"The quality of this league winning squad, and the balance of ages within it, bodes well for continued success at the highest level whilst the structure of the youth set-up will ensure that the long-term future of the club remains a bright one." - Sir Alex Ferguson, May 8th 2013
He didnt leave a aging wreck without ability. He left the Premier League champions with Wayne Rooney and RVP in their absolute prime years, De Gea at age 22, Rafael, Ashley Young, Nemanja Vidic, Valencia, Carrick, Nani - ALL at the height of their playing years. Even with Scholes and Giggs at the end of their careers, the squad had a healthy average age.
That the only signings we made in the 13/14 window was Juan Mata and Marouane Fellaini really has to fall on the feet of the club, not the former manager.
That’s not true now is it.
Vidic practically retired a year later.
Young was never anything special, turned out to be a better full back than he was a winger at United.
Valencia was completely ineffective as a winger by then, even in SAF’s last season, we won the league with no midfield and without wingers.
Carrick was solid still but he was literally our only midfielder.
RvP was injury prone from then on, well he’s always had injury issues throughout his Arsenal career but he was clearly bought to win us the league in SAF’s last season which he did, but it is what it is, he never hit the same highs for us in the following 2 years.
Rooney? Come on now, SAF knew he was on the decline, Rooney although he was only 28 years old he’s played an entire career worth of football by that point, add genetics and his lifestyle to the mix on top of the way he played the game with complete disregard to his own safety and how he left it all on the pitch every game since he broke through at 16 and you get a player who’s probably peaked at 26.
Nani? Great player for 2-3 years, was completely ineffective in SAF’s last season as well, hardly set the world alight since leaving us.
Problem with the SAF quote you’ve posted was that even SAF didn’t realize how good of a manager he actually was, that team was nowhere near a vintage United side, no shot any other manager could’ve walked the league with Carrick and Cleverley in midfield and no effective wingers, it was not a great side by any means man.
The academy was not in a good state by all accounts, and it was revamped and we’re seeing the results now with the likes of Zidane, Garnacho, Savage and few years back with you know who.
Its a shame really how that all turned out, all the money we wasted since.
Imagine SAF with all that money to spend, the team he would’ve built… fecking hell.