23 years - Sir Alex Ferguson @ OT

[rondwisan]

Sir Alex Ferguson – Two Decades of Domination
soccerlens.com, Shivam Kumar - Nov 06th



On this day 23 years ago, a certain Alexander Chapman Ferguson was appointed as the manager at Manchester United. Today Sir Alex is the most decorated manager in British football history.

His tactical genius, inspirational personality and tremendous focus have put him in a league above others. Probably the only indispensable chink in the Man United armory, his achievements speak for themselves but to dominate the game for two decades takes more than just tactical astuteness and good man management skills.

Eye for talent

“If we look after him the right way he is going to be one of the stars of football.”- on Ronaldo

Sir Alex’s ability to unearth raw talent and develop them into superstars is probably unmatched, though Arsene Wenger too is accomplished in this regard. What separates him from the rest though is that he doesn’t just spot a player’s skill; he can also judge one’s character and ability to perform under pressure. This was seen in the Champions League final when, Anderson, a teenager in his first season at the club, stepped up and coolly converted his penalty whereas, some more experienced and accomplished players failed to do so. Beckham, Giggs, Scholes, Vidic and Ronaldo were all relatively unknown when they arrived at the club but were instrumental in the European cup wins. Cantona, Schmeichel and van der Sar were signed in bargain deals.

Discipline

“You can never allow the players to run the football club and you can never allow the supporters to run the football club. Somebody has to be in charge, and the manager is the best man.”

He is known to maintain very high standards both on and off the pitch. His strict policy has seen superstars like Beckham, Stam and Nistelrooy thrown out of the club when they crossed the line. He also managed to bring the best out of Cantona, who had previously been involved in several scuffles with teammates and bosses. He has also helped hot-headed players like Rooney and Ferdinand get a grip over their temper. His now famous “hair-dryer treatment” has been lashed out to some of the biggest names in football.

Protecting his players

“Wayne understands, as Ryan Giggs understood and Cristiano understands, we will not ask him to climb the mountain tomorrow. The big danger with young players is always that you ask too much of them too quickly. We will let him mature and develop as easily as we can.”

Though a tough taskmaster, he has always protected his players during their rough patches. He kept Ryan Giggs and Wayne Rooney away from over-exposure to the media when the burst to the scene as “Wonder-kids”. He has constantly protected Rooney despite criticism for his lack of goals, stood behind Cantona during his infamous Kung-Fu kick incident and saved Ronaldo from the public’s wrath after the 2006 World Cup

Hunger for titles

“At the end of this game, the European Cup will be only six feet away from you and you’ll not even able to touch it if we lose. And for many of you that will be the closest you will ever get. Don’t you dare come back in here without giving your all.”- At half-time in the 99 Champs League final

Sir Alex is a born winner. He hates loosing and instills the same feeling in his players, an attitude which has seen his team win the Champions League final after trailing for most of the game and on another occasion saw Utd bounce back from a 3-0 deficit at half-time against Spurs to win 5-3. He has postponed retirement plans on several previous occasions insisting that he still has the desire to win more titles.

Whether it was the problem of getting his team accustomed to the different style of play in the European tournament in the 90’s or the more recent issue of the Rooney-Tevez pairing up-front, Sir Alex has always managed to find a way out of difficult situations.

When he started out his rivals were the likes of Souness, Venebles and Dalglish who despite being about the same age have faded away which shows that he has constantly evolved with the changing cultures in the football, in the process introducing revolutionary ideas and tactics (and even phrases like “squeaky-bum time”). While his attitude and tactical knowledge have put him at the top, it’s his personal drive and ability to evolve which have helped him stay there for more than two decades.

Eccentric style

“They say he’s an intelligent man, right? Speaks five languages! I’ve got a 15-year-old boy from the Ivory Coast who speaks five languages!” on Arsene Wenger

Sir Alex has at several times used the media to his advantage. Now famous for his mind games and mischievous swipes at opposition managers, he on several occasions has also lavished praise on his players in public. Never one to be afraid of taking a gamble, he dropped Jim Leighton ahead of the 1990 FA Cup final, signed a certain Eric Cantona, already famous for his indiscipline, and replaced most of his double winning squad with youngsters, in 1994, which prompted Alan Hanson to say “You’ll never win anything with kids”. Just like this time, he has forced his critics to eat their words on several occasions.

