Ferguson is the longest serving manager in Premier League history
Arthur O’Dea
Contributing Writer
‘Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven’ – John Milton
When the ever enigmatic Eric Cantona suggested, should the opportunity arise, that a vacant managerial post at Manchester United would not be entirely beyond his interest, I don’t imagine many taking the bookies up on such a long shot. Cantona would no doubt soon discover that the ease in which he assumed his place as king among the Red Devils, would pale in comparison when called to answer the wishes of the heavenly bodies heralded above him. For the angelic choir of the Old Trafford faithful may pay no heed to their occasional American guests, it is the man soon to take up permanent residence under Old Trafford’s West Stand that shall be the one any future manager serves in this godly residence, this Theatre of Dreams.
Cantona shall remain a king. He the pillar upon which all other players shall be measured. At the gates stands Sir Matt Busby, as perpetual a figure as St. Peter, quietly assessing the credentials of any man who wishes to occupy the higher throne he erected. Yet, at the time of writing, Sir Matt’s throne shall shift ever so slightly horizontally. Raised to the highest peak, the glorified presence of Alex Ferguson, cast in a sculptor’s bronze shall take its place under the West Stand of Old Trafford. (Renaming the West Stand as The Sir Alex Ferguson Stand was never going to be enough really.) The ephemeral physical presence of Cantona, the watchful eye of Sir Matt and now the omnipotent attendance of he who decorated the Heavenly embodiment of Old Trafford in riches thought far beyond the limitations of any one man’s wildest dreams.
Eric Cantona will not be the man who succeeds Ferguson. This is a rational thought worth upholding. However, he has once again sparked what will become the biggest question, the leading job and the most difficult task professional football has ever known the like of. Who, if anyone, can take over the reins when Sir Alex Ferguson decides enough is enough?
Some assumptions must be drawn up initially. Given his age Ferguson can surely have no more than a handful of years left in him. He must have seen the way that a similarly aged Bobby Robson was ushered from St. James Park when Newcastle United deemed his services dispensable, and grimaced at the sight of an emotionally broken man leaving what he knew would be his last shot at football’s highest stage. Given this assumption it is the likely candidates of Messrs Guardiola and Mourinho that surely hold the highest mark of what it may mean to be Manchester United manager. Between them they share four European Cups equally, numerous domestic league and cup titles, as well the astounding honour of having done it all at a relatively youthful stage in their managerial careers. (Mourinho won his first European Cup at 41, Guardiola claiming his first at 38. Ferguson on the other hand was 57 first time round.)
However, their undeniable attributes and successes aside, Guardiola would not be inheriting a side with such technical astuteness as that of the Barcelona team he moulded into the most feared side in world football. He would find himself immersed in a culture of football foreign to him, amongst players that simply couldn’t yield to the system he employed previously. Of course, given time and the appropriate resources it is feasible that some semblance of his previous brilliance could be ingrained in the Manchester United psyche. Paired with the ‘never say die’ attitude that Ferguson has rooted in Manchester United, such a combination of wills could be devastating.
Yet, the modern game is all too fickle, and a slow start in the English game for Guardiola could spell a very short tenure. This would certainly be a reason to be wary given Guardiola’s preference of short term contracts.
From Pep Guardiola to his unrelenting adversary of his final two seasons at Barcelona; Jose Mourinho. No such concerns can be raised regarding Mourinho’s ability to manage successfully in England. His exploits with Chelsea were enough to deem him a worthy candidate. He possesses passion, intelligence, guile and as many other useless buzz words used to try and aptly define his remorseless brilliance. For some time many have suspected that he would indeed be Ferguson’s choice, and indeed before joining Real Madrid smart money would not have allowed you to bet on anyone else.
However, something seems awry with the self proclaimed Special One. Porto and Inter Milan were highly respected and successful clubs with proud European tradition. Mourinho seamlessly lifted the reputation of these clubs, and Chelsea more than most. In taking over the reins of Real Madrid he has become acquainted with an entirely different beast. The successes so fondly treasured previously were now demanded of him. Capturing the Spanish Cup and the subsequent La Liga were fine achievements, however it will mean very little if he fails to accommodate ‘Los Blancos’ with the eagerly sought after tenth European Cup.
Real Madrid, like Manchester United, is a club that is used to winning, and perhaps more telling, is used to winning in a certain fashion. Manchester United fans will be all too wary of what has become of their fiercest rivals, Liverpool. A consistent decline from the pinnacle of Europe’s elite is not something that bears thinking about, and while Mourinho has proved that with a healthy war chest of financial backing, autonomy on most club issues and the full faith of his players he can indeed perform miracles, his spell at Real Madrid, despite the aforementioned successes is not something that will be looked upon too favourably when the vacancy in Old Trafford arises. Of course he still has time, and it would take a brave gambler to assume that he couldn’t capture a third European Cup while at Real Madrid; however the descent of his personal behaviour in some circumstances also bears thinking about. He has not always shrouded himself in the dignity expected of a manager. This may seem ironic given some of Ferguson’s more abrupt dealings with people, but the reflective Ferguson may realise his mistakes and urge those who make the final decision to look beyond Mourinho’s and his occasional childish behaviour.
Stepping back from the role of devil’s advocate, I am certain both men would indeed be capable, if given the time and resources to shape some success if given the chance. They are professionals at the top of their game, and their occasional drawbacks can only really be seen in light of the brilliance they have showered themselves in and the phenomenal success they have deemed themselves worthy of being marked against. However, it bears noting that while every other major domestic and European football club have had some taste of ‘Continental’ management, due to Ferguson’s longstanding tenure at Manchester United, the furthest afield they have travelled to hire a manager was Cork, when Frank O’Farrell succeeded Matt Busby.
Given the modern multicultural nature of football management I am certain that the selection committee would not see this as a point worth rendering when they draw up a shortlist of managers, but, for the sake of this discussion it is worth considering the attributes, albeit briefly, of the only current domestic manager who looks like he may well have a very good chance of succeeding Ferguson.
Of course I am talking about Everton’s David Moyes. What he has done at Everton in particular is nothing short of miraculous. Occasionally privileged with financial backing, Moyes, forgiving the occasional mishap, has signed players such as Tim Howard, Phil Jagielka, Marouane Fellaini, Tim Cahill, Phil Neville, Jolean Lescott – not to mention being fundamental in the introductions of players such as Wayne Rooney, Seamus Coleman and Jack Rodwell to the professional game – and has helped take them to the next level. Like Ferguson, Moyes genuinely seems to have the knack of being able to get the best out of his players when others may see them flounder. Moyes also has age on his side, and is experienced enough to be worthy of a shot at one of the ‘big’ clubs.
Is Manchester United too big for him? After all, in comparison to Mourinho and Guardiola he simply cannot compete on a statistical level. Relatively inexperienced on the bigger European stage, Moyes may quickly realise that the pressures of competing at every level overwhelms him. Of the three managers mentioned, his appointment would indeed be surprising. Yet, he does deserve a chance to manage a ‘big’ club and perhaps a mix of national bias coupled with the respect Moyes no doubt has in the eyes of his fellow Scot, Ferguson may deem him a dark horse worth backing.
Naturally many more names will enter the ring; these are merely the three most plausible candidates at the time of Cantona’s regeneration of the great question. For Manchester United fans the departure of Ferguson will be the end of the most glorious era they shall ever know. He has been and continues to be the greatest asset the club shall ever possess. For this reason I echo Cantona’s closing thoughts on Ferguson’s reign; ‘I want Ferguson to be manager forever.’
