Sir Alex Ferguson

flahavaj

On Sunday Sir Alex Ferguson overtakes Sir Matt Busby as the longest serving Manchester United manager of all time - 25 years at a top level club is an unreal achievement in itself. Love him or loath him, no one can deny that he has been the catalyst in growing the club from also rans in the 80's through a period of unprecedented success into one of the biggest clubs inthe world. At the age of 68 his enthusisiam and hunger for success is unbelieveable and he remains the main reason IMO that United continue to push for honours on a regular basis. His masterful handling of the Wayne Rooney situation shows he's still as cute a hoor as ever. There will be many who disagree, but for me he's as good a manager as has ever graced the game. I wouldn't be surprised to see him still at the club in 5 years time.

Thank you Fergie for what you have done for my club. If they never won a trophy again and slipped into mediocrity or worse for the next few decade, the memories that man has given us would keep us going for ten lifetimes.











Some of the best quotes from SAF’s illustrious 20+ years as Manchester United manager.

1. “Only true champions come out and show their worth after defeat- and I expect us to do that”(Sir Alex Ferguson after been beaten by Arsenal for a second time in the league 2006 season}

2. “You’re a ****in’ bottler Incey! You cannae handle the stage, can you? You are a ****in’ bottler!” (Alex Ferguson to Paul Ince at half-time, Barcelona, 1994.)

3. “I can’t believe it. I can’t believe it. Football. Bloody hell.”(Alex Ferguson after winning the European Cup on May 26th, 1999.)

4. “I thought the first 45 minutes were the best of my time as a manager.”
(Alex Ferguson after United had come back from 2-0 down to beat Juventus 3-2 in Turin, Italy in what was later heralded as one of the greatest comebacks in sporting history.)

5. “I’m privileged to have followed Sir Matt because all you have to do is to try and maintain the standards that he set so many years ago.”
(Alex Ferguson after equalling Sir Matt Busby’s Premiership record)

6. “That’s absolute bollocks, that. Absolute nonsense.”(Sir Alex Ferguson after beating FA Premier League champions Chelsea FC 1-0 on November 6th 2005 when asked if the previous week where Manchester United had endured much criticism was the worst week of his career.)

7. “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”.
o Alex Ferguson’s half time team talk during the 1999 European Cup Final

8. “It would have been Sir Matt Busby’s 90th birthday today, but I think he was up there doing a lot of kicking.”(Alex Ferguson post match after winning the European Cup 1999)

9. “My greatest challenge is not what’s happening at the moment, my greatest challenge was knocking Liverpool right off their ****ing perch. And you can print that.”(Sir Alex Ferguson responding to Alan Hansen questioning Sir Alex Ferguson’s future as Manchester United manager in September 2002 in the Guardian.)

10. “Just ****ing patch him up” (Sir Alex Ferguson to a club physio after kicking a boot at David Beckham’s head which left him needing stitches above his eye.)

11. “It was a freakish incident. If I tried it 100 or a million times it couldn’t happen again. If I could I would have carried on playing!”(Sir Alex Ferguson to the media after the incident had happened.)

12. “It’s getting tickly now - squeaky-bum time, I call it”.(Sir Alex Ferguson on the 2002/2003 end of season title race. A phrase now used very often in newspapers at all levels of football.)

13. “On you go. I’m no ****ing talking to you. He’s a ****ing great player. Yous are ****ing idiots.” (Sir Alex Ferguson speaking to the media about Juan Sebastian Verón)

14. “It keeps those ****ers from the media out.” (Ferguson about the new ‘Fortress Carrington’ training complex.)

15. “I am such a bloody talented guy. I might go into painting or something like that.” (Sir Alex on life after management.)

16. “He’s a bully, a ****ing big-time Charlie”. (Alex Ferguson on Paul Ince)

17. “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!” (Sir Alex Ferguson on Arsene Wenger)

18. “It is totally out of the question. There is no way we would sell him, or any of our best players” (Sir Alex Ferguson before selling David Beckham, 12th April 2003)

19. “David Beckham is Britain’s finest striker of a football not because of God-given talent but because he practises with a relentless application that the vast majority of less gifted players wouldn’t contemplate. (Alex Ferguson on David Beckham (1999))

20. “What the **** are you lot playing at? That is the biggest load of ****e I’ve ever seen. Not one of you can look me in the eye, because not one of you deserves to have a say. I can’t believe you’ve come here and decided to toss it off like that crap you’re playing out there.” (Half-time at Sheffield Wednesday, 1998.)

