Manchester United – Should Ferguson Go?
Since the game against Charlton (when Ruud was told to fk off), I’ve been in two minds about Sir Alex Ferguson. On one hand, he is the best manager (judging his record, at least) that Manchester United have ever seen.
On the other hand, every man and club need a fresh start, and Manchester United seem to need it more than most.
Criticising your manager irrationally is not acceptable, but neither is defending him without reason. So let’s look at Manchester United’s performance in the last 3 years along with Ferguson’s record and see if we can predict whether he can still deliver the goods (i.e. Premiership and/or Champions League).
Transfer Strategy
If you look at Ferguson’s record in the transfer market in the last three years, you’ll notice that he has bought quite well – van der Sar, Heinze, Rooney, Saha, Ronaldo, Carrick, Smith, Vidic. Of the players that failed to impress, Evra still has more time, Howard had a great season, Kleberson (IMO) had no place in the team although he was a good player and Park will only improve this season.
Only Djemba-Djemba and David bellion can be counted as true disasters. Both of them bought in the summer of 2003, when Ferguson made a big, big mistake – selling David Beckham.
No matter what you say about Beckham today, three things cannot be disputed:
- Manchester United sold David Beckham because Alex Ferguson had problems with him.
- David Beckham was in excellent form towards the end of the 2002-2003 season, and would have continued that form for United had he stayed.
- David Beckham (who is earning Madrid 25 mil per season) could have allowed Manchester United (thanks to his sponsorship deals) to buy a big (Ronaldinho, Gattuso, Essien big) player every year – just from the merchandise revenue his presence would have generated.
Ronaldo was an able replacement, but Ronaldo’s presence reduced the threat from crosses that had made Manchester United so effective on the attack.
The second mistake Ferguson has made was not buying a central midfielder in the last 3 years. In 2004 we went for Saha, Smith, Rooney and Heinze – a combined outlay of over 50 million pounds. That period of massive spending meant that United didn’t have the money to spend in 2005 summer (where we again failed to bring in a midfielder and instead chose to sell Phil Neville after selling Butt the year before).
Ferguson had another chance in January to bring in a central midfielder, although bringing in a quality player for 5 mil (the price he paid for Evra) would have been difficult. We’re buying players now, with Carrick at 18.6 mil and Hargreaves / Senna coming in as well. But the price we’ve paid for not controlling the game from the midfield in the last 2 years (thanks to Keano’s decline) has been failure in the Champions League and agonizingly falling short of Chelsea last year.
Overall, Ferguson’s signings would be considered a success. He has brought in a host of young and experienced players who will serve United well for the next 5-10 years. However, the two blots on his book – selling Beckham and failing to sign a central midfielder – plus a couple of bad buys (Veron and Forlan in my opinion just didnt fit in, although they were good players) have painted a bad impression of him.
Ferguson has done well, but perhaps not as well as expected of him.
As A Manager
Some would have you believe that Sir Alex Ferguson has failed as a manager. While I’m not so quick to jump on, there are clear indications that recent Manchester United sides are lacking in one key ingredient – motivation.
While United can be counted upon to turn out long winning streaks, we are liable to unexplicable lapses of effort, drawing and losing to teams we should be thumping 4-0. At times it is almost as if the players are not motivated at all – I doubt that is actually the case, but body language says a lot and at the end of the day, it comes down to the manager to properly motivate his players.
Manchester United players don’t look as motivated to me as they did before. Maybe this year will change, because I saw a clear change in the attitude of players after Keano was sacked, and towards the end of last season and in pre-season we’ve been good as well, despite the rare lapses.
Results
Ultimately, the manager and the players are judged on results, and recent results have not been encouraging.
To put things in perspective though – 2 third-place finishes and a second-place finish in the Premiership is not something to laugh at. Chelsea have been 2-1-1, while Arsenal 1-2-4. However, while we are still confident of finishing above Arsenal this season, it is the failures in Europe and the inability to win a Premiership for three years (after 8 in 11 attempts) that will bother most supporters.
It would be unfair to say that Ferguson should be sacked because Manchester United fail to win the Premiership, but for the manager to stay, the following must happen:
- Manchester United must be in the top three come May 2007. 4th place simply won’t do, and even 2nd and 3rd place would be a bitter pill to swallow.
- Manchester United must reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League. Once again, anything less would be unacceptable.
Domestic cups won’t cut it. And if Ferguson fails to achieve these two targets this season, it could be bye-bye for the manager (as well as a few of the senior players).
The question is – who will replace him?
Alternatives
Before Capello moved to Madrid and Martin O’Neill moved to Aston Villa, we had always sat comfortably in the knowledge that at least these two could be approached (O’Neill being much more likely than Capello, to be honest). However, with O’Neill installed at Aston Villa, I don’t see any reasonable alternatives.
If any one of Capello, O’Neill or Mourinho (most hated manager at the most hated club, not bad eh?) are next in line, I’d be a happy man. This is wishful thinking though…
Alex Ferguson has been at Manchester United for 20 years. It is almost impossible to imagine United without him. But that switch must happen some day, and it should happen while United still has a core of players capable of winning titles.
Verdict
Wait till 2008. Let the old players be phased out and young players brought in under Ferguson – after all, he’s a master at doing exactly that. But Ferguson eventually has to go.
What do you think? Who should replace Alex Ferguson, when he eventually leaves Manchester United?
Up Next
Manchester United season preview.
This article is Part 5 of our 6-part Manchester United 2006/2007 season preview coverage at Soccerlens.
