In Support of the 'Dying General'

The Muppet

Heres an article that was posted on a United forum that Utd fans here may be intersted in reading. For me it sums up the situation at United perfectly.

In Support of the 'Dying General'
Article by Simon West

There is a growing body of Reds who have genuine misgivings about SAF's position as manager of the club - of that there is no doubt. Even if United win the league this year that might not be good enough to restore his reputation with some, despite the fact that the Chelsea of this millennium are a far greater obstacle to success than Liverpool were Liverpool of the last ever. Chelsea truly has the wealth to dominate football indefinitely; they can replace their entire squad in the blink of an eye and can afford to buy up the next generation of talent ensuring their rivals forever remain in their shadow. Vanquishing this foe would represent Ferguson's greatest ever achievement, arguably surpassing that glorious fate-inspired night in Barcelona.

And still, despite a return to 4-4-2 and attacking, winning football at the start of this season, there remains a sizeable body of United fans that harbour concerns over Ferguson's continuing tenure. Last year most fans had legitimate concerns over the way the team performed, especially in the Champions League. The tactics employed were at odds with the heritage of the club and the traditions of United's play. They were employed with the best intentions - to make the side less predictable and more difficult to play against at the highest levels of continental football. Ultimately the change didn't fit with the players or fans. Now that 4-3-3 has been filed away under 'serious error of judgement' Ferguson's unwillingness to speak out on behalf of the fans, as he has in the past, is the stick with which he is now beaten.

Now it's Sir Alex as 'Glazer's puppet', the man who has forgotten his working class roots, who has deserted the fans; the man who'll say anything to preserve his £5m a year salary. Does anyone seriously believe this argument? And if it is the case, why was Saffy out in the wind and rain at Charlton and not up in the stands with the 'prawn sandwich' brigade? What gets his juices flowing is the game - and making his Manchester United team win. Success on the field is the one thing that drives Sir Alex, always has done, always will. And in order to be in a position to shape the playing destiny of the team he has to cooperate with the owners - be it the Edwards family, the plc board or even the Glazers. So get real people, until Ferguson retires and updates his memoirs we'll never hear his true feelings on the takeover. Whatever soundbytes the media pick out in the interim, he will not openly attack his bosses. Perhaps he should bite the hand that feeds him, but if he cares about the club (and believes himself to be the man to carry it forward) he has to be pragmatic and toe the line in order to secure the backing and resource he needs to improve the playing side of the club.

Lets absorb a little history lesson - between the first Premiership title and the last First Division title Manchester United endured some genuinely dark days. The club were relegated to the Second Division, watched Liverpool, Forest and even Aston Villa compete and win in Europe. The club actually got to the point when it had no idea where the next league title would come from. Managers came and went with the odd FA Cup 'triumph' here and there. Despite this, MUFC was, in all bar one season, the best-supported club in the land. The fans never abandoned the club or the cause, despite the paucity of quality on show, the lack of success and the lack of hope. In years to come, when football writers chart the history of our club, they will single out one man for transforming our 'sleeping giant' into the biggest football club on the planet - Sir Alex Ferguson. To compare where the club stands today from where it was when the Scot arrived is a stark reality check. Are our memories really so short?

We are now operating in an entirely different world and on an entirely different plane to 1986. Whether we like it or not, football has changed beyond recognition since the mid '80s. Sky Sports, agents, diving, advertising, merchandising, sponsorship and riches beyond every fan's wildest dreams. United has coped with this revolution better than any other, and exploited it to a greater extent as well. All the while, the team has performed to a generally excellent level. As fans we have been privileged to watch some of the finest players in the world week in, week out, and have been rewarded for the years of patience with a bulging trophy cabinet.