21. “If he was an inch taller he’d be the best centre half in Britain. His father is 6ft 2in - I’d check the milkman.” (Sir Alex Ferguson on Gary Neville)

22. “When an Italian tells me its pasta on the plate I check under the sauce to make sure. They are the inventors of the smokescreen.”(Alex Ferguson before Manchester United played Inter Milan in the Champions League Quarter Final 1999)

23. “Whether dribbling or sprinting, Ryan can leave the best defenders with twisted blood” (Sir Alex Ferguson on Ryan Giggs)

24. “Cole should be scoring from those distances, but I’m not going to single him out.” (Sir Alex Ferguson on Andy Cole and others.)

25. “Pippo Inzaghi was born in an offside position.” (Sir Alex Ferguson on Pippo Inzaghi after finding out that Pippo is the most offside player in the football ever.)

26. “As with every young player, he’s only 18.” (Alex Ferguson on youngsters)

27. “It was particularly pleasing that our goalscorers scored tonight.” (Alex Ferguson on scoring goals)

28. “The philosophy of a lot of European teams, even in home matches, is not to give a goal away.” (Alex Ferguson on European teams)

29. “This pilot move by FIFA will take root and fly.”(Alex Ferguson on FIFA pilot program)

30. “If we can play like that every week, we’ll get some level of consistency.” (Alex Ferguson on consistency)

31. “The lads ran their socks into the ground.” (Alex Ferguson on his players)

32. “He could start a row in an empty house.” (Alex Ferguson on Dennis Wise)

33. “We have people coming here to admire the scenery and enjoy their crisps.” (Alex Ferguson on United fans)

34. “Just when they thought they had a chance Ruud killed them off a bit.” (Alex Ferguson on most matches in which Ruud scores!)

35. “The big challenges are the biggest stage and it is a true test of all footballers in Europe.”

36. “We need Van Nistelrooy up there again because we missed some incredible chances at Portsmouth. He’s the best.”

37. “Sometimes we can get too emotional as a club with things that are happening. But we’re both of a common denominator - we don’t want the club to be in anyone else’s hands.”

38. “I have always tried to be the bridge between the club and the fans and I have tried to support the fans in a lot of their pleas and causes.”

39. “In my 18 years at this club, that was the worst performance we have ever produced in the FA Cup.” (after the FA Cup holders are held by non-league Exeter City in 2005)

40. “If Chelsea drop points, the cat’s out in the open. And you know what cats are like - sometimes they don’t come home.”

41. “He was certainly full of it, calling me Boss and Big Man when we had our post-match drink after the first leg. But it would help if his greetings were accompanied by a decent glass of wine. What he gave me was paint-stripper.” (on Jose Mourinho)

42. “Wayne Rooney doesn’t score tap-ins.”

43. “Oh dearie me, the FA are going to be delighted with that!” (Alex Ferguson on Man U vs Arsenal in the Carling Cup)

44. “We’re suffering because of what happened against Arsenal… one of my players would have to be hit by an axe to get a penalty at the moment.”

45. “They have those fans who are so emotional and fanatical, they expect to win the World Cup” (Alex Ferguson on Newcastle fans)

46. “They come out with the ‘English are so strong, we’re terrible in the air, we can’t do this, we can’t do that’. Then they beat you 3 - 0″ (Alex Ferguson on Italians)

47. “I used to have a saying that when a player is at his peak, he feels as though he can climb Everst in his slippers. That’s what he was like”(Alex Ferguson on Paul Ince)

48. “At half-time it could have been 20-all! But commonsense took over - or boring football took over!” (Alex Ferguson on a 3 - 2 win over Fulham, 2005)

49. “I remember the first time I saw him. He was 13 and just floated over the ground like a cocker spaniel chasing a piece of silver paper in the wind” (Alex Ferguson on Ryan Giggs)

50. “We are catching them [Chelsea] and we just hope the finishing line doesn’t come too soon.”

