Twenty Years - Fergie Appreciation Thread

[Sofabloke]

Popped in to worship at the shrine of the twenty years in charge Fergie appreciation thread, but couldn't find one. If there is one and I've missed it, then feel free to flame me / shoot me (if you can find me) ;)

Some wierd stuff to put how long twenty years is into context;

- you were (current age minus twenty) years old

- Wayne Rooney was a one year old

- the 'Marradona' 1986 World Cup in Mexico has recently finished

- England & France announce a plan to build the channel tunnel, Spain and Portugal join EC, Reagan & Gorbachev are meeting about nuclear arms reduction, nuclear accident at Chernobyl (more stuff over here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1986)

Lets face it the guy is a legend. I had endured ten years of entertaining but mainly fruitless football. This was to last a further four years under SAF's reign, big credit to the Man U board at the time for sticking with him. How many managers at a club the size of United would be allowed to go four years without a trophy?

I hope SAF goes out at the top, a Prem title and Champs League trophy next May should just about do it :)

A great SAF profile over here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Ferguson and plenty on the Beeb over here http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/man_utd/default.stm

[listen_up_fergie]

http://www.ynw62.dial.pipex.com/sirfergy.jpghttp://www.ynw62.dial.pipex.com/falkirkfergie.jpg

[MtP07]

I was going to start this thread yesterday, but BS was down.

Some Fergie tribute quotes:

Scholes:

"He was one of the first managers to give young players a real chance.

"And he is trying to do it again now.

"With him the players come first. He never slags anyone off publicly. If he has something to say he does it in the dressing room and it never leaves there.

"He sticks up for us to the hilt. It makes us feel wanted and that's important to us.

Referring to him not showing up for the rsenal match a few years ago: "If you apologise, go and see him and talk to him - there is always room to forgive."

Darren Ferguson:

"I remember him coming into the room and saying he had been offered the job.

"He had been offered jobs before and had turned them down, but he said, ‘I am going to take it, what do you think?’ I was gutted because I was in my last year at school, but he was always going to take it. That was always the one that was going to entice him away from Aberdeen.

"I knew the pressure my dad was under was intense, probably from himself as much as anyone else, and I knew how relieved he would be to win the title.

"I knew that if we won the first one we would go on to dominate English football and that is basically what happened."

More:

"It was the best education that a player could get. I only played with Roy Keane a couple of times, I played with Eric Cantona a couple of times, but the thing about them all was that they are all winners and that is something that you have to learn from.

Giggs:
"What Sir Alex has done for me is more than just helping my football career. He has done things for me outside the game.

"When I signed in his office to make it official, he told me ‘You've all the coaches here to help you with football matters. But if you ever need anything outside football, the door's always open'.

"At that time it was tricky for me. My mum and dad were splitting up, so he was someone I could talk to.

"You can't believe someone like that would care so much. One of the things that stood out for me was he knew my mum and dad's names. Little things like that made you want to play for him.

"Everyone sees him as a fierce competitor. Yet, from an early age, I got to see the other side as well.

"He has changed a little bit. I suppose he has mellowed. He doesn't turn on the hairdryer as much but is still as keen and fanatical as ever. You need that to be a winner.

"When I started I saw him in action with the youth team. He'd come to all the youth team and A-team games and if we weren't playing well he'd let us know. You knew you had to apply yourself properly.

"I've fallen out with him so many times. The biggest was when we played at Juventus for the first time and he subbed me at half-time.

"He wasn't happy with the way I was playing. We had an argument, so he brought me off. That was disappointing. But I hadn't performed and he was probably right.

"He doesn't shy away from big decisions and has always done things for the best of Manchester United. If he thinks a player has to leave in order to strengthen the team, that's what will happen.

"When Becks left I was stunned. He was 28 or 29 and we all felt we'd be together until we were 34 or 35. But the relationship those two had by the end, it was probably the best thing for both of them.

"I can't imagine playing for another manager at United. His hunger is still there. He is excited about this current team and really excited about the talent at the club at the moment. I could see him staying for another few years."

Keano:

"For him to keep going is remarkable. He stands out with his will to win, he knows football, he knows his players and he knows his own club inside-out."