It now seems that finishing second to the most financially unstoppable club in the history of the sport is not good enough in the eyes of some. However, we shouldn't allow ourselves to become blasé about the successes that the club has had, nor should supporters be so arrogant as to assume that United will always be number one. Yes, its been a frustrating summer in the transfer market, and despite all the media training we assume they're given, SAF and David Gill have made some statements that with hindsight they may have chosen not to. They shouldn't have promised new signings and raised expectations, and having recognised that the team needed 'two world class signings' they should not now make out that the squad is exactly as they'd like it to be. SAF has to publicly back the players at his disposal, he would be no sort of manager if he didn't and the club did try and get Owen Hargreaves (and presumably Torres) over the summer. But do fans really think that the club has missed out on players that would have strengthened the first team over the summer? United cannot compete financially with Chelsea so Ballack and Shevchenko were never attainable, nor was Mascherano given the 'scouting reports' that deemed him unsuitable and the bizarre contract that MSI hold him to. Did United really want Diarra, who was frankly pedestrian alongside the equally uninspiring Emerson on his Madrid debut? Or Kuyt and Bellamy who have wound up at Liverpool? The Reds have got Michael Carrick, who might have been over priced at an initial £14m but who does at least have his best years ahead of him and is a genuinely talented passer of the football. Perhaps fans should be content that the club has restricted spending to one quality player rather than two lesser ones? It seems obvious that Carrick will do more than Djemba-Djemba and Kleberson contributed between them.

As a body of fans who care passionately about their football club we need to ask ourselves the following question - who would we rather see in the home dugout when Manchester United run out to face Spurs on Saturday afternoon? The fans may no longer be shareholders, but we remain stakeholders in the club. We continue to invest time, money, hopes and dreams in MUFC and as such do have the right to question its ownership and management. However, in doing so should be certain that a suitable candidate exists to replace Sir Alex before there is an attempt to depose him. In life you need to be careful what you wish for in case it comes to pass, and it would be a dreadful situation to regret Sir Alex leaving too soon. The manager isn't infallible, nor is he bigger than the club, but for what he has given United supporter in the past twenty years, and the promise that this new season holds, I believe that for the time being we should continue to give him our support. If there were an outstanding candidate to replace him at the end of the season then Gill or a Glazer should suggest to Sir Alex that in the long-term interest of the club he consider his position. A new face and new ideas might bring optimism and some promise, but unless the next manager happens to be an alchemist the club will still be playing catch up to the Russian revolution in West London.

Make no mistake fellow Reds, we will miss him when he's gone

Necronomicon

Good article, although will probably inspire another arguement about SAF and whether or not he is past it.

Re: the disappointing lack of signings, while we all would've liked to have seen more faces coming in, I don't like being too critical of Gill and Fergie on this one. We had our targets and clearly weren't going to pull any punches financially in getting them. Paying over the odds is something you're always likely going to do when 'buying English', but United were willing to spend big on Carrick.
Who else was really a target is speculation I guess, except for Owen Hargreaves. United made no secret of their desire to get him, and once again were ready to go to, what, £17 million to get their man? That situation was out of our hands, and it wasn't the fault of the club that Munich just wouldn't let him go.
It was a disappointing summer transfer-wise, but I'm glad Fergie didn't panic buy just to make up the numbers when he couldn't get all he wanted.

applehunter

Sir Alex me hole.

Shove you're Fergie up your nose.

Nalz

applehunter wrote:

Sir Alex me hole.

Shove you're Fergie up your nose.

:rolleyes:

GuanYin

Applehunter. If you're not going to contribute something intelligent, don't contribute.

smemon

Alex Ferguson is irreplaceable. I'm 110% behind the man at all times. He's led our club to so much glory it would be stupid to question his management style at this stage.

Personally, i don't think Utd are in decline or past it, ready to crumble etc... sure, we've had a couple of trophyless season's, dodgy european adventures and dodgy dealings in the transfer market, but look at the stats.

Utd's lowest position under Sir Alex in the premiership? 15 years - a disastrous 3rd.

atm, chelsea have a better squad but thankfully they can only field 11. Utd's 11 can match and beat any 11 in the premiership.