51. “This was an important day and we wanted everyone together. In that situation it was best to leave Ruud out”

52. “Wayne is truly blessed. He doesn’t just have ability, he has a fire inside him ”

53. “When we signed him [Rooney] at 18, everyone said ‘what will he be like at 21?’ Now he’s 21, people are saying ‘what will he be like at 25?’ It was always destined to be that way”

54. “He demonstrates great hunger and desire all the time. Without doubt, he is the best 21-year-old I have ever had.” (Alex Ferguson on Rooney)

55. “He was towering over me and the other players were almost covering their eyes. I’m looking up and thinking ‘if he does hit me, I’m dead’”(Alex Ferguson on an argument with Peter Schmeichel)

56. “I think it’s important to work and I’m entitled to work. Some people do not want to work but I want to continue working”

57. “We will only be in trouble if we listen to Jose too much”

58. “I bet him he wouldn’t get 15 league goals and I’m going to have to change my bet with him. If he gets to 15 I can change it and I am allowed to do that because I’m the manager. I’m going to make it 150 now” (on Ronaldo)

59. “He’ll be getting a hug and a kiss from me - maybe even two!” (on Sam Allardyce)

Johner

What an unbelievable manager, don't think there will ever be another one like him.

:mad:

jaykay74

flahavaj wrote: »

On Sunday Sir Alex Ferguson overtakes Sir Matt Busby as the longest serving Manchester United

Snow he wont :pac:

Galvasean

As an Arsenal fan he is my club's nemesis, responsible for some of our most crushing defeats. Still though, great manager. I'd rather have him as my nemesis than someone bankrolled by crooked oil money.

Frisbee

Legend.

That is all.

yahoo_moe

Far from my favourite man (Arsenal fan)... but you know what? He's incredibly incredibly good.

TanG411

And to think back in 1990/91, if he lost to Nottingham Forest he would have been sacked.

I'm also an Arsenal supporter, but Alex Ferguson has to go down as one of the greatest managers of all time. I respect him.

Nailz

jaykay74 wrote: »

Snow he wont :pac:

I get it. But he will, he already managed more games than Sir Matt, but tomorrow the amount of days served as manager will surpass Sir Matt's time at United. Game or no game.

Still ****ing pissed off it's postponed.

Anyway, he's one of the most legendary football manager ever, and goodness knows how much joy he brought me, and many many other over the year. Thank you Fergie, you god.

IvySlayer

Simply the best. There's just so many great things this man has done. The players he's developed, the clubs he's transformed, the performances, the mind games.

karma_

I'll have to wash my mouth out with soap for this, but I grudgingly respect his achievements.

Essien

The man is a genius in footballing terms, I doubt there will be anyone like him for a long time.

doc_17

Loved by Man U fans and respected by others. I don't like him but he is very very good at what he does. Can't wait til the day he leaves that place!

Mars Bar

Honoured to have witnessed the majority of his tenure at United. I hope (and believe) that there is still a few years and titles left in the old dog yet.

Legend!

messrs

Total legend Dont think words can describe how unbelievable this man is.

Hope he is around for a few more years

PHB

I was born in 1984. I have absolutely no memory of United without Ferguson at the helm. I genuinely don't really understand what it's like to have a different manager. It's going to freak the **** out of me when he's gone.

Mr. Presentable

Awesome manager. The only blot on his record is he never tested himself at a club outside the UK.

tommyhaas

Poor man's Roy Hodgson

jesus_thats_gre

What a great man but can we drop the Sir?

flahavaj

PHB wrote: »

I was born in 1984. I have absolutely no memory of United without Ferguson at the helm. I genuinely don't really understand what it's like to have a different manager. It's going to freak the **** out of me when he's gone.

Yeah I was thinking about this the other day, whats it goona be like having to worry about how the new manager settles in, whether he'll be fired etc. Gonna be f*cking wierd.:(

Nailz

Mr. Presentable wrote: »

Awesome manager. The only blot on his record is he never tested himself at a club outside the UK.

I think it speaks volumes about the man's dedication and respect for each club he's been too. Like his spells as manager from St. Mirren to Aberdeen, and finally to Manchester United have been long in comparison to any normal manager, even in Scotland.

Necronomicon

Mr. Presentable wrote: »

Awesome manager. The only blot on his record is he never tested himself at a club outside the UK.

That's not a blot, not by any stretch of the imagination. If anything, the sheer longevity of his tenure adds to his achievements. To be so successful for so long at one club is incredible, especially these days.

flahavaj

jesus_thats_gre wrote: »

What a great man but can we drop the Sir?

Why?

Essien

Mr. Presentable wrote: »

Awesome manager. The only blot on his record is he never tested himself at a club outside the UK.

I really wouldn't even consider that a "blot"

Peyton Manning

jesus_thats_gre wrote: »

What a great man but can we drop the Sir?

Indeed.

Lord Emperor Alex Ferguson The Great it is.

Kess73

As a Liverpool fan, the biggest compliment that I can pay the man is that I wish he retired years ago.

There is no doubt that he will go down as one of the greatest managers in the english game, and he is iconic at this stage to both the fans that love him, and to those that loathe him.