The best manager now for a club like MU will have to be Steve Mclaren. As he has been with the club many years and knows the culture well. With his recent “lead by example” high quality performance as England Head Manager, no one else is more capable than him…!!
I agree that one day or another Sir Alex has to go.
For me I should have sacked him when he sold David Becham. That was and still is something that hurts me a lot,( I\’V NEVER SUFFERED SUCH A THING FROM MY BELOVED UNITED) considering that David was no trouble on and of the pitch to no one. A player that was the envy of every body involved in football outside our beloved MAN UTD.
For me THE MAN to guide our beloved MAN UNITED has to be GUUS HIDDINK. No one else has the guts to manage such a massive club eccept HIM !
Whilst I agree with most of the points made, I disagree entirely that SAF was wrong to sell Beckham. If you remember, towards the end of the 2002/2003 season Ole Gunnar was keeping Beckham out of the side and doing an excellent job in that position. Fergie may have had a problem with Beckham and I agree that we have lost a major slice of revenue by him not being at the club, but you only have to look at the players that Fergie has sold to see how their careers develop after leaving United. Most fail to live up to the form they showed when at United and continue on a downward spiral. Beckham is a case in point. He is now, no longer a patch on the player he was during his first few years at the club. The only notable exception to this that I can think of is Phil Neville who is doing an excellent job at Everton. SAF will prove to be correct in selling RVN. We will see more flowing attractive attacking football at the club. The guy at the Guardian had it right when he referred to our style of play with RVN at the front as “constipated”!
How about marcelo lippi as the next manager!!!!he is taking english classes.
Martino – you’re right – Becks vs Solskjaer was a big issue, but remember that Ferguson was looking to bring in Ronaldinho (and eventually brought in Ronaldo) as a replacement.
Solskjaer would never have been a permanent replacement.
Also, Becks has been one of Madrid’s best players in the last 2 years. Forlan has been excellent for Villareal. Phil Neville has been class. Stam played exceedingly well.
Arsene venga
SAF was looking to bring in Ronaldinho until Peter *choose your own expletive* Kenyon stuffed up the deal and promptly left for CSKA London. The upside of that being we got Rooney instead (who will overtake Ronaldinho as the best player in the world sometime soon – and their was no guarantee that Ronaldinho would have adapted to our league). Becks has been pretty good in what was a poor Madrid side (by their previous standards) but he has never regained the form of his earlier years (or the desire – just watch some of the old post season DVD’s). I always thought Ronaldo was something of an impulse buy after his superb showing in the pre-season game for Sporting vs Utd. The rumour being that the players were so impressed with him in the game (he tore the defense apart!) that they insisted Fergie sign him. Forlan was superb in his first season in Spain but struggled a little to find the net last season once the defenses got used to him. Unfortunately for him he was too lightweight for our league – great guy and an real tryer! I forgot about Stam but he was never going to stay after the revelations in his book.
Back to the Becks issue, I’ve always thought that Gaz Nev provides a more effective cross than Becks. To me, Gazzas whipped in ball at chest height along the six yard line is far more dangerous than Becks typical cross from the half way line which just gets nodded out by the Centre halfs. Gazza’s can be pounced on by the strikers or knocked into their own net by the retreating defenders! If only Ronny could establish the same sort if interplay that was common of the Becks/Neville era.
As for who should replace Fergie in 2 years time – tough call – Mark Hughes? What do you think of that name Ahmed?
Martino – Mark Hughes has to prove himself a bit more with Blackburn, but yea, I figure in the next couple of years we’ll know if he’s a genuine contender or not.
The last thing I want is having Ferguson replaced by someone who can’t do the job here.
first i think ferguson did a mistake by selling becks second even though we havent won any jor trophies lately i dont think thats enough to sack a manager like SAF (look at the guy’s record) we should give him two years to see what he gets out of the “creating a new woung side” if he fails then he should be sacked.
And i think the reason man u have been struggling in motivation is that sir alex has been going soft i think he’s getting tired of giving the hair dryer treatment as the years pass wich makes him lose his ability to scare players (wich is one of the main reasons of his sucsess)
its tough to imagine man u withough ferguson but i would go for lippi or guus hiddink
Mistake to sell Becks. He was a big reason to why united was so succesfull in the 90s. The best crosser and best freekick taker in the world (At that time). Even bigger mistake to let Stam go. Argueably the best central defender. I agree that C.Ronaldo was impulsive buy but he is paying dividents at the moment. Don’t be surprised if he doesnt stay too long at United. Fergies successor… Fabio Capello, Guus Hindink, Marcelo Lippi and the best (Dream) manager to relieve Fergie would be Luis Felipe Scolari!!!
[...] time last season there was talk of SAF leaving Manchester United – and there I said that Ferguson should be given time till the end of the 2007/2008 season before [...]
FOOLS!!! who makes a forum about wether the best manager thier club has ever seen should go soon. maybe you should focus on the emense success he has had for United. When the time comes the right man will be appointed but untill then LONG LIVE SIR ALEX!!!
You are an arshole. You should know Managers should be given chance if anything. You don’t change managers as you change players to freshen things up. If it is working for 22 years there must be something right about it. Go Support Newcastle or Real Madrid retard.
Shut the fuck up! I would leave a nice, intelligent answer that I normally leave on posts like this, but your article doesn’t deserve that. What a load of rubbish.
Why would Arsene Wenger leave a bigger and better squad for the United job?