Mark McGhee: "I think he would feel he is proving himself to his father more than anything else. I think he would want to prove his father that he could maintain his standards. Everyone who gets close to him feels that, if you are performing badly, you are letting him down and I think he doesn't want to let his family down. It's a very working-class ethic."
If a thing's worth doing it's worth doing well, said Alexander Ferguson Senior. Sir Alex Ferguson has done football management so extraordinarily well for so long that his life in the game is not only unprecedented but, in near-certainty, unrepeatable.
Discipline and good manners were also in the family tradition. Along with something else. And if Alexander Ferguson Senior were here to be asked what he felt of his elder son's life, he would express nothing but pride.
The Fergusons always did believe in loyalty.
Sunday, May 18, 2014
The most important man at Manchester United
This situation was especially acute with Edwin van der Sar due to retire at the end of the season, Gary Neville displaying form that would lead him to follow suit, along with Paul Scholes, and Giggs also ageing and not to mention Rio Ferdinand's problems with his back. The future rested on Rooney's shoulders. It seemed to be worse season for United.
Ferguson went in mid-November to an audience in Qatar, where he was attending a conference.
Ferguson said: "You must always remember that the most important man at Manchester United is the manager. The minute a footballer becomes more important than the manager, your club is dead. The history of this club goes right down the drain. Sir Matt Busby, under whom United won their first European title, was the most important man and I am the most important man at Manchester United and it has to be that way because no player could jeopardize his control of the dressing room."
Ferguson went in mid-November to an audience in Qatar, where he was attending a conference.
Ferguson said: "You must always remember that the most important man at Manchester United is the manager. The minute a footballer becomes more important than the manager, your club is dead. The history of this club goes right down the drain. Sir Matt Busby, under whom United won their first European title, was the most important man and I am the most important man at Manchester United and it has to be that way because no player could jeopardize his control of the dressing room."
Saturday, May 17, 2014
Ronaldo goes, the debt grows
By the start of 2010, ManU's debts had grown to more than £700 million and it looked as if much of what would otherwise have been Ferguson's transfer budget was being diverted by Glazers to pay their interest bill.
After ManU won the CL over Chelsea in Moscow 2008, Ferguson swears that they would keep Cristiano Ronaldo out of Real Madrid's clutches for at least two years and maybe a lot longer, which proved hopelessly optimistic. Within one year, a world record offer of £81 million had proved irresistible.
Now Ferguson's United, who used to break records as buyers, were sellers and Real, whom Gerguson had come to detest. appeared to be using them almost as a feeder club.
After ManU won the CL over Chelsea in Moscow 2008, Ferguson swears that they would keep Cristiano Ronaldo out of Real Madrid's clutches for at least two years and maybe a lot longer, which proved hopelessly optimistic. Within one year, a world record offer of £81 million had proved irresistible.
Now Ferguson's United, who used to break records as buyers, were sellers and Real, whom Gerguson had come to detest. appeared to be using them almost as a feeder club.
Beaten by Barça
The CL-final 2009. Manchester United vs. FC Barcelona.
In the first minute, Ronaldo struck a free-kick with such power that Victor Valdes could only parry. Park tried to pounce but was thwarted by Pique.
Far another nine minutes, Barcelona were embarrassingly nervous. Unforced errors sent the ball out of the play, Touré and Puyol ran into each other.
But football is like when a great boxer gets knocked down. It doesn't mean he won't win the fight. But for the rest of the three minutes, until he hears the bell, he's going to struggle. In football, unfortunately, there's no bell.
After the significant tactical change of Guardiola, starting with Samuel Eto'o rather than Messi to the right of the front trio so that Messi could link with Iniesta in the middle, the things worked again for Barcelona. Barcelona won the CL.
Arsenal on top
The morning after the end of the 1996/97 season, Cantona requested a meeting with Ferguson. He didn't waste time in confirming his decision to leave football. Ferguson wash't very surprised.
Cantona was gone, but Old Trafford continued to echo to the 'Marseilleise'. The music would never die. Cantona was immortal.
Ferguson tried to replace him with Teddy Sheringham, who cam from Tottenham for £3.5 million.
Sheringham scored 14 goals that first season and Cole 26, but the team could not dominate at home. Arsenal were the team of that season. It was Arsenal who won the Double, and Arsenal who had the manager everyone was talking about: Arsène Wenger.
Cantona was gone, but Old Trafford continued to echo to the 'Marseilleise'. The music would never die. Cantona was immortal.
