The Sir Alex Ferguson Appreciation Thread

[TaylorJ_01]

I like Ferguson. He will be missed when he finally retires.

 

Undoubtedly one of the best managers in my life so far.

[David28]

I like Ferguson. He will be missed when he finally retires.

 

Undoubtedly one of the best managers in my life so far.

 

The same for me.

 

Don't know why, but I quite like him and admire him for what he's done over the years. Sadly, he's done it with a wrong club, though.

[Guest je85]

He's brilliant. I hate him.

 

In one. He really knows how to win things, he's built maybe 5 distinctly different Manchester United teams all winners. To do this during a time when football has changed so much is astonishing. The bastard.

[Taylor Swift]

The greatest. Incredible manager and person imo. I'm proud that he is Scottish.

 

Nonsense. He's a hypocritical SOB who gets his way because he wins, and winners set the rules at the table. How many times has he had a whinge/moan about whatever's annoying him that particular day then go on to criticise an opposing manager for moaning about the same topic at a later date? How many times has he complained about the pitch? Then goes on to moan and Wenger? How many times has he moaned about the refs?

 

He's a great manager. He's arguably the greatest manager of all time, but as a person he's just the same as any other person. He's not incredibly loyal or virtuous, he's not good in defeat, he's not a straight-talker who tells it like it is. He's very smart, and knows how to get things done, which is why he's a brilliant manager, but he's no more than that.

[huss9]

cant underestimate what he achieved with a small club like aberdeen

[alpal78]

A hypocrite by my books and is only gracious when Man Utd wins, can't remember him being too gracious in defeat. At times does not behave like a 'Sir' (unlike SBR who is always dignified). He deserves some credit this season coz their squad is average/good but during the 90s, very few managers would not have done well with the likes of Beckham, Scholes, Giggs and Keane in midfield. Also suspect that he is corrupt, including the dealings with his son and the Bebe deal. 

[BONTEMPI]

He's a piece of shite!  The sooner he retires the better it will be for the league.  The amount of breaks his sides gets is a joke, and special treatment for his players given by the refs just stinks of corruption behind the scenes.

 

Those who think Wenger isn't the better manager, just look at the net spend of both of them. 

[OzzieMandias]

Used to hate him, now kind of like him. Undoubtedly one of the greats.

[Thespence]

Those who think Wenger isn't the better manager, just look at the net spend of both of them. 

 

Net spend!!! FFS!!! Is this the level we have reached? The Excel spreadsheet highlighting profit or loss on transfer deals is put above winning football games & trophies. I guess you class the sale of Ronaldo as SAF finest hour in football as that deal alone had a great net spend.

 

 

[BONTEMPI]

Those who think Wenger isn't the better manager, just look at the net spend of both of them. 

 

Net spend!!! FFS!!! Is this the level we have reached? The Excel spreadsheet highlighting profit or loss on transfer deals is put above winning football games & trophies.

 

 

 

Yup, You've yet to prove why this shouldn't be considered when deciding if a manager is great or not?

[Cronky]

40+ trophies and counting.

 

Amazing in his ability to re-energise himself and his players, season after season. You would have thought that all that success would blunt his appetite, but he never seems to let himself or his teams go stale.

 

Far more clever and imaginative than he's given credit for too. He's not just a teacup thrower.

[JH]

Those who think Wenger isn't the better manager, just look at the net spend of both of them. 

 

Net spend!!! FFS!!! Is this the level we have reached? The Excel spreadsheet highlighting profit or loss on transfer deals is put above winning football games & trophies. I guess you class the sale of Ronaldo as SAF finest hour in football as that deal alone had a great net spend.

 

 

 

tbf to Bontempi, he has a point.

 

If a manager won the Premier League having spent £150m and then a manager won the Premier League spending £10m, I know which is more impressive.

 

That being said, SAF has won ALOT more trophies.

[colinmk]

The only reason Sir Alex can spends the cash these days is because the club is so successful because of what he achieved. Look at his net spend in the early 90s, it's more than a match for Wengers. To claim Wenger is a better manager is ludicrous imo. He's won an insane amount of silverware.

[Thespence]

Those who think Wenger isn't the better manager, just look at the net spend of both of them. 

 

Net spend!!! FFS!!! Is this the level we have reached? The Excel spreadsheet highlighting profit or loss on transfer deals is put above winning football games & trophies. I guess you class the sale of Ronaldo as SAF finest hour in football as that deal alone had a great net spend.

 

 

 

tbf to Bontempi, he has a point.

 

If a manager won the Premier League having spent £150m and then a manager won the Premier League spending £10m, I know which is more impressive.

 

That being said, SAF has won ALOT more trophies.

 

Spend or net spend? Because with net spend a manager/club could sell £300 million worth of players & then buy £299 million worth of new players, win the league & then some knackers could say "He only spent £1million, what a guy".

