Oh for fecks sake.
I haven't said he's bad. I just don't think he's God. So ban me. I'm past caring.
I haven't said he's bad. I just don't think he's God. So ban me. I'm past caring.
Sir Alex
- Thread starter An Extremely Boring Man
- Start date
A bit aggressive Giggzy, and out of order.
Are you tired and emotional Livvie?
Are you tired and emotional Livvie?
i know, iam just getting a bit carried away. 
Could someone tell Sky Sports News to put closed captions on the screen for us "Yanks" when they interview Sir Alex. I have no idea what he is saying. and no he's not god...but he's close enough.
like i said sir matt and Sir Alex are the two most important figures in the history of my great club.
lets say they're close enough to 'gods' when it comes to united
like i said sir matt and Sir Alex are the two most important figures in the history of my great club.
lets say they're close enough to 'gods' when it comes to united
Originally posted by giggzy:
<strong>and no he's not god...but he's close enough.
</strong><hr></blockquote>
He is however...
Originally posted by blythy:
<strong>
He is however...
indeed he is...
but SAF's a higher god
Just who is God? Laetita?
Originally posted by blythy:
<strong>Just who is God? Laetita?
she's a goddess.
kin ell
Cathy Ferguson, goddess
laetita is my goddess..
u can have cathy, as yours
u can have cathy, as yours
Let's dispense with the levity for a moment. Don't query SAF's man management skills, or his renowned drive to succeed. He has proved that he has had all these qualities in abundance and has achieved more than any other manager has in domestic football and gone beyond most manager's achievemnts in Europe.
Having said all that, I do think this season is a huge challenge for him. The team he has built has suddenly found itself off the pace. This has happened before of course and Fergie has led them back to the top very quickly and decisively. Somehow things have changed and the question has to be asked whether he still has the drive, ability, ingenuity and strength to do it again. The questions he asks his players at the beginning of each season must now be directed at him. Not that we would, out of due deference of course.
Last season was a bit of a debacle. Mistakes were made as Fergie is the first to point out. The retirement plans, the disappointment from the Board's intial unimaginitive response regarding his post retirement role. Allowing McLaren to leave. The friendship with his horse racing friends and their ambitions to increase their stake in the Club and if stories are to be believed, to place him as life president of the club. The accusations of nepotism as regards his son Jason and maybe his brother as well and finally the success of his horse Rock Of Gibraltar. Were these distracting influences ? Perhaps he should have retired, with difficulty, at the peak following the treble in 1999. Perhaps for his own good he should have definitely gone at the end of last season despite the Club's inability to offer some future role and to earmark a suitable successor, assuming there was actually one available. Had he reached a peak, from a tactics point of view? Had his main rivals both domestically and in Europe caught up and in fact surpassed him in this regard ? Do sides now know "how to play United"? The loyalty to one or two players in the squad who were not quite up to it at the expense of not bringing in better equipped players ?
These are serious questions. I would like to think that Fergie is still up to the challenge but it's going to be tough. That won't bother him though.
Having said all that, I do think this season is a huge challenge for him. The team he has built has suddenly found itself off the pace. This has happened before of course and Fergie has led them back to the top very quickly and decisively. Somehow things have changed and the question has to be asked whether he still has the drive, ability, ingenuity and strength to do it again. The questions he asks his players at the beginning of each season must now be directed at him. Not that we would, out of due deference of course.
Last season was a bit of a debacle. Mistakes were made as Fergie is the first to point out. The retirement plans, the disappointment from the Board's intial unimaginitive response regarding his post retirement role. Allowing McLaren to leave. The friendship with his horse racing friends and their ambitions to increase their stake in the Club and if stories are to be believed, to place him as life president of the club. The accusations of nepotism as regards his son Jason and maybe his brother as well and finally the success of his horse Rock Of Gibraltar. Were these distracting influences ? Perhaps he should have retired, with difficulty, at the peak following the treble in 1999. Perhaps for his own good he should have definitely gone at the end of last season despite the Club's inability to offer some future role and to earmark a suitable successor, assuming there was actually one available. Had he reached a peak, from a tactics point of view? Had his main rivals both domestically and in Europe caught up and in fact surpassed him in this regard ? Do sides now know "how to play United"? The loyalty to one or two players in the squad who were not quite up to it at the expense of not bringing in better equipped players ?
These are serious questions. I would like to think that Fergie is still up to the challenge but it's going to be tough. That won't bother him though.
