The Legacy of Sir Alex Ferguson / Guardian negative article

[Numquam Moribimur]

I am sorry if I am dulling some of you with the pro-Fergie agenda lately but I have been wondering in the last few days and now with Ruud’s comments on the fall out .....when he does decide to retire how is he going to be remember ? He is going to be remember as a man who brought so much glory to manchester united and so many talented players and such ! Or his feuds with players going to get the best of him and be remember as a man who seems to fall out with players ......?


I am off to dinner ! Well check back later ! Ta!

[sdotsom]

There's really no way he'll not be remembered for the glory. He won so much for this club, some of the most glorious years it has ever had, and got us that CL. The feuds with players will be remembered, but more as an afterthought. If you think about it, we still kept winning after alot of his disputes. Only since Beckham and now RvN have we been losing, and that has coincided with some bad transfers, aging of Fergie's Fledglings, and strengthening of the Prem in general. He will definitely be remembered for the trophies.

[Vermont Red]

His legacy is secure as the man who brought glory back to United. Due to his personality, it is always going to be assumed that any fall out with players is his fault. Fergie won't lower his standards and expects all his players to be the same. If that means some players run afoul of him and are shipped out, so be it. These things are two sides of the same coin. I'll take it.

[benni...]

He will still be knows as the man. He has done some frustrating things, but overall, we can only be grateful for everything he has done for the club. I hope he gets to go out on top.

As much as I tease you about him, he still is the kingpin. Not like the one from spiderman, but the one around your neighborhood who sells drugs, and then everyone likes him, but when ou get on his bad side, its curtains.

[Vermont Red]

As much as I tease you about him, he still is the kingpin. Not like the one from spiderman, but the one around your neighborhood who sells drugs, and then everyone likes him, but when ou get on his bad side, its curtains.

Daredevil?

[Fandando]

SAF's legacy is the modern day club; it's really that simple. The thing for which he will be most remembered? Bringing the title back to OT.

[Alan_V]

SAF's legacy is the modern day club; it's really that simple. The thing for which he will be most remembered? Bringing the title back to OT.

As we have so recently been reminded, always putting the club first, regardless of who may be "disruptive."

[Sapphire]

At this point, I'm pretty sure he could eat a live puppy on TV, and he probably still be remembered for the bringing multiple titles and the treble to Old Trafford. If his fiery temperament is remembered, it will be remembered as a positive attribute of his personality -- I thought that United fans' response to him after the fallout with Keano (which had the greatest potential to draw people away from SAF) was testament to that.

[Dark Savante]

If you followed this club before Fergie arrived when the scouse horde(both of them) were dominant and we were a mid table side who had not won the league for decades..you cannot put into words what this man did for this club.

Sentiment is easily lost on newer fans, the ones who have no interest in anything but the period around which they began following the club and are not interested in the club's history, many of this bunch cannot comprehend why the club is what it is now and more importantly how it became that way. I consider those that pan Fergie ungrateful cvnts. The likelyhood is that you wouldn't be following the club if it were not for the success and the brand of football he forced upon his charges and made them adhere to.

Other managers for other teams have come and gone, he has overseen 4!! transitional changes to this club and now everything football related is a testament to him and him alone, he also made us the richest club in the world. Players come and go, but it is Ferguson that guided this club to what it is. It's so easy for people to forget that or take it for granted. Some of the ********wits who know of the times when we were not winning league titles, or lived through it and still call for his head whenever a result goes against us, really wind me up. So quick to forget who it is that made this club a worldwide giant again. I find that behaviour disgusting. Amongst the newer fans, it's different I suppose, they know nothing but success...for them 3rd place or even 2nd is a failure.... and the whining begins accordingly, but that's understandable. For me a season is always determined a good or a bad one by how we have played and whether or not we've given it our all as a unit. After that, let the chips fall where they may. My attitude sometimes after an unfavourable result does not go down well on here, when people are angry and want to vent I suppose how I judge the result on how we played can be annoying, but that's something I bring with me from childhood, before the success when a good game was about giving 110% win or lose and playing football in a way befitting of Manchester United - it still remains paramount to me and always will.

I worry about the foundations of this club when Ferguson retires or is sacked or whatever, he has cemented the Busby tradition of bringing players through the academy again. He puts so much faith in the players he brings up from the academy, this is so rare in the modern era. There are a handful of clubs who maintain their own tradition and keep faith with their kids and any club that does this will have my respect. Ourselves, West Ham, Spurs, Arsenal and even boro (of late) have maintainws this over the years and for a club of our stature it really is something to be proud of. It would be so easy to just line this club up with a bought squad, but Fergie will always bring the kids through, sometimes to the detriment of the present, but always to the benefit of a future period. There will almost always be more pride for me seeing a home grown come through or an extremely young player brought in then there is in a purchase of the finished article.