Denis Irwin:

"He expected standards to be high and if you didn't reach those standards or you let them slip he would be quick to remind you. He is a fantastic man-manager and great to work under"

Mark Robins:

"He'll be in the job until he stops breathing. I honestly think that he will go on for as long as he can, without a shadow of a doubt.

"He's so passionate and he can't live without football. It's instilled in him and is in his blood.

"I don't think you can ever take that away and the day that happens will be the day he stops breathing.

"To manage United for 20 years is absolutely phenomenal and why should he give it up as long as he is fit and healthy?

"He wants to build another team and that's what he's doing.

"Obviously he's excited about it and it keeps him young. He had all those outstanding players, such as David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt and Gary and Phil Neville, who came through in the early to mid-90s, and now he's trying to build another team.

"The treble team in 1999 was proven but this one is a work in progress.

"That challenge of toppling Chelsea will spur him on and this season they're looking like they're capable of winning the league."

Wenger:

What (Ferguson) has done is a tremendous achievement, unique.

"I have seen half of those years from very close up.

"What his legacy will be, I do not know, but it is a tremendous achievement.

"When you think that the average life of a manager is one year and seven days, and somebody has done 20, it is remarkable consistency.

"It is a remarkable achievement, unique. A unique one in Europe at the top level.

"No-one could say the opposite. It needs tremendous motivation, tremendous stamina, and he has that.

"With the two of us it was more about competitiveness than composure.

"I feel we had some heated times - but time will settle things and there is a respect there now."

David Moyes:

"When I was manager at Preston my mobile phone rang in the team hotel just before we were due to go out and train.

"It was Fergie. He said: ‘Hey you bloody idiot, what you doing?’

"It was about a 14-year-old boy who we had in the Preston Academy and Fergie wanted him. I’d been told about the lad a while back, but he hadn’t been mentioned again and Fergie wanted to buy him.

"It made me realise that Fergie was involved in every part of the club. He was trying to sign a lad off me who I hadn’t been given information about. That’s one thing about Fergie. He’s always been really knowledgable about what’s going on around him."

Benitez:

"It’s amazing to be 20 years at one club — especially when it is a top club.

"What’s the secret of his success? He’s very clever. I think he’s the No 1 manager in England. The Premiership is one of the best leagues in the world so maybe he is No 2 or No 3 in the world.

"He is a nice person. I’ve travelled with him to some Uefa coaching sessions and he is very good company."

Former Scotland manager Andy Roxburgh:

"I played alongside him Falkirk. He had that mentality to be a winner as a player and nothing has changed.

"From an early age he decided he wanted to learn as much as he could about football and stay in the game as long as possible.

"He had the highest coaching licence in Scotland before he even stopped playing. He had the desire and commitment to be trained and then to continue to educate himself. When he was at the SPL meeting in October he told me how stimulating he had found it and the importance of never wanting to stop learning.

"He has that open-mindedness to constantly develop and change.

"He has continually succeeded in re-inventing himself. The trick is to do it every day - in other words to grow - and he continues to do that."

Mark Hughes:

"I know the pressure he has had to endure over such a long period, so for him to keep driving himself forward and driving his team forward is a fantastic achievement."

Stuart Pearce:

"He is a shining light for any young manager who wants to progress. He is probably second to none for what he has done but you can still see that burning ambition in his eyes."

Steve Coppell:

"For what he knew was going to be a massive occasion, to change a player he had previously shown a massive allegiance to, showed that cold, cutting edge that all top managers need."

[Mugatu]

I dont know what else to say, but congratulations. Do the english do the whole "hall of fame" thing like us Americans?

[Teso Dos Bichos]

He was an inaugural inductee into the National Football Museum's Hall of Fame and is also on the selection panel of it.

[Republic of Mancunia]

I dont know what else to say, but congratulations. Do the english do the whole "hall of fame" thing like us Americans?

Yes but it's a very recent thing and it's not heralded anywhere near as much. It's based at the National Football Museum (http://www.nationalfootballmuseum.com/) in Preston.

Edit, that'll teach me to get distracted, Teso beat me to it.

