Monday 22 April 2013

In praise of Sir Alex – from an Arsenal fan!

I never thought I would blog my admiration for Sir Alex Ferguson because as an Arsenal fan I have rejoiced in not only beating Manchester United to three league titles but beating HIM to three league titles.

But as his side wrapped up their 20th league title and 13th in the last 21 seasons, it’s time for me to put finger to keyboard and express my admiration for Britain’s greatest manager.

Quite simply, this year’s title is an amazing achievement considering the events of May 2012 when, for around two minutes, Fergie and his charges thought they had won the title.....

Then AGUERRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO happened and the silverware was popped in a Pickfords van and taken across Manchester.

Lesser clubs would have crumbled, faded from view, not United. Why? Because they have Sir Alex Ferguson at the helm.

Watching the Govan guvnor this season has been to watch a man in need of revenge as coldly and as brutally as possible. How best to silence the Blue lot from across the city? Simple, win the league by as many points as possible!

United have been relentless this season and turned what was only a two horse race (once Chelsea sacked Di Matteo) into a solo charge to the Etihad to take the trophy and restore it to what they believe is its rightful place at Old Trafford.

One man made that happen – Fergie. You get the sense that the morning after City won it, he was already planning how they would get it back and the manner they would do it.

I have been lucky to watch Fergie become the best in the business, from the first title in 1993 to the his 13th in 2013.

Where there was once scorn and at times hatred there is now admiration, to keep a team at the top for so long, for the courage to kick out big names, for the reinvention to keep United where they are, he deserves our respect.

This is a man who kicked out Stam, Beckham, Van Nistelrooy and even Keane using the oldest adage in the game – no one is bigger than the team.

That approach has served him well, ripping up and starting again doesn’t scare Fergie and I often wonder how good he is at chess because the man seems to always think two moves ahead.

What impresses me is the man has the thirst to succeed, to win trophies and put bums on seats that way. How I yearn for that with Arsene Wenger and Arsenal!!

I hope my team applauds the champions on to the pitch on Sunday, they have fought the battles and deserve acceptance onto the field the next time they enter.

All of them except a certain money grabbing Dutchman............

Congratulations to you Sir Alex and to your United team, once again fitting champions of our Premier League.

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