DOC09UNAM

jaykay74 wrote: »

Snow he wont :pac:

Time stops ticking when it snows?

homerjay2005

Larkin91 wrote: »

And to think back in 1990/91, if he lost to Nottingham Forest he would have been sacked.

that was the general consensus, but bobby charlton said this week that it would not have worked out like that.

that game is my first ever united memory, remember listening to it as a 7 year old and going mental when he scored.....that run was the catalyst then for euro cup winners cup - league cup - prem - double, 5 years one after the other.

sir alex ferguson is a one in a million man. its been a priviledge to have him as our manager for pretty much all our lifes time (on this forum)

as the song goes -

sir alex fersuson, oh will we see, the likes again,
he came to old trafford, from ab-erdeen,
he won the trophies, so many trophies,
and sent the scousers, home to cry.

Handsome Bob

jesus_thats_gre wrote: »

What a great man but can we drop the Sir?

I'll only ever call him Ferguson, which is a bit childish I suppose, but then again I suppose that's a testament to just how successful he's been and just how much he's gotten under my skin.

rossie1977

would have been interesting to see how many titles he would have won had dalglish stayed on as liverpool manager, i suppose the same question will be asked by man utd fans when ferguson retires, of the next successful manager (would he have won as much if ferguson were still in charge)

aidan24326

flahavaj wrote: »

Yeah I was thinking about this the other day, whats it goona be like having to worry about how the new manager settles in, whether he'll be fired etc. Gonna be f*cking wierd.:(

He's going to leave some very big shoes to fill, that's for sure. Hard to know how anyone could step into that job after him.

You could argue a strong case for him being the best manager of all time. He took on a club that was a sleeping giant at the time, a dinosaur living on past glories, and brought them to sustained success over such a long period of time. He has built several different successful teams, and his man-management, how he handles his players and gets the best out of them, keeps them constantly motivated, is such an example to anyone thinking of being a football manager. The only problem with having a manager as good as him is that he's pretty much impossible to replace.

jaykay74

DOC09UNAM wrote: »

Time stops ticking when it snows?

For the puposes of my play on words yes it does.

I was gutted when Ron was sacked. I thought 2 Fa cups in 3 years, what more could the man do. I grumbled at a lot of the signings for the first few years. Then it seemed to click

My fav fergie moment was the jig on the OT turf for the late late win over Sheff Wed. If memory serves it was a sat 3pm game that was live on rte. I believed after that

rossie1977

aidan24326 wrote: »

He's going to leave some very big shoes to fill, that's for sure. Hard to know how anyone could step into that job after him.

ready made replacement

Kess73

LZ5by5 wrote: »

I'll only ever call him Ferguson, which is a bit childish I suppose, but then again I suppose that's a testament to just how successful he's been and just how much he's gotten under my skin.

That's what I call him when I am being polite or when on Boards, my other names for him are probably ban worthy.

flahavaj

jaykay74 wrote: »

For the puposes of my play on words yes it does.

I was gutted when Ron was sacked. I thought 2 Fa cups in 3 years, what more could the man do. I grumbled at a lot of the signings for the first few years. Then it seemed to click

My fav fergie moment was the jig on the OT turf for the late late win over Sheff Wed. If memory serves it was a sat 3pm game that was live on rte. I believed after that

It was actually back in the days when RTE had the English games on a Saturday afternoon but were only allowed show them delayed by half an hour. I kept sneaking a look at teletext so I knew the goals were coming before they happened. Epic afternoon, will always remember Kidd and Fergie celebrating like kids.

eZe^

Unbelievable manager really.

jaykay74

flahavaj wrote: »

It was actually back in the days when RTE had the English games on a Saturday afternoon but were only allowed show them delayed by half an hour. I kept sneaking a look at teletext so I knew the goals were coming before they happened. Epic afternoon, will always remember Kidd and Fergie celebrating like kids.

Ah class. knew it was RTE alright. dont remember the 30 min delay.

aidan24326

jaykay74 wrote: »

For the puposes of my play on words yes it does.

I was gutted when Ron was sacked. I thought 2 Fa cups in 3 years, what more could the man do. I grumbled at a lot of the signings for the first few years. Then it seemed to click

My fav fergie moment was the jig on the OT turf for the late late win over Sheff Wed. If memory serves it was a sat 3pm game that was live on rte. I believed after that

Yes it was live on RTE alright, two Steve Bruce headers to win it after John Sheridan had put Wednesday ahead. A hugely important win at the time.

rossie1977 wrote: »

ready made replacement

Steve McClaren has done well since the England job, possibly a better manager than most of us gave him credit for (bearing in mind that the England job seems to be nigh on impossible anyway). Whether he'd be up to the United job I don't know. Not the worst suggestion by any means though.