Good post, much an'all as we love SAF and always will there does come a time when after so much success there is a downside,look at Cloughie I do hope Fergie kicks ass again this year but what will happen if we have another trophyless season?
I do hope Fergie kicks ass again this year but what will happen if we have another trophyless season?Originally posted by thumper:
<strong>Good post, much an'all as we love SAF and always will there does come a time when after so much success there is a downside,look at Cloughie
Too ghastly to contemplate ! If we did I think it might be the end of Fergie. The Club is too big and the expectations of everyone concerned are too great, fans, sponsors and shareholders alike, for another empty season. The pressure is definitely on fergie to produce the goods. If he doesn't we might see Kenyon stepping in and saying enough is enough. Hypothetical, thankfully at this stage, but it would be a very sad end to a fantastic era if it did turn out like that.
enough's enough?
kin ell one trophyless season..and people are saying the pressure's on fergie or else he's out.
spoilt b@stards.
kin ell one trophyless season..and people are saying the pressure's on fergie or else he's out.
spoilt b@stards.
Typical thoughtful postings from Julian. I don`t belong to the school of `Any questioning of the gaffer is some kind of insult.`
However, I think Sir Alex is going to prove his doubters (not talking about you, but the professional doubters in the media, paid to whip up controversy or sound the death march whenever the slightest oppportunity presents itself) wrong yet again.
Regarding Steve McLaren, I believe his departure was out of the control of Sir Alex. He was offended that the board would not consider him a candidate for manager. His sense of being insulted was more than understandable. Steve is a fantastic coach and the results of his departure were there to be seen on the pitch - in a negative way.
Sure, the team at the Boro were nothing startling last season but to be a successful coach and manager you have to have the material to work with. If Steve is given support and time at the Boro he will produce their most successful team in history.
The defining moment of Manchester United`s season was when Jaap Stam was sold. That weakened and unbalanced the team, no doubt about that. However, much as I still love Jaap I have to respect Sir Alex`s decision. There was a major issue behind that - not just one of his son making some money off a transfer. Sir Alex would never choose to destabilise his team in order for his football agent son to make money. Never.
The team was also unbalanced by the addition of Veron. Let me state that I am a fan of Veron and I expect to see him show his class this season. But it does seem to be the case that he was bought because he was available and it seemed too good an opportunity to miss.
Manchester United already had an abundance of midfield talent - and it can be argued that our current midfielders are better players than Veron in the context of the Manchester United team. He is a world class player for Argentina (although injury put paid to that in the World Cup)and was great for Parma and Lazio, but that does not necessarily add up to blending smoothly in with Manchester United.
A bit of a mistake there in signing him - in the sense that he did not add anything to Manchester United last season but also unbalanced the team to an extent. However, if Veron is used in such a way that accommodates all our best midfield players, then it will be a successful season.
As for Sir Alex`s digs at Arsene - some people have short memories. I think Arsene is an intelligent and decent man, and a very good manager, but some of his childish, whingeing comments about Manchester United over the past few seasons have not been forgotten by Sir Alex.
As for Sir Alex supposedly being worried by the great potential of Arsenal`s new stadium and the fact that the club is based in London, the happening place, forget it. Arsenal have quite some way to go before they build up the sustained success that Manchester United has enjoyed for a decade or so. Let`s see what the situation is in 4 years` time. <img src="graemlins/devil.gif" border="0" alt="[Devil]" /> <img src="graemlins/devil.gif" border="0" alt="[Devil]" /> <img src="graemlins/devil.gif" border="0" alt="[Devil]" /> <img src="graemlins/devil.gif" border="0" alt="[Devil]" /> <img src="graemlins/devil.gif" border="0" alt="[Devil]" /> <img src="graemlins/devil.gif" border="0" alt="[Devil]" /> <img src="graemlins/devil.gif" border="0" alt="[Devil]" />
However, I think Sir Alex is going to prove his doubters (not talking about you, but the professional doubters in the media, paid to whip up controversy or sound the death march whenever the slightest oppportunity presents itself) wrong yet again.
Regarding Steve McLaren, I believe his departure was out of the control of Sir Alex. He was offended that the board would not consider him a candidate for manager. His sense of being insulted was more than understandable. Steve is a fantastic coach and the results of his departure were there to be seen on the pitch - in a negative way.
