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How dare Sir Alex Ferguson question the professionalism of a once convicted drug cheat? How dare he question a captain who turned on his own team, and publicly humiliate his teammates, or simply say what we were all thinking of David Beckham?
Okay, so I may be a bit biased when it comes to Sir Alex Ferguson. He’s been like a footballing father figure to me, he’s given me happiness and always put a smile on my face, and he is the only footballing mentor I’ve known since I was seven years old.
But I’ll try to be unbiased in my write-up about his much talked about autobiography. I am almost finished reading it, and I am quite hooked.
I don’t know what all the fuss is about – I’d be quite chuffed if the greatest manager in the world thought enough of me to put me in his 400 or so pages.
In all seriousness, I get why some players are a little hurt by his honesty. It’s kind of hit them now, what they were like as professionals.
But to come out and call the man who gave you an opportunity – the man who ultimately made you who you are today – disloyal and a coward is both disrespectful and utterly ridiculous.
I love Mark Bosnich’s on-screen rants where he says what everyone is thinking about Sydney FC and the Socceroos, but who is he to call Sir Alex Ferguson a coward for not wanting to speak to him?
Has he actually said he didn’t? Or is Bozza just trying to bring some attention to himself for an ego boost?
The simple facts are that he was overweight and unprofessional, he was caught out for substance abuse, and he wasn’t a world beater at what he did.
Sir Alex Ferguson’s critique was just about right.
Now onto Roy Keane, one of the most brilliant but bitter footballers to have ever graced the field. No United supporter will ever forget what he did for the club, and there really hasn’t been a man like him in the middle since he was shifted out.
But in the end, his exit from United was completely justified.
You just don’t go out and bag your own club and your own players – you go out to protect and nurture, and you do your grumbling behind closed doors.
Keane has been on United’s and Sir Alex Ferguson’s back since, so it was about time he was served up some of his own medicine.
We all love us some David Beckham – he is a beautiful man inside, outside and on top of the footballing pitch. But there is no denying he chose fame, and the sparkly life of the Hollywood Hills, over a proper footballing career.
His tenure at LA Galaxy has done wonders for promotion of the game in the States. But now that he’s retired, what periods do we actually look back on when talking about his on-field legacy?
We talk about his years at United and Madrid. That is when he was on top of his game, that’s when world football were in awe of on-field contributions.
Weren’t we all thinking what Sir Alex Ferguson wrote anyways?
His marriage to Victoria really changed his outlook when it came to football and his off-field interests. The latter-day Becks had nothing to do with his on-field contributions, but what he did off it.
And why are we all surprised about Sir Alex’s criticism of Liverpool?
United and Liverpool are bitter rivals.
Did you expect him to write a love story about his relationship with Rafa and co? Yes, his suggestions about Steven Gerrard were a little off the mark, but his telling of Dalglish’s actions during the Suarez saga and Benitez’s facts were justified.
All the media talk has been about the hit list in the autobiography, but it doesn’t bring to note the special side of the book where he talks about his maternal pride in nurturing and bring through the youth – and not just his class of ’93.
Nor does it mention how he felt about his Fledgings, or Messi, or Ronaldo, or any form of praise he heaped.
It’s all about the negativity.
Before you pass judgment, read the book for yourself – there is much more to it than what the media are presenting. It’s honesty in its most brutal form.
This book was all about settling old scores he simply couldn’t while United boss; about telling his side of things, the side that we all wanted to know during his tenure at Manchester United.
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