Ferguson tried to replace him with Teddy Sheringham, who cam from Tottenham for £3.5 million.
Sheringham scored 14 goals that first season and Cole 26, but the team could not dominate at home. Arsenal were the team of that season. It was Arsenal who won the Double, and Arsenal who had the manager everyone was talking about: Arsène Wenger.
Eric Cantona
Martin Edwards asked Ferguson about Cantona's reputation for tempestuousness, which had been fostered by reports of fights with team-mates as well as angry gestures to fans and, ably eleven months earlier, insults delivered to the faces of the French Football Federation officials who had disciplined him, after which he had announced his retirement from the game at the age of 25. Ferguson replied that Gérard Houllier, the French national team manager at the time, had recently tipped him off about Cantona, stressing that he was a far easier professional to handle than those reports might suggest, and a talent worth making allowances for.
Houllier's word was good enough for Ferguson. The deal was on. The transfer costed £1.3 million.
Cantona was to make United champions that very season.
He was to help them claim four titles in five seasons.
Houllier's word was good enough for Ferguson. The deal was on. The transfer costed £1.3 million.
Cantona was to make United champions that very season.
He was to help them claim four titles in five seasons.
Beating Barcelona
Ferguson's United followed in Aberdeen's footsteps by beating one of the Spanish giant, in this case Barcelona, in the final of de Cup-Winner's Cup.
It was not the greatest of matches and the poor turnout by Barcelona supporters did nothing for the atmosphere. But United deserved to beat Johan Cruyff's team.
Robson slipped Hughes through and, although in evading the sprawl of Barcelona's goalkeeper, Carlos Busquets, the Welshman appeared to give himself too demanding an angle for a shot, the force and accuracy with which he struck it left helpless the two defenders striving to cover.
Robson swigged champagne and Koeman swallowed disappointment, thats football.
Beating Real Madrid
Ferguson was rather more than a star pupil. He knew how to behave in the build-up to a match.
It was the final of the Cup Winners' Cup. For this occasion, he instructed his entire staff not to betray a hint of nerves about the prospect of taking on Real Madrid.
The greasy, cloying conditions at the Ullevi Stadium, in Gothenburg, helped Aberdeen to take the lead when McLeish, arriving to meet a corner kick Stranchan had steered to the back of the penalty area, headed powerfully, the ball diverting off a defender to Back, who scored. Then they assisted Real to equalize. McLeish was short with a pass back to Jim Leighton, who brought down Carlos Santillana, conceding a penalty which Juanito converted.
Physically, Aberdenn was too much for Real. McGhee played against Camacho and beat him up most of the night.
In the additional thirty minutes Hewitt had come on for the injured Black, but it was Weir who threatened Real most an suddenly, after a sequence of trickery that beat two opponents, he sent the ball up the left to McGhee, whose power and skill enabled him to plough on and measure a cross that Hewitt met with a diving header into the net. A second before, Ferguson had been cursing Hewitt for having forgotten to 'bend' his run in order to avoid being caught offside or easily policed by the defense, but forgiveness was assured. The Cup-Winners' Cup was won.
It was the final of the Cup Winners' Cup. For this occasion, he instructed his entire staff not to betray a hint of nerves about the prospect of taking on Real Madrid.
The greasy, cloying conditions at the Ullevi Stadium, in Gothenburg, helped Aberdeen to take the lead when McLeish, arriving to meet a corner kick Stranchan had steered to the back of the penalty area, headed powerfully, the ball diverting off a defender to Back, who scored. Then they assisted Real to equalize. McLeish was short with a pass back to Jim Leighton, who brought down Carlos Santillana, conceding a penalty which Juanito converted.
Physically, Aberdenn was too much for Real. McGhee played against Camacho and beat him up most of the night.
In the additional thirty minutes Hewitt had come on for the injured Black, but it was Weir who threatened Real most an suddenly, after a sequence of trickery that beat two opponents, he sent the ball up the left to McGhee, whose power and skill enabled him to plough on and measure a cross that Hewitt met with a diving header into the net. A second before, Ferguson had been cursing Hewitt for having forgotten to 'bend' his run in order to avoid being caught offside or easily policed by the defense, but forgiveness was assured. The Cup-Winners' Cup was won.
Ferguson is working
The death of Alexander Ferguson (Sir Alex Ferguson's father) occurred only a couple of months before the beginning of the end of Old Labour.
