This weekend will see Manchester United celebrate 25 years in charge for Sir Alex Ferguson. It’s an astonishing statistic, one unlikely to be ever bettered. By his own admission Ferguson is a phenomenon and few would argue with him. Tributes will pour in this week chronicling the Scot’s career from those who have known him from the outset of his career. This young writer can only give his own view on the fiery manager from Govan.
To put into context Ferguson’s longevity, he had already been manager of United for four years by the time I was born, by the time I was three he had won his first premier league title. Since then he has presided over the most glorious era in the clubs history, for the last 18 years there has never been a time when United have never been contenders for major trophies. My generation has grown up in the shadow of United dominance, at least in the league.
In that that time United have seen personnel come and go but Ferguson and Giggs have remained constants in an ever-evolving industry. Ferguson has subtly adapted his management style to tailor the needs of the modern professional. 15 years ago he could afford to bully players into submission, now he realizes a more velvet glove is required to deal with the spoilt, pampered millionaires. The modern game is rife with agent machinations and player power, but Ferguson has negotiated all these hurdles to cement his power at United. Like those fine wines he loves to have after a game, he has aged gracefully, getting better and better with time. He stands alone as the only club manager in the world whose security of tenure is guaranteed until he decides to call it a day.
Where to start with his strengths? His ability to man manage the different and complex characters in the dressing room remains unrivalled. He has a rare eye for spotting young talent and then developing it into world class performers, which sets him apart from the likes of Jose Mourinho. His motivation and ferocious desire to will are legendary and ensure every player who performs for United is left in no doubt about the exceptionally high standards that are required of them.
He is fiercely protective of his players and does his best to shield them from media criticism even if it means bearing the brunt of the assault himself. Yet with this loyalty comes a single minded ruthlessness, he never procrastinates when ushering flagging players out the door. Throughout his reign he has built teams that are attack minded providing the fans with entertainment to go with the trophies. I could go on and on.
His career has not been without controversy and he has had his fair share of critics throughout his career. He may not have exceeded the boundary of what is socially acceptable like Mourinho but he has frequently toed the line and occasionally crossed it. He has called referees overweight, attempted to ban journalists, defended Rooney for throwing elbows and committed various other unsavory acts. He was attracted a reputation for being a cantankerous, petty (his boycott of the BBC was silly to say the least) bully, perhaps borne out of his scarcely veiled contempt for the media. At times he has allowed his competitive fire to cloud his greater management but these moments are purely football related and should cast no aspersions on his character.