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The Roar

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Retirement of Ferguson signals end of an era in English football

Can United win without Fergie? (AFP PHOTO/ANDREW YATES)
Expert
8th May, 2013
10

For once, the rumours were true. Sir Alex Ferguson is retiring at Manchester United.

If the ‘Twittersphere’ was abuzz with the rumours, it was positively in meltdown following the confirmation. Ferguson will remain a director at the club, but football in Manchester may never be the same.

Here in Australia, Socceroo stalwarts will remember when Ferguson’s Scotland side came to Australia in 1985.

Australia had a decent chance of qualifying for the World Cup in Mexico, with a squad that included the likes of Charlie Yankos and Oscar Crino, not to mention David Mitchell, Frank Farina, John Kosmina and Alan Davidson.

Under the guidance of Frank Arok, the Socceroos had lost 2-0 in the first leg in Glasgow. Needing two goals to make it a contest, the team wanted to play in Darwin, on a bumpy pitch in the December heat.

Scotland’s legendary manager Jock Stein had just tragically died from a heart attack, and a much younger Alex Ferguson took over the job.

The rest, they say, is history. Under the leadership of Arthur George, the Australian Soccer Federation was more concerned with gate takings than the preparations of the Socceroos.

Instead of subjecting the Scots too the sweltering heat of Darwin, the match was played in cool conditions at Olympic Park in Melbourne.

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The Socceroos failed to score, and Alex Ferguson took Scotland to the World Cup.

Taking his country to the World Cup might have been a huge personal achievement for Ferguson, but it’s been shrouded by his later successes with Manchester United.

Sir Alex’s achievements need no repetition here. Anyone who has even a passing interest in football knows the significance of his managerial career. Respect for the Scot transcends club loyalties and national boundaries.

That his retirement has come as a shock says a lot about his presence in British football. After 26 years, during perhaps the most turbulent period in the game’s history, Sir Alex has been a figure of stability in a rapidly changing game.

Since the inception of the Premier League – what Brian Glanville once labelled ‘the greed is good league’ – football has become increasingly more rapacious, as the game has been monetised and commericalised.

In the early days, Alex Ferguson agreed with Glanville’s assessment, criticising the Premier League for selling supporters down the river.

These days, oligarchs, sheiks and money men can simply throw around their wealth, with scant regard for principles of fair play and equality.

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That kind of born-to-rule mentality has taken it’s toll on the life-cycle of players, fans, and in particular, managers.

It’s an interesting contradiction, then, that Ferguson was able to remain in the top job for so long at United. Before the ‘new money’ clubs, Manchester United led the charge in the commericalisation of the English game.

It’s a testament to his charisma and to his adaptability as a tactician that he has remained on top into the new era. As The Guardian’s Jonathan Wilson points out, Ferguson is perhaps the most adaptable manager in history. It’s an important point, but one that could have only been realised with the benefit of time.

It’s hard to imagine anyone matching Ferguson’s record any time soon. And not necessarily for a lack of talent, but for a lack of faith.

The culture of the game has changed, to the point where few of the big clubs would ever have the patience to allow their coach time to continually regenerate their squads, and to grow into the job.

Here in the A-League, things are no different. Half the managers that started season eight were sacked, or quit, or moved on to ‘other departments.’

The managerial merry-go round is simply a part of a football culture which rewards short term success over commitment. There is simply no room for sentimentality in the modern game.

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Which is not to suggest that Ferguson’s 26 years in the job were a result of charity. Far from it. His own personal journey as a manager illustrates his tremendous ability as both a tactician and a man manager.

Without him, English football may never have seen the genius of Eric Cantona, who he bought for a song from Leeds. Since then, there are several other tremendously talented but tempestuous players that flourished under his guidance.

But his managerial abilities are only just part of the reason we’ll miss Sir Alex. His presence at United reminded us of a different era of stability, reliability and loyalty.

It looks as if David Moyes will take over at United after his contract finished up at Everton. He’s surely on a hiding to nothing. In saying goodbye to Sir Alex, we are also saying goodbye to one of the last great clubmen.

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