Sir Alex Ferguson, the Real Enemy of Football?
26th May 2011

In 2005 following a game between Chelsea and Barcelona, Jose Mourinho, the Chelsea manager at the time, was accused by UEFA’s Volker Roth of being “an enemy of football”, because of Mourinho's comments regarding the former referee Anders Frisk.

These comments were directed at a young coach who had been in football a relatively  short time, though they would be more pertinent to a man who has been in football much longer, Sir Alex Ferguson.

Ferguson’s football management record speaks for itself, 12 English League Titles, European Cups and much more. But for all the success his teams have produced, will Ferguson be remembered more as a football bully than a managerial genius? Other great managers, Sir Matt Busby, Bill Shankly and Brian Clough all managed their teams with a smile on their faces and were able to tell and take a joke or two, though not Ferguson however, who hardly ever cracks his face unless he is enjoying the distress of another team or journalist.

Ferguson’s biggest problem is his blinkered vision of the football world in which there exists only one team, Manchester United. It’s almost as if he believes that the football world is there to serve his team and his team only, and if anyone gets in his way he will stamp on them and snuff them out.

This manner is nowhere more apparent than his treatment  of the BBC and his childish refusal to provide himself for post-match interviews, after the corporation investigated the activities of his son Jason Ferguson.

However despite his refusal to speak to the BBC, he clearly demonstrates double standards by promoting his autobiography on BBC radio Five Live.

The footballing world had a reminder of Ferguson’s bullying style when he was overheard on a microphone wanting to ban a journalist for a sensible football question. Much like the last Prime Minister was caught unguarded and shown to the world in his true light, so was Ferguson this week.

Ferguson's unsavoury behaviour is akin to the gooby moron's you see on the touch-lines at junior football matches, which when seen by many youth football coaches appears as normal behaviour, which serves as a role model to the pushy parent. Recently following the Premier League's own respect campaign, Ferguson was the one voice who condemed their stance to clean up football.

He also has had a 5 match touchline ban for his negative comments towards football referees.

Sadly for all of his wonderful achievements with his football teams, it will not be the success he will leave as his legacy, but the real enemy of football will be what he is remembered for being.

Alex Ferguson Quotes:

• “You’re a fxxxxx bottler Incey! You cannae handle the stage, can you? You are a fxxxxx bottler!” (Barcelona, 1994.)

• “Just fxxxxx patch him up” (Kicking a boot at David Beckham’s head which left him needing stitches above his eye.)

• “On you go. I’m no fxxxxx talking to you. He’s a fxxxxx great player. Yous are fucking idiots.” (Speaking to the media about Juan Sebastian Verón)

• “It keeps those fxxxxx from the media out.” (The new Carrington training complex.)

• “I am such a bloody talented guy. I might go into painting or something like that.” (On life after management.)

•  “He’s a bully, a fxxxxx big-time Charlie”. (On Paul Ince)

Further Reading:

• Premier League Respect

• Bullying in junior football

• Soccer Parent - Road Rage