A legacy that will be hard to beat
Source: Agencies |
May 9, 2013, Thursday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
WHEN Alex Ferguson took over at Old Trafford on November 6, 1986, Manchester United was next-to-last in England's old first division and in need of a major shake-up.
Ferguson's great ambition was to unseat local rival Liverpool as the country's top team and re-establish United as a force in Europe. It was a task many thought beyond him.
Twenty-six seasons and 38 trophies later, Ferguson leaves as British football's most successful manager ever and with United as the world's second richest club, with an estimated worth of US$3.17 billion.
What a journey it's been.
Jose Mourinho calls him "The Boss." United great Bobby Charlton regularly labels him a "genius." His impact has transcended sport - he is one of Britain's most famous personalities. To many, he's the greatest manager ever.
And in an era of unprecedented numbers of managerial departures and coaching upheaval, who else could hang around - and flourish - so long at the top? And at the same club, too.
When Ferguson replaced the fired Ron Atkinson as United manager, the Champions League was still called the European Cup. The Premier League was called the First Division. Margaret Thatcher was British Prime Minister.
Few could have guessed how Ferguson would rip up the landscape, not just of British football but the game around the world. Old Trafford has changed too - a statue of the great man, arms crossed and with that determined look on his face, stands proudly outside the Sir Alex Ferguson Stand.
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