When this fiery Scot took over a talented but title hungry Man Utd in 1986, his sole aim was to knock Liverpool “off their perch”. 23 years on, he has achieved so much more. He has taken the club to heights that were not reached even during the time of the legendary Sir Matt Busby.

Unlike several other managers who now lay more emphasis on a patient and disciplined approach, as the financial stakes increase constantly, he has achieved it all while playing “the beautiful game” the way it should be played. As famous for his catchy one-liners as for his style of chewing gum, Sir Alex is held in the highest esteem among fans and rivals alike.

With his declaration that he wants a third Champions League title before retirement (straight after he won his second!), the man who reportedly was about to be sacked in 1990 has once again warned his rivals that the fire in him still burns.

“Alex has given Manchester United the most fantastic ride, and he has made the club what we always thought it was – number one” – Sir Bobby Charlton

[rondwisan]

c'mon Opa ....
23 years and still counting ....

[Supernan]

Gila kurang lbh ampir seumuran gw si Opa berkarir di UNITED. Selamat ya Opa Fergie hehehehe, yg pasti more Trophies to come in OldTrafford ya.

[bang_zak]

In fergie we trust....
kayaknya yang bener kata kata itu deh..ketimbang in.........we trust...tapi nggak menghasilkan apa apa...hhahahahah..
thanks opa fergie...meski sudah cukup berumur...tapi tetap menunjukkan gairah lapar akan kemenangan dan trophy....

[tumpal_oneunited]

Thanx Opa Fergie for All you've done in United till now..

Love Opa Fergie..!!

[RedRob]

23 years... still alive and kicking.....

ngeliat Fergie udah kaya bokap sendiri nih.. thanx for the wondergul years you gave us, and many glorious years to come..

maju terus Opa Fergie...

[rondwisan]

Is Ferguson sport's greatest?
MEN, James Robson - November 06, 2009



ON the day of his 23rd anniversary at Old Trafford, what do you get the man who's won everything?

Two European Cups, more Premier League trophies than he has doors in which to use them as stops, a knighthood - he'd probably be elected prime-minister if he ever ran for government.

After a 35-year career - that is still in the ascendancy, by the way - it seems redundant to merely debate if Sir Alex Ferguson is the greatest manager football has ever seen.

Such is his enduring success at the highest level, powers of reinvention to enable him to stay there and his contribution to matters that transcend the boundaries of the football pitch, Ferguson's status must be measured within the context of more than just the sport in which he operates.

Next week Manny Pacquiao seeks to cement his status as the best pound-for-pound fighter on the planet. But on a year by year basis, Ferguson delivers yet more evidence that he is the pound-for-pound greatest sportsman of all time.

Muhammad Ali, Tiger Woods, Dennis Compton, Roger Federer, Michael Jordan - the 67-year-old could stand toe to toe with any of them in a "show us your medals" contest.

Of course, any cross-sport comparison has its difficulties and there are those who would say it is impossible to measure the relative successes of different athletes.

Is Woods a better golfer than Pele was a footballer? If Ali was around today would he ever have lost a fight?

And how can you compare a manager or coach to an athlete like Federer or Jordan?

Let's try. Ferguson has won 34 major trophies in his managerial career, compared to 15 for Federer and 14 for Woods.

Medalist

Ali was a three-time world heavyweight champion and also an Olympic gold medallist. Of his 61 fights he won 56 times - notably three of his defeats came at the end of his career in his last four bouts. In all he won 31 title fights.

Jordan won six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls and was voted Most Valuable Player on five occasions.

Compton was a Test cricketer for 20 years with 123 first-class centuries. He won a league title and an FA Cup with Arsenal in his spare time as a footballer and also managed to fight during World War Two.

True, Ferguson's success has come over a longer period of time than those he is being compared with - but it is his powers of longevity that are so remarkable.