The elder of his sons, Alex Ferguson, was preparing Aberdeen for the League Cup final when James Callaghan's Government suffered a single-vote defeat in the house of commons at the hands of coalition of Conservatives, Liberals, Scottish Nationalists and Ulster Unionists. Five weeks later, a general election saw Margaret Thatcher become Britain's first female PM.
Ferguson was working very hard at this time in Aberdeen. His aspiration had been to go a high as Scotland could offer, which entailed overcoming the fatalism ingrained in the footballing culture of this and other countries where, decade after decade, the same two or three clubs are to found sharing the trophies. It meant for Ferguson, to beat Rangers and Celtic on a regular basis.
The elder of his sons, Alex Ferguson, was preparing Aberdeen for the League Cup final when James Callaghan's Government suffered a single-vote defeat in the house of commons at the hands of coalition of Conservatives, Liberals, Scottish Nationalists and Ulster Unionists. Five weeks later, a general election saw Margaret Thatcher become Britain's first female PM.
Ferguson was working very hard at this time in Aberdeen. His aspiration had been to go a high as Scotland could offer, which entailed overcoming the fatalism ingrained in the footballing culture of this and other countries where, decade after decade, the same two or three clubs are to found sharing the trophies. It meant for Ferguson, to beat Rangers and Celtic on a regular basis.
A Govan Childhood
Sir Alex Ferguson was born in Govan, on 31 December 1941. There can be no doubting Ferguson's affection for the Govan of his youth.
He and his brother, Martin, a year his junior, grew up in a modest but respectable tenement household. They shared one of two bedrooms.
Alex Ferguson was 67 when he told in an interview: "The greatest fortune in life is to be born into a loving family". His parents had instilled all their traditional working-class values: discipline, good manners, honesty and decency. His father, who was a very fair man, used to say: "If a thing's worth doing, it's worth doing well", that's how Ferguson grew up. In this case we can say that, someone is what someones parent's are.
Ferguson's mother died from lung cancer. It was during the early years at Manchester United.
His brother, Martin, was a creative midfielder. He became player/manager of Waterford Town and later manager of East Stirlingshire - following in his brother's footsteps.
He and his brother, Martin, a year his junior, grew up in a modest but respectable tenement household. They shared one of two bedrooms.
Alex Ferguson was 67 when he told in an interview: "The greatest fortune in life is to be born into a loving family". His parents had instilled all their traditional working-class values: discipline, good manners, honesty and decency. His father, who was a very fair man, used to say: "If a thing's worth doing, it's worth doing well", that's how Ferguson grew up. In this case we can say that, someone is what someones parent's are.
Ferguson's mother died from lung cancer. It was during the early years at Manchester United.
His brother, Martin, was a creative midfielder. He became player/manager of Waterford Town and later manager of East Stirlingshire - following in his brother's footsteps.
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| Martin Ferguson |
The author: Patrick Barclay
Patrick Barclay is a Scottish sportswriter.
He started his career with The Guardian in 1970's. Than in 1986 he joined The Independent and became its first football correspondent. In 1991 he changed to The Observer. After that he became football correspondent of The Sunday Telegraph in 1996. He left The Sunday Telegraph and joined The Times in 2009 and he was Chief football correspondent.
Barclay is one of the few journalists to be the main writer for his discipline for all four quality newspaper groups in England: Times, Guardian-Observer, Telegraph and Independent.
He is regular guest on the Sky Sports programme Sunday Supplement and he has written the biography of Alex Ferguson in 2010 an one of the José Mourinho's biographies.
He started his career with The Guardian in 1970's. Than in 1986 he joined The Independent and became its first football correspondent. In 1991 he changed to The Observer. After that he became football correspondent of The Sunday Telegraph in 1996. He left The Sunday Telegraph and joined The Times in 2009 and he was Chief football correspondent.
Barclay is one of the few journalists to be the main writer for his discipline for all four quality newspaper groups in England: Times, Guardian-Observer, Telegraph and Independent.
He is regular guest on the Sky Sports programme Sunday Supplement and he has written the biography of Alex Ferguson in 2010 an one of the José Mourinho's biographies.
Patrick Barclay
Thursday, March 20, 2014
My choice
FOOTBALL - BLOODY HELL!
The biography of Alex Ferguson
by Patrick Barclay
I've chosen this book because my passion is football. I love to play it, to watch the games and to listen to it on the radio, I just love this game. So I adore also to read about football and to learn more about this wonderful game.
Sir Alex Ferguson was one of the best football-coaches in the history of this game. He broke many records and won also many titles. So I thought it have to be very interesting to know more about him and his career.
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