Those who are uninterested in football might wonder what the fuss is all about. After all, what's so unusual about a seventy-one year old man stepping down from his job?
Sir Alex's achievement as manager, the titles he won with Manchester United and Aberdeen, has been well documented (I'll let Wikipedia do the talking), a testament to his ability. But United supporters don't love him just because he's been around for twenty-six seasons and has granted us numerous titles over the years. It's more than that: without Sir Alex, it's debatable whether United would enjoy the success they have today. (I guess we also need to thank United directors, past and present, for their business acumen, but that's a story for another day.)
To put things into perspective, when Alex Ferguson took over United from Ron Atkinson in November 1986, the club was second to bottom of the table in the old English First Division. The last time they won the league was in 1967, in the time of legendary manager Sir Matt Busby. It took Ferguson three and a half years to win his first title for United, the 1989-1990 FA Cup (and if rumor is to believed, he was this close to being sacked for failing to deliver.) There's a whole lot of song and dance about how Arsene Wenger single-handedly changed the British football culture, but way before the Frenchman worked his magic at Arsenal (I'm not being facetious here, in case you Arsenal fans take offense), Ferguson had put a stop to the drinking culture at United and worked on improving players' fitness.
For younger United supporters, including me, Sir Alex Ferguson is a permanent fixture to Manchester United. We never knew the time when he's not at the club, when United had to struggle just to get to the upper quarter of the table by the end of the season. Not seeing him on the sideline next season is going to be very hard for me. Uncertain times await, but for now, let us show Sir Alex Ferguson our gratitude, for all the happiness he has brought us, the supporters. Thank you, Sir Alex.
Recommended read:
- Football - Bloody Hell!: The Biography of Alex Ferguson, Patrick Barclay
- Managing My Life: My Biography, Alex Ferguson
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