That he doesn't have to physically compete with opponents is an obvious advantage over the likes of Ali and Federer - but the fact that he has managed to stay in control of one club for 23 years is an anomaly of the modern game.

Critics will point Bob Paisley's achievements at Liverpool over a much shorter space of time as an argument that he was the greater manager. But it is Ferguson's continued success, year upon year, that is the truest measure of his greatness.

His ability to adapt to the changing face of football in a manner that we simply do not know if Paisley could have, is exactly what makes him the greatest manager of all time.

Just as Ali's legendary status was confirmed by his ability to overcome adversity and his epic battles with Joe Frazier and George Foreman, Ferguson's finest moments have come in response to his greatest challenges.

When faced with Jack Walker's millions at Blackburn, Ferguson went the other way. Rather than go pound-for-pound in the transfer market with Ewood Park's free-spending benefactor, the United manager put his faith in youth.

The result? Ryan Giggs, David Beckham and Paul Scholes. A truck load of trophies, the birth of arguably the most famous footballer of all time - and unfortunately his wife - and the nucleus of United and England teams for years to come.

Reports of his demise were premature once again when Arsene Wenger introduced an expansive style of football the Premier League had never witnessed before in 1998.

Treble

Again it prompted reinvention and Ferguson responded with a team that stormed through Europe to become the first club from a major league to win the Treble.

Then came Roman Abramovich's billions and a cocky gunslinger who was a younger, better looking and more arrogant version of Ferguson. And with back-to-back titles in his first two years at Chelsea, Ferguson looked to have met his match in Jose Mourinho.

Written off and mentally put out to pasture by his fiercest critics, the Scot made fools of his detractors with a hat-trick of titles and back-to-back Champions League finals.

Less than two months away from his 68th birthday there are signs that he is getting stronger.

The last three seasons have been the most successful of his managerial career. Who of any profession - let alone sport - could say that after 35 years?

Ferguson's success does not end at trinkets and trophies either. The Premier League owes him a huge debt of gratitude.

As uncomfortable as it will be for rival fans to admit, the popularity of the national game on a global status has come on the back of United's domination.

Before he won his first trophy at Old Trafford the club was worth £10m. By 2000 it became the first £1billion club.

How would Ferguson's figures stack up against the money Woods and Jordan have made for sponsors Nike? Incidentally the US sports clothing manufacturer is another firm that has capitalised on the success of United's global appeal.

For all his success there will be those who will still refuse to acknowledge him as the greatest ever manager, let alone sportsman, which is the beauty of sport - its differing opinions.

But no-one deny his place as at least one of the greatest figures in sport, whose enduring success is almost taken for granted.

An innovator, artist, street fighter, psychological pugilist, bully boy and father figure - love him or loathe him, his continued presence is one that must be celebrated.

[Andi Istiabudi]

Kalau sedikit diperhatikan wajah Sir Alex dulu, sekilas agak mirip Bryan Robson yach ?

[Ayunda]

Originally Posted by rondwisan

Is Ferguson sport's greatest?
MEN, James Robson - November 06, 2009



ON the day of his 23rd anniversary at Old Trafford, what do you get the man who's won everything?

Two European Cups, more Premier League trophies than he has doors in which to use them as stops, a knighthood - he'd probably be elected prime-minister if he ever ran for government.

After a 35-year career - that is still in the ascendancy, by the way - it seems redundant to merely debate if Sir Alex Ferguson is the greatest manager football has ever seen.

Such is his enduring success at the highest level, powers of reinvention to enable him to stay there and his contribution to matters that transcend the boundaries of the football pitch, Ferguson's status must be measured within the context of more than just the sport in which he operates.

Next week Manny Pacquiao seeks to cement his status as the best pound-for-pound fighter on the planet. But on a year by year basis, Ferguson delivers yet more evidence that he is the pound-for-pound greatest sportsman of all time.

Muhammad Ali, Tiger Woods, Dennis Compton, Roger Federer, Michael Jordan - the 67-year-old could stand toe to toe with any of them in a "show us your medals" contest.