 

Also, most of Arsenals net spend has come about because players have wanted to f*** off, which is worth remembering when operating in the simplistic world of looking at net spend.

[Superior Acuña]

Sometimes a bit of a dick, but generally I like him.

[alexthegreat]

Hated him and Man United in the 90s - When it came to the commercialisation of football Man United led the way with their mega store, plastic supporters and a new away kit every year.  Standard stuff now though.

 

The way their side used to intimidate referees was disgusting and Ferguson led the way - standing on the touchline with stopwatch in hand sticks in the memory.

 

However since Abramovich and the Glazers came on the scene he hasnt had the massive financial advantage he did before yet he is still winning. He also claims to have mellowed a bit and he does show occassional touches of class which you can respect - such as his speech at SBR's funeral.

 

But when things don't go his way hes still a very bitter and sore loser - witness his claim that Alan Wiley wasnt fit and his "typical germans" comment when they got knocked out of the Champions League.

 

More than 24 years in any profession is an acheivement, let alone staying at one club at the top for that amount of time.

 

So my verdict is that you can't help but admire him although he is still a bastard. But perhaps not quite as much as he was.

 

 

[Ronaldo]

Still the very best in the world. He's very dislikeable at times, but my respect for him is off the charts.

[Neil]

He's the best I've known in my lifetime, quite easily. Such consistent success over such a long period proves his unquestionable aptitude, even if he acts like a total twat sometimes.

[Guest Howaythetoon]

He is the best manager the game has seen if you ask me. People say he's a cunt but I remember the 5-2 (or was it 5-3 game?) a few years back when Sir Bobby was manager, and we were getting battered, he took off his top players and put on kids so as to not humiliate Sir Bobby, that's how much of a cunt he isn't. When KK left first time we apparently went after him but their board were having none of it, they even refused to inform Fergie of our interest, which he was apparently furious about as he fancied the job. Who knows. Never has a bad word to say about the club, in fact speaks highly of it and us as fans, once saying of NUFC fans "magnificent, the best". He's a true football man, plays the game the right way, puts club before anyone even star players and is all for developing young players from within. I have his autobiography and its a great read. I thi nk he's a top bloke on top of being a great great manager.

[JH]

He is the best manager the game has seen if you ask me. People say he's a c*** but I remember the 5-2 (or was it 5-3 game?) a few years back when Sir Bobby was manager, and we were getting battered, he took off his top players and put on kids so as to not humiliate Sir Bobby, that's how much of a c*** he isn't. When KK left first time we apparently went after him but their board were having none of it, they even refused to inform Fergie of our interest, which he was apparently furious about as he fancied the job. Who knows. Never has a bad word to say about the club, in fact speaks highly of it and us as fans, once saying of NUFC fans "magnificent, the best". He's a true football man, plays the game the right way, puts club before anyone even star players and is all for developing young players from within. I have his autobiography and its a great read. I thi nk he's a top bloke on top of being a great great manager.

 

How is that not cunt-ish at all? It seems like quite a pompous, big headed thing to do.

[Guest Howaythetoon]

A true cunt would try and humiliate his opponent and maximize the most damage possible regardless. That day, Man Utd were so dominant they could have had 10. I remember after the game posting on the old HowaytheToon forum that fergie, due to his respect for Sir Bobby, basically made sure, via his subs and the timing of his subs, that we came away without a massive defeat. I even remember the 6-2 at SJP, he laid into our players post match, defending Sir Booby etc. He can be a cunt Fergie, like us all, but deep down I think he has a bit of class about him when it comes to people he respects and the game in general.

[JH]

Nah. He's just a cunt

[Thespence]

He even took Roy Keane when they had no subs left, what a gent.

[alpal78]

He is the best manager the game has seen if you ask me. People say he's a c*** but I remember the 5-2 (or was it 5-3 game?) a few years back when Sir Bobby was manager, and we were getting battered, he took off his top players and put on kids so as to not humiliate Sir Bobby, that's how much of a c*** he isn't. When KK left first time we apparently went after him but their board were having none of it, they even refused to inform Fergie of our interest, which he was apparently furious about as he fancied the job. Who knows. Never has a bad word to say about the club, in fact speaks highly of it and us as fans, once saying of NUFC fans "magnificent, the best". He's a true football man, plays the game the right way, puts club before anyone even star players and is all for developing young players from within. I have his autobiography and its a great read. I thi nk he's a top bloke on top of being a great great manager.

 

That's just a ridiculous statement! Taking off his best players after leading 5-3 had nothing to do with not wanting to humiliate SBR...you really think SAF was taking SBR's feelings into account when making subs? Its what most managers do when they think the games is won (i.e. that the other team won't be able to make a come back), they put on their young/squad players to give them playing time and experience whilst giving the first teamers some rest

[alpal78]

He even took Roy Keane when they had no subs left, what a gent.

 

Nah SAF asked Keane to be red carded so that we would not be embarassed!