Manchester
United will go on, after Fergie's departure, of that there is no doubt,
but the way the hierarchy have treated Alex Ferguson is outrageous. And
to hide behind the so called 'Busy syndrome' is reprehensible.
I grant you, the two situations are similar in that we had emerged from
a period of re-building and reached the pinnacle with Sir Matt and the
same can be said this time around, but I think the two situations are
very different.
When Wilf took over from Sir Matt, the club was very emotionally charged
after lifting the European Cup which was always going to re-kindle the
memories and traumas of Munich. Sir Matt, Bill Foulkes and Bobby Charlton
had all survived the crash. Nobby and Shay Brennan had been in the youth
team at the time and the others had either come up through the youth ranks
or been bought as part of the post-Munich rebuilding. The bonds were so
strong with Sir Matt that several of the older players used to socialise
with him on a regular basis. They were pals.
This made the manager's job virtually impossible. In actual fact Wilf
did a pretty good job. We only failed to reach another European Cup Final
because of some very dubious refereeing in the semi when I and thousands
of others on the Stretford End saw, quite clearly, that the Lawman's shot
had crossed the goal-line, but it wasn't given. Also, had Wilf been given
the backing of the board to bring in his own players such as MacDonald
and Todd then things would have been very different.
The situation with Fergie is not at all the same. Yes - he has the backing
and support of the players but they do not socialise with, or seek to
influence him in any way. There is a fantastic bond, but it is between
manager and player, even if those who have developed via the youth set-up
consider him to be a father figure.
It looks to me as though the board are conspiring to oust Fergie because
they have already tapped someone up for the job and there's no room for
sentiment. No chance for the Wizard to go out on the ultimate high next
May in Glasgow. He may as well go now as far as they are concerned and
make way for the new man or men.
That someone who has picked our club up and dragged it through the last
decade and a half and taken us to such giddy heights and then be treated
like a pile of shit makes me very very angry. The whole business has been
so badly mishandled it has left a really sour taste in my mouth.
I suppose we can only look at this from our own personal point of view,
but if I were to be in the privileged position of taking over as manager
of Manchester United I would welcome Fergie's guidance with open arms
just as he did with Sir Matt. He has the experience and the knowledge,
but maybe he has too much knowledge.
It's just possible that the board may prefer a 'yes man' - someone less
abrasive, someone who isn't going to cause trouble. The fact that the
person who eventually takes over should be strong enough to counter the
board if he sees fit is, to me, beyond doubt. Whether he would then fit
in with the board is of course doubtful. And whether that man would be
strong enough to run a club like Manchester United is extremely questionable.
It's funny but I just can't get the words: 'personal agendas' out of
my mind. I don't know why - maybe it's just me.
Red Kelly
Copyright © 2001 by the author & Red Eleven. All rights reserved. Not to be
reproduced without permission of the author
