Let’s get one thing straight; I am not a fan of Sir Alex Ferguson, but I respect what he brings to football in England. Knighted in 1999, Sir Alex has revolutionized the sport and made Manchester United into the most globally recognized sports franchise, as well as the richest.
In 1986, “Fergie”, as he is sometimes referred to as, will go down as one of the greatest managers in football history. Check that, in sports history. In 1986, the Scot took over a beleaguered Manchester United team who sat in 21st place. In the 25 years since, he has guided United to twelve Premier League titles, five FA Cups, four League Cups, two Champions League wins and a Cup Winners’ Cup. Not too shabby!
There are so many things he has done well, but for me there are two aspects of coaching which he excels at, that have catapulted him into the highest echelon of managerialship; player management and development. It is no secret that Manchester United is usually filled with some of the game’s biggest stars, and therefore, egos. Managing a roster of elite players, all of whom want more playing time and a greater role on the club, can be difficult. But for Sir Alex he has adopted a very vocal “My way or the highway” mentality. While United remains strong, its current club is not filled with a roster of “whose who” of footballers. Rooney, being easily the team’s best and best-known player, is also one of the edgier players in the Premiership, and Ferguson has done very well to harness his “energy” into something positive. Rooney has been moulded into a fantastic striker, one of the world’s best, and that is thanks in part to his manager instilling order.
On November 6 join me as I tip my hat to one of the greatest managers in any sport as he celebrates 25 years at the helm of one of the world’s greatest franchises.
…and that is the last word.
