The Sir Alex Thread [Poll]

[BillyManutd]

This article states crearly the reasons of MU failures in this season. I certainly agree with him.

http://www.4thegame.com//features/feature/149963/

And that if SAF doesn't solve the problems this summer, he will be put out to grass. what does the author mean by put out to grass?

What's are your opinions about the article?

[Metros Striker10]

It's pretty accurate. Their best signing was Tim Howard. That says a lot when you consider that they got rid of Beckham and Veron.

[bigtoga]

Ferguson allowed his personal feelings to spill over and cloud his judgement over the player's worth to team. And if he was really serious about conquering Europe, why allow England's captain to join a major rival like Real Madrid?No doubt. But - Becks is a jacka$$, he thought he was more valuable than anyone else, and maybe should've been traded. Who else could've afforded him than Madrid? No one. Juve was in financial crisis, Milan was having $$$ problems.

[leftwing]

Who else could've afforded him than Madrid?

Chelsea.

[Mac_Howard]

I very much agree with the analysis of what has gone wrong over the last season or so (though in my view the drift away from Utd's exciting approach to the game started when Veron joined us).

But I don't agree that the side has to be rebuilt. There's still a lot of talent in the squad - it just lacks depth. Two/three sensible buys this off-season can put things right.

Up front Saha, RvN and a fit Solksjaer is fine - at most Utd need a promising youngster to add to those three but I don't think Forlan is it.

Giggs, Scholes, Keane, Ronaldo are excellent midfield players though we should be looking to find a replacement for Keane soon. I would suggest using the rest of the season to see if DjDj or Kleberson have it in them to do that and, if not, we need to bring in a player that can. I'd also like to see another attack midfield though, again, Kleberson should be given the chance to show if he's good enough. A backup winger would be useful but not essential.

Rio and Silvestre are quality backs and O'Shea should rediscover his form - I think confidence is the problem here. At least one defender needs to be brought in - I want to see the Nevilles, and Brown as standins not first choice players.

Three players should certainly make all the difference though that would depend on how DjDj and Kleberson pan out.

But most of all I want to see a consistent style of play, consistent team selection comensurate with that style and a more ambitious attacking approach from Alex.

For me he has 12 months to prove that he's not past it.

"Put out to grass" is what you do with a racehorse that is too old to race - you put it in a field and let it munch grass for the rest of its life :)
.

[Danks81]

"Put out to grass" is typically refered to as "out to pasture."

[haven]

Tim Howard has been a better signing than Ronaldo? Howard played better before Christmas, Ronaldo after Christmas. Per dollar, Howard has been better... but I think Ronaldo will end up as the higher impact player. His play since Christmas has been little short of spectacular. The one bright light in a dismal run.

But... yes... Ferguson has been terrible as a manager lately. If nothing else, his team selection and tactics have gone wrong constantly this season.

[sch2383]

Every lesson that you need to know can be found in the Godfather. In this case SAF is taking business very personally and is allowing personal issues to cloud business judgement. I understand that you need to keep the respect of everybody in the club, but when you are screwing yourself what is the point?

[Sofabloke]

Not sure I agree with all this. But certainly some truth there.

This line in it made me laugh;

"For instance, neither of the Djembas are any bloody good."

Then saw this article on Gary Neville which was even more funny;

http://www.football365.com/features/fun_features/story_103317.shtml

[Sofabloke]

Some people have suggested it, so the question is should SAF retire at the end of the season?

[Sofabloke]

For the record, I voted No. I don't think he should retire or be given any ultimatum.

He has made mistakes, but has shown that he can deliver. It has been a less than satisfactory season, but we are not a long way off. I also hate managers being given explicit or implicit ultimatums - how can they deliver in this atmosphere? Also players sense the possible winds of change.

Also, we need a smooth handover. For this we need a captain and managers assistant who can be part of the old and new. I am hopefull that a new number 2 will be brought in during the summer (surely Walter is a temp?) and hopefully someone who can captain the team after Keano.

[bigtoga]

Originally posted by leftwing
Who else could've afforded him than Madrid?

Chelsea. True! And if you believe the rumors, Becks will be a Chelsea player next season

[Bizzo]

Originally posted by bigtoga
No doubt. But - Becks is a jacka$$

because??

[Motterman]

Originally posted by Bizzo
because??

Many people who have read Beckham's recent autobiography could see why Sir Alex (or most managers had they been in Sir Alex's position) would have wanted him out. Not least of which, he's a jack@ss. Great free kick taker and long ball specialist, he is, but that doesn't mean he isn't a jack@ss.

I also hold the opinion that you could see Beckham putting more effort on the pitch for England, than United, the past couple of years - and it's chalked up as him being bored, or the rift between him and Sir Alex. He started really well out with Madrid too, putting forth big efforts to prove he could play with them, but apparently he's started slacking off a bit the past few weeks and the Spanish press have been on him pretty badly.

Had to laugh at the recent Adida's press conference where they unveiled Becks' own logo.... "I've always wanted my own logo." Becks said. :rolleyes: I can see him as a boy sitting in bed dreaming of having his own sports logo... What a tosser...

[Achtung]

I think short-term we might be worse off without Becks, but long term things will work out with Ronaldo. Honestly, at this point, Beckham isn't just bigger than Manchester United, he's practically bigger than the game of soccer. I'm not a huge fan of the "jetset footballer", and SAF certainly isn't either. He's not telling his guys not to have fun, but Becks is taking it beyond anything I've ever seen. The logo thing isn't as big (Jordan and Tiger both have their own logos), but the ego trip he's on isn't good for anyone. Looks like he'll be back in merry England in a matter of a few months anyway.

[Sofabloke]

Does look like he will return to England. The thing that is going to be hard to take is seeing the price. Our bad luck extends to selling Becks before Roman took over Chelski - at least we could have got a decent price given his commercial value.

[bigtoga]

Originally posted by Bizzo
because?? After reading his latest autobio, he comes across as a selfish jacka$$. I mean - its *his* book and his side of the story but I still felt that it was his fault. I am a massive Becks fan (even bought the Madrid jersey!) but, if he can't even tell the story in his own words and convince me that SAF was the bad guy, then he is the jacka$$

[billyho96]

Originally posted by bigtoga
but, if he can't even tell the story in his own words and convince me that SAF was the bad guy, then he is the jacka$$

I guess you can take from the book what you want. But I thought SAF was the jerk. He hated Beck's wife its that's simple, and SAF openly disrespected her. Beckham was not a 16 year old kid anymore, and SAF could not adjust his relationship from the one with the boy to the one with the man. Beckham is 28 years old, and has (if he has luck with his health) 3-6 years of top flight footie left in his legs.

He has 50-60 more years of life with his wife and children, and I thought the relationship he described with his wife and children was very sincere. I'm neither rich or famous but the way he speaks of his child is something any father can relate to at some level. If his feeling about his family are genuine, and there is no obvious reason to think otherwise, every decent MAN, HUSBAND, and FATHER would have had the same problems with SAF.

IMO

[johno]

There is only one problem... everyone else on the team gets along with him... has Alex done everyone dirty? Certainly not...

As far as the logos go... Becks is no where near the league that Jordan and Tiger are in... Tiger has made golf a TV sport on his own... Jordan is the most known name on the globe... not just that, they were/are the best players in their sport... Becks is not yet that, nor will he ever be - the logo was pushing it...

[roarksown1]

Who do you suggest to replace him? Who has his pedigree that can come in and demand the same respect from his players? He should stay.