level. Just silk and our best player at that age since the CO92 with no contest at all. He had a moderate loan to Newcastle where Glenn Roader had no idea what he was working with our how to use him. Then he came back and wasn't long before he was on his way. Rossi was honed and schooled in our ways and got the club and would have given everything he had. Plus he was a sublime talent, who went on to prove that everywhere he went until his career was taken from him as his knees blew up and then his hip.
Like others have said, Fergie earned trust to the point he was rarely doubted, and even if you did doubt, you had to wait a long, long time for the outcome one way or the other. Another thing Fergie had was a massive capacity to learn and assimilate mistakes and not repeat them. I wonder how much benefit Carrick got from the Veron episode, personally.
- Having no idea what to do with Veron.
So the saying goes that the league was too fast for Veron. The reality is we bought him and didn't give him the midfield, instead keeping Keane as the main man with Veron a very peripheral figure basically cheerleading and looking quite lost as to what he should be doing. Veron was top 3 in the world at what he did at that time, but we never allowed him to play like he did in Italy or for his country. Keane of course, was also top 3 in the world at what he did, plus he was the captain, plus it was his team, plus he was entering his peak so.... unlucky Seba. We bought him to become consummate performers in the CL utilising a denser, more cultured midfield, but it never worked out he could have if Veron didn't have to defer to Keane and relinquish most of what made him so good.
- Buying Berbatov.
We had the best frontline in the world at that time, and they were growing and developing as a unit. Tevez was not quite himself, but the signs were there that the 3 of them had gears to go up and it should have been our time to dominate the CL. In comes Berbatov, and our game changed, our flow suffered, Tevez's nose got knocked out of joint and Berbatov's style did not mesh with the wild, vibrance, aggression and unpredictability of the other attackers. It didn't work out as it was envisaged to and made us a lot easier to play against compared to the dynamic, cross-positional play of the trio that were disrupted.
- - Letting Rossi go.
Rossi was the talk of the club at academy level. Just silk and our best player at that age since the CO92 with no contest at all. He had a moderate loan to Newcastle where Glenn Roader had no idea what he was working with our how to use him. Then he came back and wasn't long before he was on his way. Rossi was honed and schooled in our ways and got the club and would have given everything he had. Plus he was a sublime talent, who went on to prove that everywhere he went until his career was taken from him as his knees blew up and then his hip.
Like others have said, Fergie earned trust to the point he was rarely doubted, and even if you did doubt, you had to wait a long, long time for the outcome one way or the other. Another thing Fergie had was a massive capacity to learn and assimilate mistakes and not repeat them. I wonder how much benefit Carrick got from the Veron episode, personally.
Signing Yorke.
Letting Ince go.
Playing the kids.
Making no subs when Arsenal thrashed us at the start of the Treble season (genius move as it turned out)
All the third place finishes during the whole rebuild en route to his 2nd European cup
His last title winning team, in retrospect, how?
Letting Ince go.
Playing the kids.
Making no subs when Arsenal thrashed us at the start of the Treble season (genius move as it turned out)
All the third place finishes during the whole rebuild en route to his 2nd European cup
His last title winning team, in retrospect, how?
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That game against Arsenal where he named almost an entire team of defenders
Fletcher was a huge one for me and put me in my box and I'd argue still effects me to this day 
I don't throw players under the bus willy nilly anymore.
I don't throw players under the bus willy nilly anymore.Playing Hargreaves at RB in the semi final vs Barca. I was convinced we weren't going to keep a clean sheet, especially after being scarred by so many other Champions League knockouts in the early to mid 2000s.
Fair enoughAbsolutely, but I didn't see it that way back then, which is why SAF proved me wrong
Yeah, this was my one. A big fail on my part!
Never.
By the time I started to actually watch the game with a critical eye (late high school) he had already been at the club for ages won so much. I pretty much just accepted every decision he made until he retired. His track-record was too good.
By the time I started to actually watch the game with a critical eye (late high school) he had already been at the club for ages won so much. I pretty much just accepted every decision he made until he retired. His track-record was too good.
Pogba??
I thought he was mad for signing Valencia. Sure he was no Ronaldo replacement but what a player.
Sounds crazy to say now but at the end of the 05/06 season I thought that was the time to be done with Scholes and Giggs especially as Keane left earlier in that season.
