Throughout my upbringing, there have been three central figures that have been important and influential to me, God, my father and Sir Alex Ferguson.
The latter being one which would bring me happiness, frustration, feelings of success, superiority and joy that no other dimension in my life could bring. Football and Manchester United have always come first and have made me the person I am today.
Which is strange considering I live thousands of miles away from Manchester and have yet to visit the holy site of Old Trafford. But growing up with a Liverpool mad father, a Catalonian football mad grandfather, there was no escaping the Beautiful Game, and the beautiful club that was Manchester United.
So I wanted to write a glowing tribute to the man that has been responsible for bringing me so much joy, and giving me something to smile about every season.
This weekend Manchester United takes on the struggling Queens Park Rangers, who are bossed by a former United hero – Mark Hughes.
While this match isn’t a top of the table clash that would excite the masses as a Manchester derby or a match against Liverpool would, this weekend marks a very significant event in the United gaffer’s tenure.
Scottish sculptor Phillip Jackson will unveil a bronze statue that will leave Sir Alex Ferguson’s tenure at United immortalized.
It’s not just the on field success that has kept Sir Alex Ferguson at United for this long, it’s his many other qualities, such as man management skills, his ‘authority’ stance (his way or the highway when dealing with pressurized situations and player fallouts), his ‘squeaky bum time’ stance during the final stages of a competition, his loyalty, honesty and love for the game are all factors in his longevity.
Whenever asked when his tenure will come to end, he proclaims his health will decide it, so I’m praying for a clean bill of health for our gaffer.
Though once Sir Alex calls it a day, he will leave a unique legacy, not only at Manchester United, but on world football. On every anniversary or milestone that he surpasses, there’s a long line of figures waiting to praise and pay tribute to him.
Jose Mourinho, who shared a very feisty rivalry with Sir Alex during his time at Chelsea, said, “Sir Alex is a unique manager in the history of Manchester United. Sir Alex is a unique manager in the history of English football. And Sir Alex is a unique manager in the history of European football.”
Another rival in Arsene Wenger had these words, “All you can say is that it is remarkable through the quality and the consistency.
“It is exceptional as well because I don’t know anybody at the top level who has done 25 years at the top level with the same club. Certainly never anybody will do it again.”
He even has his former players singing his praises, Cristiano Ronaldo said, “He’s had such an amazing career and he keeps going. I worked with Sir Alex for a few years and I know he deserves everything that he has achieved in his career.
“He works so hard, he is clever, he has experience, he is a human guy. He was the one who told me to do all the right things. He gave me the opportunity to play in one of the biggest clubs in the world, so he is one of the most important people in the world for me.”
Now we all have our favourite Ferguson moment. It could be a quote, an action or a particular trophy he’s won.
My personal favourite would have to be the 2008 season, for many reasons: the way Sir Alex rotated that squad and the way he brought the best out of all the squad members was truly outstanding. On top of that it was 22 years into his tenure, was 50 years after Munich Air Disaster, and 40 years after our first European cup victory, it was written in the stars for a special double.
Other have stated Sir Alex’s actions with a certain player – Bootgate with Beckham, his quote about the Italians, “When an Italian tells me it’s pasta on the plate, I check under the sauce to make sure. They are the inventors of the smokescreen.”
Another popular favourite by most was him sticking to his word and knocking Liverpool of their perch.
This piece could go on and on, continuing to heap praise on this amazing man. He will forever go down a world football icon, who changed the face of the game, achieved the unachievable and will continue to influence clubs and coaches all around the world.
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