Every new season that starts I am grateful to him for having us in the position where the expectation is so high that we are expected to challenge for the title. 20yrs ago you'd be laughed at thinking Utd could genuinely take the title from the scouse horde. When I was growing up all you would see is the scallies winning some pot or other and it was torture. Again, it can't be put into words how good it felt to have our own ascension and period of dominance and it's all down to him.

He's performing another masterstroke right now, one that will come to fruition over the next 2yrs. They will combine with the young talent Fergie has purchased. I believe that will be his final legacy and like the legend he is, he will leave this club in the condition needed to carry success on. He's made us an institution and for that I will remain eternally grateful to him, the day he goes will be like a bereavement to me. He's been the figurehead here since I was a kid. It will be bizarre to see another person at the helm. I am not looking forward to that day at all. Especially if that new man is allowed to dismantle the academy or goes the easy route and just buys up a whole squad.

[sdotsom]

I really hope the Busby Babes tradition is continued. ONe thing that has been absolutely vital to this club, under Ferguson and managers before, is the incredible youth setup we have. Unlike certain other clubs, if you have what it takes at United, you will get a shot here. That is very unique these days, when it's all about foreign big money transfers to fix holes in a team, rather than bringing up a youngster into the side and giving him a run. But Fergie has always done this. It will be a bad day to when he retires.

I do think the youth policy will stay around because it's not only a facet of Fergie but of United as a whole.

[433tom]

If you followed this club before Fergie arrived when the scouse horde(both of them) were dominant and we were a mid table side who had not won the league for decades..you cannot put into words what this man did for this club.

Sentiment is easily lost on newer fans, the ones who have no interest in anything but the period around which they began following the club and are not interested in the club's history, many of this bunch cannot comprehend why the club is what it is now and more importantly how it became that way. I consider those that pan Fergie ungrateful cvnts. The likelyhood is that you wouldn't be following the club if it were not for the success and the brand of football he forced upon his charges and made them adhere to.

Other managers for other teams have come and gone, he has overseen 4!! transitional changes to this club and now everything football related is a testament to him and him alone, he also made us the richest club in the world. Players come and go, but it is Ferguson that guided this club to what it is. It's so easy for people to forget that or take it for granted. Some of the ********wits who know of the times when we were not winning league titles, or lived through it and still call for his head whenever a result goes against us, really wind me up. So quick to forget who it is that made this club a worldwide giant again. I find that behaviour disgusting. Amongst the newer fans, it's different I suppose, they know nothing but success...for them 3rd place or even 2nd is a failure.... and the whining begins accordingly, but that's understandable. For me a season is always determined a good or a bad one by how we have played and whether or not we've given it our all as a unit. After that, let the chips fall where they may. My attitude sometimes after an unfavourable result does not go down well on here, when people are angry and want to vent I suppose how I judge the result on how we played can be annoying, but that's something I bring with me from childhood, before the success when a good game was about giving 110% win or lose and playing football in a way befitting of Manchester United - it still remains paramount to me and always will.

I worry about the foundations of this club when Ferguson retires or is sacked or whatever, he has cemented the Busby tradition of bringing players through the academy again. He puts so much faith in the players he brings up from the academy, this is so rare in the modern era. There are a handful of clubs who maintain their own tradition and keep faith with their kids and any club that does this will have my respect. Ourselves, West Ham, Spurs, Arsenal and even boro (of late) have maintainws this over the years and for a club of our stature it really is something to be proud of. It would be so easy to just line this club up with a bought squad, but Fergie will always bring the kids through, sometimes to the detriment of the present, but always to the benefit of a future period. There will almost always be more pride for me seeing a home grown come through or an extremely young player brought in then there is in a purchase of the finished article.

Every new season that starts I am grateful to him for having us in the position where the expectation is so high that we are expected to challenge for the title. 20yrs ago you'd be laughed at thinking Utd could genuinely take the title from the scouse horde. When I was growing up all you would see is the scallies winning some pot or other and it was torture. Again, it can't be put into words how good it felt to have our own ascension and period of dominance and it's all down to him.

He's performing another masterstroke right now, one that will come to fruition over the next 2yrs. They will combine with the young talent Fergie has purchased. I believe that will be his final legacy and like the legend he is, he will leave this club in the condition needed to carry success on. He's made us an institution and for that I will remain eternally grateful to him, the day he goes will be like a bereavement to me. He's been the figurehead here since I was a kid. It will be bizarre to see another person at the helm. I am not looking forward to that day at all. Especially if that new man is allowed to dismantle the academy or goes the easy route and just buys up a whole squad.