#15

Mr. Presentable wrote: »

Awesome manager. The only blot on his record is he never tested himself at a club outside the UK.

Considering his greatness is largely defined by his longevity and ability to rebuild teams, I don't see how that is a blot.
Otherwise we'll have to start blotting the records of a whole host of football greats.

I mean, is Xavi's greatness diminished by his failure to come to England to test himself? Is Paisley less of a manager for not going to the continent? Is Maldini's career tainted by not going abroad? Hardly.

Was going to post this in the superthread but it fits well here too

Fabio Capello has labelled Sir Alex Ferguson the best manager of all time.

Ferguson overtakes Sir Matt Busby as the longest-serving boss in Manchester United history on Sunday.

Approaching his 69th birthday, Ferguson has received deserved plaudits from across the game for his phenomenal 24 years in the Old Trafford hotseat.

With 11 Premier League titles and two European Cups amongst a glittering array of trophies, Ferguson's place in the pantheon of great managers has already been assured.

Capello is also high on the list for his work in Serie A and at Real Madrid.

But, speaking at a Club Wembley members' breakfast, the England boss claimed Ferguson deserves to be recognised as number one.

"In the history of football, the best manager is Sir Alex," said Capello.

"For such a long time he managed the team and he has changed a lot of things.

"He changed the team, he changed the players, he has been really, really good for the club."

The subject of Ferguson's retirement has been a long-debated issue and one the United boss has no intention of entering.

He will not quite match Capello's lofty expectations, but the Scot received warm Christmas wishes anyway.

"I wish him another 20 years of management at the top level."

Nalz

Everyone think that Fergie has two seasons max left at OT, anyone think he'll outstay that length?

DOC09UNAM

i reckon he will stay until he dies.

aidan24326

DOC09UNAM wrote: »

i reckon he will stay until he dies.

He will stay for as long as he wants to, and he shows no sign of wanting to leave any time soon. I reckon he'll be there for another couple of seasons at the very least. He's so passionate abou what he does that I'd say it would be a huge wrench for him to leave it. You can definitely imagine him being carried out of there in a coffin alright.

jaykay74

DOC09UNAM wrote: »

i reckon he will stay until he dies.

Fergie time will ensure that isnt until he is 96 or 97...

Mars Bar

As Fergie says himself, he'll be there until his health dictates otherwise.

lordgoat

Outside friends and family this man has given me more joy than any other.

Memories i cherish and won't forget. So many of them, all those late goals, last minute winners, beautiful football, fantastic players. Watching Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes become the best in the world. All this and so much more goes back to this man. I'm forever thankful to him for making it a pleasure to support United.

After he retires i'll thank him for it all. But i don't want that day to come.

My favourite Fergie quote was he was in court and some solicitor was listing off all the great players he's coached. She spat out 8 or 10 names and at the end was cut off by Fergie say "Paul Scholes, you forgot Paul Scholes and he's my best player."

Handsome Bob

I think I speak for every rival fan when I say that I can't wait for the day that he fcuks off. :pac:

maxxie

The man is a model of achievement!

His hunger for success is outstanding!

Hope he has another couple of years to go!

KittyeeTrix

Like Karma and many other rival fans have admitted he is an awesome integral part of the success at Utd and of course I begrudgingly recognise how great a manager he has been for United.............:p

so enough already, please let it be over soon.......:) so the rest of us can be in with a chance!!! I'd imagine if I was an United fan that the day Fergie hands over the helm at United to another manager will be a day of sorrow and trepidation for Utd fans, as a City fan I welcome this in a way but as a general fan I feel for ye.........but think ye will be fine:(:D

Blatter

rossie1977 wrote: »

would have been interesting to see how many titles he would have won had dalglish stayed on as liverpool manager, i suppose the same question will be asked by man utd fans when ferguson retires, of the next successful manager (would he have won as much if ferguson were still in charge)

He would have won one extra.

Daglish would have sent his side out to get a result against Chelsea at anfield last season.

Essien

SOCCER4LIFE wrote: »

Daglish would have sent his side out to get a result against Chelsea at anfield last season and still lost

FYP

The Muppet

We've been spolied, I hope he's still there in 2020.

Essien

I bet ye all wish that "head in a jar" thing from Futurama was possible don't ye :pac: