Enigma Variations

Alex Ferguson and the Holy Grail

May 23rd, 2008

What a pleasure to see that the Man Utd v Chelsea final was a good game rather than an exercise in not losing. As with any penalty shoot-out, those who take the shots deserve praise for bravery rather than blame if they miss – the pressures are unbelievable. Alex Ferguson must have aged 10 years during the match and shed 15 when they won. It seems that this tournament is the one that really matters to him. Having now won it twice, where now do we rank him in the list of great managers?

Jock Stein immortally won it first and lost a second final to an outstanding and emerging Feyenoord team. Amazing to think that Stein’s only major purchase in the Lisbon Lions was the sum of £30,000 for Willie Wallace from Hearts. Ronaldo would cost a thousand times that at least! It shows how impossible it is to compare different eras.

Brian Clough, with two European Cup wins, has to be considered in the same level, especially given the fact that the Nottingham Forest team that he took to European success was languishing in the second division when he became their manager. But perhaps the only man who can be claimed to be definitely above Ferguson was Bob Paisley, who guided Liverpool to three of their European Cup wins, though the man himself would doubtless have been far too modest to claim it.

As for Man Utd, it will be fascinating to see what Ferguson does next. Scholes will surely now move on or retire. Giggs too is coming to the end of a glorious career. Assuming that Ronaldo stays then the priority will presumably be an attacking midfielder, though another striker might be on the cards if Rooney continues to be played slightly behind the front line. If of course the Real Madrid rumours turn out to be true then there should be enough money for a complete recasting.

Meanwhile here in Scotland I wonder if the Celtic fans who have wanted rid of Gordon Strachan ever since he arrived will have changed their minds now that he’s delivered a third Premier Division title in a row. And will Mark McGee really take on the poisoned chalice of Lithuanian Hearts when he could be leading Motherwell into Europe?

Entry Filed under: sport