is alex going soft

joffmiester · #1

Sir Alex Ferguson admits he can be "terrified" of telling his loyal servants that their time is up at Manchester United - but knows sentimentality plays no part in successful management.

Ferguson has allowed the likes of Phil Neville and Nicky Butt to leave the club in recent years as they fell down the pecking order at Old Trafford, and he was spared a decision on Gary Neville's future when the defender announced his retirement in February.

"It's a horrible thing to say, but you can't be sentimental in this job," Ferguson said in an interview with LMA's The Manager. "I love the players that I've had and I've been very, very fortunate to have had great players who have come through my career with me.

"At Aberdeen there were the likes of Miller, McLeish, and Kennedy, who were a bunch of players that were very loyal to me. At United I've had Giggs, the Nevilles, Scholes and Butt, who represent the spirit of the club.

"All of the players that I have had here have played a part in my success, so when I see something happening, as in the cases of Nicky Butt and Phil Neville, I've had to release them to other opportunities.

"It was getting to the stage that I was terrified of talking to them and telling them they weren't playing. It wasn't fair to them because they were good players and played a big part in the resurrection of Manchester United.

"When the time came for me to let them go, I knew I was cutting really important, loyal strings and I didn't enjoy it."

He added: "My job is to manage United, to produce results and I am no different from any other manager. I'll not be regarded in the same way if I'm not successful.

"Everything to do with me is black and white. If it's on the football field and I see something that I feel is a retrograde step for the club, I have to act and make decisions, which is something that I have always been good at.

"I can make quick decisions and I am lucky that way. In management, you have to be able to make decisions - sometimes you're not right, but that doesn't concern me too much because the important thing is being able to do it."

Ferguson has been given the stability to make firm decisions without fear of the sack having won 46 trophies in 37 years of management, but there was talk he would be dismissed before he delivered the FA Cup to United in 1990.

That was his first trophy after four years at the club, and he feels that made a huge difference to his standing at Old Trafford.

#2

crappity smack him !

All quiet at Old Trafford today .... not a whisper from any of their supporters , even the surrey and irish lot after there daily pilgramage to Old Trafford refused to give interviews ????

red_herb · #3

time to reflect dodger, you lose a semi and 3 days later you have an away match at newcastle. this i think is not a time to be chatty, why you ask , because the spoils belong to the victors and after 35 years of waiting you lot have finaly somthing to smile about. just enjoy it. fergie hasnt won 47 trophies by standing outside the ground crying and shouting " were doomed".
now dodger my friend your about to learn that getting to a final is the easy bit

winning is another. bet you wish fergie was your manager at wembley

#4

bet you wish fergie was your manager at wembley

No chance herbs ..... fergie LOST good and proper at Wembley last saturday night !

red_herb · #5

joff my friend. just imagine you have a bunch of talented anglers all aged 16. you mould them into a team and after years of winning you add to your squad, this of course puts some old faithful friends who have supported you for years in the shadows. ask yourself, would you be selfish and keep them just in case or let them go elsewhere where there talents are useful.
the reason fergie is top man is because he makes the right decisions and his club accept it when he,s wrong ( japp stam) as for fergie getting the sack if he lost at forest. ask yourself this question. would you as a board give the nod of approval to a ten year plan involving youth then sack the architect after 4 years because you had,nt won anything???
your club might just be up there with the big boys now with that kind of thinking and kept faith with your managers.
fergie,s not soft, he,s human and prone to the same emotions as the rest of us.

remember fergie has 47 trophies
city have had 47 managers

red_herb · #6

bet you wish fergie was your manager at wembley

No chance herbs ..... fergie LOST good and proper at Wembley last saturday night !

you;d swap him in a flash

joffmiester · #7

joff my friend. just imagine you have a bunch of talented anglers all aged 16. you mould them into a team and after years of winning you add to your squad, this of course puts some old faithful friends who have supported you for years in the shadows. ask yourself, would you be selfish and keep them just in case or let them go elsewhere where there talents are useful.
the reason fergie is top man is because he makes the right decisions and his club accept it when he,s wrong ( japp stam) as for fergie getting the sack if he lost at forest. ask yourself this question. would you as a board give the nod of approval to a ten year plan involving youth then sack the architect after 4 years because you had,nt won anything???
your club might just be up there with the big boys now with that kind of thinking and kept faith with your managers.
fergie,s not soft, he,s human and prone to the same emotions as the rest of us.

remember fergie has 47 trophies
city have had 47 managers

cant fault that herbie ever thought of being a manager

#8

city have had 47 managers

They might have another crappity smack after May 14th

joffmiester · #9

YOU forgot to put

[move]NEVER LOST AT WEMBLEY BILL

[/move]

#10

Stoke have more chance of getting relegated this season than winning the FA cup

Youth team result from last saturday .....

Liverpool youth 6 - 0 Man United youth

Proper bad day all round for United !

#11

Stoke have more chance of getting relegated this season than winning the FA cup

And I've got more chance of entering Miss World

joffmiester · #12

I'D LIKE TO ENTER MISS WORLD !!!!!

TOOO

red_herb · #13

Stoke have more chance of getting relegated this season than winning the FA cup

Youth team result from last saturday .....

Liverpool youth 6 - 0 Man United youth

Proper bad day all round for United !

dodger my son let me tell you a secret

all united youth teams are 1 year behind all others in age. only in the youth cup do the lads who played the previous year ( and have moved to the reserves) get to play for the youth team

F/A youth cup semi final result

man utd 4---0 chelski . now thats planning that gets you continue,d success and saves you money. clever bloke that taggert

arab sugar daddies not required here thank you

COME ON STOKE 35

joffmiester · #14

where do man city stand when it comes to youth teams

#15

where do man city stand when it comes to youth teams

Man City have a youth team ....... they would probably beat Leicester City,s 1st team very easily joff !

#16

where do man city stand when it comes to youth teams

Wright-Phillips is player manager

joffmiester · #17

where do man city stand when it comes to youth teams

Man City have a youth team ....... they would probably beat Leicester City,s 1st team very easily joff !

where do man city stand when it comes to youth teams

Wright-Phillips is player manager

ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

joffmiester · #18

YOUR TROPHY ROOM SAYS IT ALL DODGE

stoke and leicester still have more silverware than man city

never lost at wembley

#19

Yes Joffe; they should have stuck with cricket when they started.
Mind you they would have still had Old Trafford to contend with all those years ago.

In a nutshell, they are well and truly crappity smack.

joffmiester · #20

right i'm off to see forest and leicester now

sitting out side the woodies

cme on the blue army

last chance tonight