The goal that started the trophy haul...

http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/5321/lmartinrn5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

and the celebrations ...

http://www.manutdzone.com/greatgames/crystal1.jpg

Congratulations, Fergie. :)

[billyireland]

Lee Martin scored the winner for Fergie's first ever trophy with United. Now wouldn't it be ironic if Lee Martin were to score a winner in Fergie's last cup final somewhere down the line? :)

[StrikerCW]

Regardless of views, great man, great manager, great things for the club!

[Motterman]

http://www.globalschoolnet.org/about/images/applause.gif

[sdotsom]

I was 8 weeks old when Fergie took over this club. I honestly will be fazed when someone eventually takes the mantle over from him, I really really cannot picture United without Sir Alex. It's going to be almost wrong to see someone else on that bench for United...:(

[benni...]

Congrats Fergie on your 20 years in charge. The greatest Manager of his time. Hands Down.

[Numquam Moribimur]

I have no problem and saying that Alex Ferguson is a god to me ...The man is a living legend for everything he has done for this club, congratulation Fergie on the 20 years and hopefully more years to come !


(All together now )
Every single one of us loves Alex Ferguson ! :)

[mhtwins113]

I honestly will be fazed when someone eventually takes the mantle over from him, I really really cannot picture United without Sir Alex. It's going to be almost wrong to see someone else on that bench for United...:(
I couldn't put it any better myself.

[listen_up_fergie]

I was 8 weeks old when Fergie took over this club. I honestly will be fazed when someone eventually takes the mantle over from him, I really really cannot picture United without Sir Alex. It's going to be almost wrong to see someone else on that bench for United...:(

Yeah, it would definitely take some getting used to. I can't honestly comprehend how some United fans would ever want to have Fergie sacked (e.g. those morons on UnitedRant). There are many of Fergie's decisions that have been poor, but at the end of the day managers like him are hard to find. We're going to have a tough time replacing him at the helm - but enough of that kind of talk! If he's in good health he's going to keep on going - that burning ambition is at the heart of United's success.

[tino11]

Well I must say I am dissapointed, I stumbled across this thread thinking I was gonna get some nice pictures of that "one" from the Black Eyed Peas shaking her humps around. What do I get, a thread all about a dour old Scotsman who cant stop chewing. This is not a good start to a Monday by any stretch of the imagination :mad:





In all seriousness though, probably the best manager ever. I was brought up in Scotland until I was 11, and followed Aberdeen through the glory days when Ferguson was in charge. However as a Newcastle fan, I would love it if......


;)

[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 and even boro (of late) have maintained 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.

Erm, I'm lazy and have been whittering on about the old fella for as long as you lot can remember, I'm sure. Quoting an old post is easier than writing a ton of shite that would only be similar in wording and sentiment.

I think this whole thread: http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=387837 is fitting for the celebration of the auld, old man. I genuinely cringe at the thought of what we will do without him at the helm. He is as much Manchester United as red shirts, white shorts and black socks (I prefer black. Actualy, I prefer black shorts as well. We look evil in red and black >:) )

Salutations, old man Fergus *raises glass (I am currently drinking water. :( )

[Charleysurf]

The breakfast show on BBC 5 Live Radio celebrated "Fergie Day" this morning. It was quite funny. They had people phoning in with their celebration ideas for the big day.
Many of them were quite respectful but some of them took the piss a bit. Someone suggested that people wear a grey shirt around town and then nip home to put on a blue one instead :)

Overall it was cool that the programme made a big deal out of the anniversary given the vast BBC conspiracy against SAF :D

[Alan_V]

Overall it was cool that the programme made a big deal out of the anniversary given the vast BBC conspiracy against SAF :D

Or half vast anyway :D

[Achtung]

Twenty years in the same job, any job, is pretty amazing. To think its in one of the most high-pressure, highly-criticized positions... there aren't the words to explain what an accomplishment it is. For so many of us, he is synonymous with the club itself, and to imagine the two apart just doesn't resonate in our minds.

Only a very few people in this world could have truly understood the traditions of the club, the fanbase, and the way football would change all at the same time. We should be grateful to have one as the manager. :cool:

[Motterman]

http://www.nerf-herders-anonymous.net/DarthFergie.gif

All hail Darth Fergie: Dark Lord of the Scots!!!