Is Sir Alex Ferguson just a one in a million manager?

Tactically, he is good but there are better.

Buying players - he is good but there are better.

Total, unfaultering self belief and belief in his squad, coupled with a strength of personality uniquely equipped to deal with the most difficult and rebellious players is where he is absolutely unrivalled.

He acts like a total idiot to the media and to referees partly to deflect blame away from his players but also because he absolutely refuses to believe that another manager could possibly have got the better of him fairly. Its intensely irritating to listen to sometimes but it is the side of his personality which allows him to demand the same high standards of his players for over 25 years.

 

Since the 05/06 season:

Man City: £546 million
Chelsea: £377 million
Liverpool: £343 million
Man United: £215 million
Arsenal: £173 million

Yet, who is the team who currently has the largest injury list with 12 players but is still level on points battling for the title with Man City? Plus, which team only really relies on a handful of all those purchased players to form their strongest XI?

I don't know why some people are so against admitting that Man Utd have done something really impressive. Of course they've spent a lot of money, but any team vying for the title will. The fact is that their spending is modest compared to some, and they currently have 12 players out (a number of vital first-teamers) yet they've reduced the gap with Man City to nothing.

I mean really, do you think Man City would be where they are now if they had 12 players out? At the moment they only have 2 players injured, so Man Utd's run to get where they are now is quite remarkable.

 

He's like the managerial equivalent of Shola, a true hero in my eyes

 

Can't really argue with this.

You menton that he's good at tactics and buying players, I would say the majority are brilliant/good at one or the other, rather than good at both, so this may be a key factor as well.

 

Actually Liverpool have spent more from 1992-2011 on players than Man Utd.

 

I'm not as impressed by the fact we're level with City as I am by the fact we have 45 points from 18 games. That's 2.5 points per game, which has to be our best ever start to a PL season, possibly our best start to any season ever. To do that with so many players injured throughout the entire season so far (Evra, Nani and Carrick are now our only outfield players not to have been injured at all this season) is amazing imo.

But then one of SAF's great strengths has always been using his squad. Whenever other managers rotate their squad and are without key players, it often goes horribly wrong. When SAF rests players, the pundits and fans reckon we're going to be utterly screwed, but it often works out fine (like vs Arsenal last season and Liverpool this). I think he delights in picking teams that are completely the opposite of what the opposition expects, thus making it impossible for them to plan to fully contain us. Hence we win so many games that others would draw or lose if missing the same players we were.

 

Ok so Man U have spent a fortune by most clubs standards but within the realms of the big title challenging spenders they have always been the most sensible by my reckoning as these stats show. They tend to buy to supplement a winning squad rather than to build one from scratch. I would also suggest that their spending in comparison to their turnover is by far the most sensible and affordable. Man City, Chelsea and Liverpool have all tried to buy the title, I don't think the same can be said of Man U.

And yes he is a brilliant manager and we will never see his achievement repeated.

As for the hatred thrown at him, i'm sure he takes it as a compliment. I would suggest that we wouldn't dislike him half as much if he hadn't been so successful.

 

And going further back. £30m for Rooney. £12m for Ronaldo. £12m for Vidic and Evra. The fact that SAF has made few poor signings means that the ones he does make (Bellion, Djemba Djemba, Manucho) that weren't United class (Veron and Kleberson were actually very good players, just didn't happen at United for them unfortunately) become highlighted.

Someone has also said that he isn't a great tactician. He isn't. What he is though, is a good judge of character and delegates well. Think of McLaren, Quieroz (who holds particular affection with United fans, we often cite him for a reason for our great football from 06-08) and these days Phelan and Mulesteen.

His character as well, the determination, the sheer bloody mindedness. The contempt for others (the media) at times all come to the fore.

 

Not my favourite non Toon manager (that would be Brian Clough), but almost defintely the best. Its either him or Bob Paisley

 

SAF has managed to almost eliminate the transition period which is what most title chasing teams suffer from every 3-4 years. He has done this by mixing youth with experience and using the 'if you're good enough, you're old enough' mentality

 

Dislike the guy, but you have to respect his record, he has been working with alot more restrictions recently and yet they are still level with City.. People seem to forget about the sale of Ronaldo, and like Newcastle with Carroll how little the money has been reinvested.

 

Also worth mentioning that what separates Man U and Man City may always be the dedication the players have to the club. So many kids of the current generation dream of playing for Man U - which is a direct product of Fergie's dominance as manager, and especially when it comes to young England players like Jones, Smalling, etc. they may never want to play anywhere else. Man City by comparison have used money to assemble their squad, and maybe one day they will have a legitimate reputation, but until then, I don't expect to see the same commitment from their players.

 

Surprised this hasn't been mentioned yet, but part of what SAF brings to Man Utd is the togetherness the squad. Many ex players speak of SAF as a father figure, some one they can go to with their problems. David Beckham in particular has spoken out about the father figure role, and the impact on Man Utd's success under Fergie.

 

Respect his record but the man is a complete ****. Never admits after a game when he has been outplayed, always blames it on the ref etc. Has still done an amazing job like.

Guardiola can go on to become greater imo, he has one 13 out of the 16 tournaments his team has played in

 

He has however inherited arguably the best team ever however, think even Souness could win with that team!

 

Really?

http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-F...ir-alex-ferguson-reaction-to-basel-clash.aspx

http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/new...Cup-loss-to-Crystal-Palace-article836977.html

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/233693

http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/new...for-losing-three-big-games-article845991.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...ter-Barcelona-win-Champions-League-final.html

http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereve...-lacked-cutting-edge-admits-sir-alex-ferguson

 

'Always' was obviously hyperbole.

 

So was the use of 'really'.

 

Believe me he couldn't.

 

Slightly OT but Liverpool have spent nearly as much as Chelsea in a bid to buy the league? This has gone very much under the media radar....