Here.. Here... Outstanding Post

[littleman]

Other managers for other teams have come and gone, he has overseen 4!! transitional changes to this club and now everything football related is a testament to him and him alone, he also made us the richest club in the world. Players come and go, but it is Ferguson that guided this club to what it is. It's so easy for people to forget that or take it for granted. Some of the ********wits who know of the times when we were not winning league titles, or lived through it and still call for his head whenever a result goes against us, really wind me up. So quick to forget who it is that made this club a worldwide giant again. I find that behaviour disgusting. Amongst the newer fans, it's different I suppose, they know nothing but success...for them 3rd place or even 2nd is a failure.... and the whining begins accordingly, but that's understandable. For me a season is always determined a good or a bad one by how we have played and whether or not we've given it our all as a unit. After that, let the chips fall where they may. My attitude sometimes after an unfavourable result does not go down well on here, when people are angry and want to vent I suppose how I judge the result on how we played can be annoying, but that's something I bring with me from childhood, before the success when a good game was about giving 110% win or lose and playing football in a way befitting of Manchester United - it still remains paramount to me and always will.


More clues about DS' age, if anyone is still keeping track :D

[Sapphire]

More clues about DS' age, if anyone is still keeping track :DDuly noted. *Writes in notebook. Looks around surreptitiously. Writes in notebook again.*

Great post, DS. I find myself angry with Fergie at times, but still able to respect what he's done for United. As a relative newbie, I can only imagine that it would be harder to be frustrated with him if I had lived through the pre-Fergie era.

[JC7rox]

When I was about 14, they had us write about 3 people you'd take to dinner, alive or dead, fictitious or real. One of my dinner guests was Alex Ferguson. (I was laughed to no short extent, no one knew who he was) I was still fresh to United, but reading about him and how he brought up the likes of Aberdeen in the midst of the Old Firm made me admire the man. When I first started watching United, we were on our ascent. The first persons I wanted to familiarize myself with was the gaffer. Before I knew anything about any player, I wanted to know Fergie. His legacy will live forever. He is up there with Sir Matt Busby and will always be remembered for bringing United life from the dead. Ferguson re-established the youth set-up as some of the previous managers had neglected it somewhat and it was Ferguson who, as DS said, made United the team that most of us fell in love with. If it wasn't for Ferguson, I believe we'd been a midtable side in the 90's. Not too many of us would be here today.

To this day, if there is a short list of people I could have over for dinner, Fergie is one of them. Remember, "Fergie is never wrong. Never!" :D

[haven]

Immediately after he retires? People will probably say he stayed too long. He'll get appropriate tributes, but that's what will be the closing remarks.

Ten years after he retires? He'll be remembered for his fantastic achievements.

Every career has an arc. Very few players or managers leave/retire when they should. History is forgiving when your CV is as good as SAF's.

[Achtung]

This is probably one of the more ABU, anti-Ferguson rantings I've ever read. Sort of takes the crap that some people on this board love to spew and turns it into an article at a supposedly reputable newspaper. Incredible.

http://football.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,1827876,00.html

[sdotsom]

I just read that article, and it is so full of b*****t. Some of the stuff they say is just wrong for starts. It's amazing how quickly some people forget what SAF did for this team after the years when Lpool were running riot.

That being said, I do think SAF will only be manager for 3-4 more years tops. I think he is creating a new younger team he wants someone else to take over. I hope that person is not Quieroz though...

[Numquam Moribimur]

This is probably one of the more ABU, anti-Ferguson rantings I've ever read. Sort of takes the crap that some people on this board love to spew and turns it into an article at a supposedly reputable newspaper. Incredible.

http://football.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,1827876,00.html



haha the doom lords are going to love this .....benni did you type that up :D

[Achtung]

The problem with the article isn't so much that it forgets the past, but that it tries to rewrite it. It makes it seem as though the old Fergie teams were "real men only" with no characters and no form of dissent at all... "real men" who ate their meat pies before the match and went to play proper "manly football".

There were no crap players to be found anywhere, never any questionable decisions, and the media certainly were not less scrutinizing then or anything.

The only thing that irks me more than ignorance when it comes to this sort of thing is the people who write revisionist history. They'll only point out the problems of today and the good parts of "ye grande olde tymes". It's not limited just to football, but it sure does come up often when people speak of the Alex Ferguson regime.

[433tom]

This is a pretty strong article, not for the feint of heart. I would think it will stimulate a bit of discussion.

http://football.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,1827876,00.html