Sure, the team at the Boro were nothing startling last season but to be a successful coach and manager you have to have the material to work with. If Steve is given support and time at the Boro he will produce their most successful team in history.
The defining moment of Manchester United`s season was when Jaap Stam was sold. That weakened and unbalanced the team, no doubt about that. However, much as I still love Jaap I have to respect Sir Alex`s decision. There was a major issue behind that - not just one of his son making some money off a transfer. Sir Alex would never choose to destabilise his team in order for his football agent son to make money. Never.
The team was also unbalanced by the addition of Veron. Let me state that I am a fan of Veron and I expect to see him show his class this season. But it does seem to be the case that he was bought because he was available and it seemed too good an opportunity to miss.
Manchester United already had an abundance of midfield talent - and it can be argued that our current midfielders are better players than Veron in the context of the Manchester United team. He is a world class player for Argentina (although injury put paid to that in the World Cup)and was great for Parma and Lazio, but that does not necessarily add up to blending smoothly in with Manchester United.
A bit of a mistake there in signing him - in the sense that he did not add anything to Manchester United last season but also unbalanced the team to an extent. However, if Veron is used in such a way that accommodates all our best midfield players, then it will be a successful season.
As for Sir Alex`s digs at Arsene - some people have short memories. I think Arsene is an intelligent and decent man, and a very good manager, but some of his childish, whingeing comments about Manchester United over the past few seasons have not been forgotten by Sir Alex.
As for Sir Alex supposedly being worried by the great potential of Arsenal`s new stadium and the fact that the club is based in London, the happening place, forget it. Arsenal have quite some way to go before they build up the sustained success that Manchester United has enjoyed for a decade or so. Let`s see what the situation is in 4 years` time. <img src="graemlins/devil.gif" border="0" alt="[Devil]" /> <img src="graemlins/devil.gif" border="0" alt="[Devil]" /> <img src="graemlins/devil.gif" border="0" alt="[Devil]" /> <img src="graemlins/devil.gif" border="0" alt="[Devil]" /> <img src="graemlins/devil.gif" border="0" alt="[Devil]" /> <img src="graemlins/devil.gif" border="0" alt="[Devil]" /> <img src="graemlins/devil.gif" border="0" alt="[Devil]" />
Some very good points there. I think and hope that you may well be right and Fergie will prove the doubters, including myself, thoroughly wrong come the end of next season. He's not a man to walk away from any challenge and hopefully he's still got the energy , drive and nous to achieve even more. I just have this niggling thought in the back of my mind that success doesn't go on forever, all great men and make no mistake Fergie is a great man, come to the end of their "time" so to speak. I first felt this in the season after the treble when despite domestic domination we were not able to retain the CL won so gloriously the previous season. The tactics against Real were woeful and we were easily disposed of. The same thing happened the following season and despite domestic success we were increasingly having difficulties in beating our main rivals , Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea. Despite the fact that we appeared to have the best squad of players we struggled against those top sides. I was beginning to wonder about Fergie's tactics. Then came last season with its seemingly endless problems. Fergie gave McLaren honest advice. However at the time he was at loggerheads with the Board over his own future. I think he shot himself in the foot and should have tried to persuade Steve to stay in what was going to be a very difficult season. The Stam issue still puzzles me. I think it was a combination in no particular order, of the fee, the book, the possibility that Fergie had concluded that Jaap's form had dipped alarmingly plus the availability of Blanc on a free. How much pressure he was under by Kenyon to "balance the books", one of his favourite cliches, will not be known until part two of the Autobiography comes out. I agree the role of Jason was not uppermost in the deal. At the same time I think neither Jason or Martin should be involved with the club in case the question of nepotism arises. I understand Michael Crick refers to this in his book, which as yet I haven't read.
Finally I wonder, given Kenyon's directive, how many of Fergie's current squad would be retained by a new manager - someone who would perhaps be more objective about one or two who Fergie remains loyal to despite obvious failings. Loyalty is a fantastic quality and make no mistake Fergie has that and other qualities in abundance, but I wonder if perhaps the time is approaching for a more objective view.
Finally I wonder, given Kenyon's directive, how many of Fergie's current squad would be retained by a new manager - someone who would perhaps be more objective about one or two who Fergie remains loyal to despite obvious failings. Loyalty is a fantastic quality and make no mistake Fergie has that and other qualities in abundance, but I wonder if perhaps the time is approaching for a more objective view.