Provided they can stay injury free this season (which may i add we've been crippled with injuries to key players the past couple of years) utd should and will challenge for top spot yet again.

Guy:Incognito

smemon wrote:

Alex Ferguson is irreplaceable. I'm 110% behind the man at all times. He's led our club to so much glory it would be stupid to question his management style at this stage

That attitude will be the downfall of many clubs. Who gives a crap what he did in the past, if he's not performing in the present it's time to get rid. Should he be aloud to go on till he's old a doddery if he decides to? How far do you push it, what if Utd start finishing mid table, should he be pushed then?

iregk

Sorry if I seem ignorant here but what exactly was it Fergie said or did that got a lot of fans in the hump? According to lots of them they are unhappy and things that have been said recently but I've missed those so can someone enlighten me?

kinaldo

iregk wrote:

Sorry if I seem ignorant here but what exactly was it Fergie said or did that got a lot of fans in the hump? According to lots of them they are unhappy and things that have been said recently but I've missed those so can someone enlighten me?

FERGIE VERSUS THE FANS

Writing in the recently released "Official Manchester United Diary of the Season," the self professed socialist and 'man of the people' slams United supporters' claims of scuppering the Sky takeover, for campaigning against the Glazers and for demanding a say in the club. In an unremitting attack Ferguson says that the fans "felt they were responsible for stopping the BSkyB deal, which is not true. They were not responsible. It was the Monopolies and Mergers Commission (MMC) that stopped that. They [the fans] carried on to the degree where they actually thought they should have a say in the running of the football club."

ZENER

applehunter wrote:

Sir Alex me hole.

Shove you're Fergie up your nose.

I'm offended by that - what gives you the right to speak that way about him - are you a supporter of MUFC ? I'd complain about this if I thought it would do any good or I wouldn't be banned for it - but I won't bother.

It's hard to speak ill of SAFs achievments - his name is as attached to MUFC as Nigel Clough is to Notts Forrest or Bill Shankley is to Liverpool . . . or Keane to Sunderland ? I think Sir Alec is genuine about the club and will know when he can no longer serve its best interests. I've criticised SAF myself in the past but I conceed that there isn't anyone else I would rather see there at the moment. He'll know when it's time - and I predict that time will be at the end of this season . . . - He will finish on a high !

ZEN

kinaldo

ZENER wrote:

I'm offended by that - what gives you the right to speak that way about him
ZEN

lol - freedom of speach probably (not that I agree with his sentiments).

iregk

ZENER wrote:

It's hard to speak ill of SAFs achievments - his name is as attached to MUFC as Nigel Clough is to Notts Forrest or Bill Shankley is to Liverpool

Nigel Clough???

sofireland

iregk wrote:

Nigel Clough???

Wasn't it Brian!

Anyway, i think SAF is the right man for the job at the moment. There isn't anyone out there i'd rather see at the helm.

As for lack of signings, these things happen. The deals we wanted just didn't come through.

Re Torres, Ballague from Sky Sports says his contract extension is just a ruse, to get a lower release clause, so united could come in in January or next season.

ZENER

Sorry my bad, I don't know where I got "Nigel" from - Merlot induced I think it was late ! But you get my point I think.

kinaldo wrote:

lol - freedom of speach probably (not that I agree with his sentiments).

You make this sound like a democracy, it isn't: as those in power are at pains to point out time and time again. Others on this forum got bans for similar outbursts - Pornapster for instance. Maybe the passion of the game is simply lost on some !

ZEN

kinaldo

ZENER wrote:

You make this sound like a democracy, it isn't: as those in power are at pains to point out time and time again. Others on this forum got bans for similar outbursts
ZEN

I'm well aware of that as I myself have been cruelly banned from this forum before. I thought he worded it quite well in relation to the charter though. Also, comments here are rarely deleted, u just pay a price for the freedom of speach.

Edit: Sir Alex himself is hardly adverse to using colourful language and making offensive remarks in the presence of journalists or even his own fans.