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.
Saturday, May 17, 2014
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
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