Pogba situation for sure. I thought he should have been getting starts instead of bringing Scholes back from retirement.
Sounds crazy to say now but at the end of the 05/06 season I thought that was the time to be done with Scholes and Giggs especially as Keane left earlier in that season.
Pogba situation for sure. I thought he should have been getting starts instead of bringing Scholes back from retirement.
With Barcelona, Dortmund and even Swansea showing the way how modern football should be played, Fergie still won titles with Zombie Moments FC.
Sticking w DDG... people forget how he didn't get off to a flying start at United, letting in some weak goals and generally being very weak on crosses... keep in mind he was under tremendous pressure replacing Van Der Saar, who is one of our top 3 goaltenders. I remember thinking this was another Bosnich situation, where a legendary keeper was being replaced by someone not up to the task. In fact I'm pretty sure he was dropped for Lindegaard for several games in first season, before cementing his position as first choice.
When we went through the post VDS era alternating between DDG and Lindegaard. I thought the latter looked a much better keeper at the time, DDG was just a weedy kid. How wrong I was.
Ince, Hughes and Kanchelskis out at same time.
Carrick replacing Keane.
Sheringham for Cantona.
Carrick replacing Keane.
Sheringham for Cantona.
I remember when he got rid of those 3 in 1995. I was so pissed off, I wanted Fergie to go and hoped those players would stay.
I clearly remember losing my mind over this, and going on many a rant how United would be in a relegation battle, and deserved to be....
Letting Van Nistelrooy leave without a replacement - was my favourite player at the time*. Chelsea had walked the league in consecutive seasons then signed Shevchenko and Ballack so were clear favourites for the league. I recall the famous "Where will the goals come from?" thread on here so I wasn't alone in having doubts... That 06/07 season is still my favourite.
*See username and date I joined, quite unfortunate timing...
*See username and date I joined, quite unfortunate timing...
van der Sar.
Had been ousted from Fulham's starting line up by Maik Taylor and other journeymen keepers at Fulham over the course of his time there and his form was in the toilet.
Has a legitimate claim for being one of our best goalkeepers.
Had been ousted from Fulham's starting line up by Maik Taylor and other journeymen keepers at Fulham over the course of his time there and his form was in the toilet.
Has a legitimate claim for being one of our best goalkeepers.
Evra
Vidic
Carrick
Ronaldo
I wasn't opposed to any of the above per say, but they all massively surpassed expectation. The first 3 took some time to bed in and after the hope of Ronaldinho coming in, Ronaldo was initially seen as a secondary option.
Vidic
Carrick
Ronaldo
I wasn't opposed to any of the above per say, but they all massively surpassed expectation. The first 3 took some time to bed in and after the hope of Ronaldinho coming in, Ronaldo was initially seen as a secondary option.
I never saw anything in Fletcher, and I still think he was very poor at times early in his career. Over time however he did develop into a very useful and important player at times for us.
Fletcher, Fortune, Park, players who seemed not to be at the level, and then produced displays of incredible effort and tenacity, run through brick walls stuff. Fletcher became a genuinely superb player.
I don't want to turn this into a Beckham thread but i think this opinion is a product of not many people watching La Liga back then so he dropped off people's radar. Beckham actually got better after he left us. His game evolved hugely.
He played as a right sided CM in a two, then later in a three and was absolutely incredible there, the position he carried on playing for every club since. It show cased his passing range even more so than at right wing for us and his insane work rate. Bare in mind this was the best of the best. It contained players like Guti, Figo, Zidane, Ronaldo, Raul, R.Carlos etc.
He should perhaps have been playing there his entire life. Real Madrid over the next few seasons changed pretty much their ENTIRE starting 11 from that time, the only player they kept was Beckham. He was absolutely incredible, honestly.
He was also the most athletic player at Madrid. Theyve actually done a study on how much players currently run in a game, the player in the prem who covered the most distance in a single game for the entire season was Dendoncker, when the study was done at 13.2km. Beckham on average RAN 14KM per game, his highest for england being 16km. That means that on average Beckham ran more every single game then the highest single running distance per season. That's absolutely insane, the guy was a machine and doesn't get enough credit.
Sticking with an injury-prone Saha. I honestly could not understand why he wasn't sold after spending more time on the operating table than the bench. But that 06-07 season proved me wrong.
I remember the MEN conducted a poll that summer on whether Fergie should get the sack. A majority voted him out!