Of course, any cross-sport comparison has its difficulties and there are those who would say it is impossible to measure the relative successes of different athletes.

Is Woods a better golfer than Pele was a footballer? If Ali was around today would he ever have lost a fight?

And how can you compare a manager or coach to an athlete like Federer or Jordan?

Let's try. Ferguson has won 34 major trophies in his managerial career, compared to 15 for Federer and 14 for Woods.

Medalist

Ali was a three-time world heavyweight champion and also an Olympic gold medallist. Of his 61 fights he won 56 times - notably three of his defeats came at the end of his career in his last four bouts. In all he won 31 title fights.

Jordan won six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls and was voted Most Valuable Player on five occasions.

Compton was a Test cricketer for 20 years with 123 first-class centuries. He won a league title and an FA Cup with Arsenal in his spare time as a footballer and also managed to fight during World War Two.

True, Ferguson's success has come over a longer period of time than those he is being compared with - but it is his powers of longevity that are so remarkable.

That he doesn't have to physically compete with opponents is an obvious advantage over the likes of Ali and Federer - but the fact that he has managed to stay in control of one club for 23 years is an anomaly of the modern game.

Critics will point Bob Paisley's achievements at Liverpool over a much shorter space of time as an argument that he was the greater manager. But it is Ferguson's continued success, year upon year, that is the truest measure of his greatness.

His ability to adapt to the changing face of football in a manner that we simply do not know if Paisley could have, is exactly what makes him the greatest manager of all time.

Just as Ali's legendary status was confirmed by his ability to overcome adversity and his epic battles with Joe Frazier and George Foreman, Ferguson's finest moments have come in response to his greatest challenges.

When faced with Jack Walker's millions at Blackburn, Ferguson went the other way. Rather than go pound-for-pound in the transfer market with Ewood Park's free-spending benefactor, the United manager put his faith in youth.

The result? Ryan Giggs, David Beckham and Paul Scholes. A truck load of trophies, the birth of arguably the most famous footballer of all time - and unfortunately his wife - and the nucleus of United and England teams for years to come.

Reports of his demise were premature once again when Arsene Wenger introduced an expansive style of football the Premier League had never witnessed before in 1998.

Treble

Again it prompted reinvention and Ferguson responded with a team that stormed through Europe to become the first club from a major league to win the Treble.

Then came Roman Abramovich's billions and a cocky gunslinger who was a younger, better looking and more arrogant version of Ferguson. And with back-to-back titles in his first two years at Chelsea, Ferguson looked to have met his match in Jose Mourinho.

Written off and mentally put out to pasture by his fiercest critics, the Scot made fools of his detractors with a hat-trick of titles and back-to-back Champions League finals.

Less than two months away from his 68th birthday there are signs that he is getting stronger.

The last three seasons have been the most successful of his managerial career. Who of any profession - let alone sport - could say that after 35 years?

Ferguson's success does not end at trinkets and trophies either. The Premier League owes him a huge debt of gratitude.

As uncomfortable as it will be for rival fans to admit, the popularity of the national game on a global status has come on the back of United's domination.

Before he won his first trophy at Old Trafford the club was worth £10m. By 2000 it became the first £1billion club.

How would Ferguson's figures stack up against the money Woods and Jordan have made for sponsors Nike? Incidentally the US sports clothing manufacturer is another firm that has capitalised on the success of United's global appeal.

For all his success there will be those who will still refuse to acknowledge him as the greatest ever manager, let alone sportsman, which is the beauty of sport - its differing opinions.

But no-one deny his place as at least one of the greatest figures in sport, whose enduring success is almost taken for granted.

An innovator, artist, street fighter, psychological pugilist, bully boy and father figure - love him or loathe him, his continued presence is one that must be celebrated.

Fergie emang orang penting, kalo bukan salah satu dari yang terpenting, di dunia olahraga.

[gravedigga]

he is my number 1 hero at Old Trafford...
thank him for all moments with United.
Congrats Sir!!!!
YOU ARE THE BEST...