As many avid football fans will know The Times recently made the mistake of charging to view their website content - a move which lead to the loss of over 90% of page-views - well that was a pity because today Matthew Syed wrote a great article in which he outlines some of Fergie's failings. Thankfully, you can read the article via the following link:
Ferguson's abuse of power...
Among many other things, Syed highlights the recent sacking of Fergie's son who was the Preston manager and the subsequent recall of the young United trio who'd been on-loan at the Lancashire club.
United fans the world over admire our illustrious leader, because of the great things he's done for our club, but surely even the most ardent Fergie follower will find it difficult to disagree with the calls for something to be done in order to bring the manager into line.
So for the first 2 players ... MU is now NOT allowed to exercise their contractual discretion to recall them? And as in any contract, MU is asking for early return of Matty James. If some of these players have been injured anyway and hardly featured ... does it matter they stay on in PNE? And why shdnt MU count on DF as someone trusted to utilise the 3 players in a way NOT detrimental to the inerest of the 3 players. It is entirely possible the new mgr will play them at the risk to MU and the players detriments. Sorry, I will play the other way and say that the article is entirely biased and a rant.
ReplyDeleteMike,
ReplyDeleteThe timing stinks. And as the article points out, Tony Pulis (a Fergie acolyte) also recalled two players.
The article basically is a rant, but it had it's points. To be honest though, I already knew most of that about him, but it is a shame how he can get away with so much.
ReplyDeleteJesse,
ReplyDeleteI don't think it's a rant at all. Syed is a sporstsman and in his previous articles when writing about many different sports he has shown an interest in the development of young people - and in this instance, clearly, if James has been recalled because of anything other than an injury then it will smack of Fergie chucking his teddy out of the pram.
I think the points raised are fair and valid.
As it turns out (in today's news cycle) the players themselves requested a return to United.
ReplyDeleteSyed's article has no hard facts and is based on assuming Fergie's actions were malicious.
Further, it's not like Fergie robbed them of experience as they were only going to be there for 1 more match.
I'm guessing (my turn to make assumptions) that Fergie had a verbal agreement with his son regarding how and when the players would be used. Thus assuring them of game time without burning them out under too much pressure. If this assumption is true then there is a possible abuse of power. But when Fergie uses his power for the good of his players and team I find it easy to turn a blind eye. In a weird way it makes me respect his dedication and ruthlessness a little bit more - it send out a message "Don't fuck with me or you will get burned"
One more thing Fergie, did recently allow all journalists back and wiped the slate clean.
ReplyDeleteFergie is not the only manager to stop talking to the BBC (post panorama) Big Sam and Redknapp both did the same.
ReplyDeleteJason Ferguson was never found guilty of any wrong doing and neither was Fergie.
Fergie broke no rules or contractual obligations when he initiated his boycott of the BBC. It was only last year that rules were introduced that made it a requirement for managers to give press conferences.
Maybe i'm cynical but I feel like the new requirement was created to deal particularly with Fergie's boycott - that doesn't sound like an abuse of power to me.
Reyals,
ReplyDeleteIMO, Syed is bang on the money. Fergie has been acting like Don Corleone - he is the Godfather of the Premier League - cross him and one of his extended family members will make you pay...
In the case of the three young players; two out of three were due to return to United early in the New Year (or else have their loan agreements extended, which surely would have happened if his son hadn't been fired...)
Fergie shouldn't be acting like this; it makes him look bad and it could actually be counter productive - would you want your son used as a pawn in a personal vendetta? You might well argue, just being under the stewardship of Fergie is outweighs any potential negatives, but then what about Fergie's alleged threats about using his other son's Elite agency, as uncovered by Michael Crick in his book The Boss?
And will Preston continue to use Carrington? It should NOT have happened in the first place because this scenario was oh so predictable - after all how often do managers end up getting sacked? In making what was a very kind offer Fergie left himself wide open to these accusations of abuse of power...
Regarding lifting the ban on journalists and your point about about Harry Redknapp and Sam Allardyce - those two just happen to be among Fergie's inner-circle and of course we know who started what is a bad trend for football. When your team has just lost, don't you think the manager has a duty to come out and speak to the fans via the media? Thankfully, it doesn't happen that often with Fergie, but still the fans deserve better.
Just imagine if all managers stopped doing post-match interviews - we'd be missing out on Keegan like rants! :0)
Fergie has many, many qualities, but he is a bully.
Take the sacking of Mike Stone...the former club doctor who everyone liked at United.
It doesn't alter the fact that he is a great manager and one of the best man-managers in the game, but then we have to square that with those stories about Elite. All in all, Fergie is a very complex man.
Reyals,
ReplyDeleteIMO, Syed is bang on the money. Fergie has been acting like Don Corleone - he is the Godfather of the Premier League - cross him and one of his extended family members will make you pay...
In the case of the three young players; two out of three were due to return to United early in the New Year (or else have their loan agreements extended, which surely would have happened if his son hadn't been fired...)
Fergie shouldn't be acting like this; it makes him look bad and it could actually be counter productive - would you want your son used as a pawn in a personal vendetta? You might well argue, just being under the stewardship of Fergie is outweighs any potential negatives, but then what about Fergie's alleged threats about using his other son's Elite agency, as uncovered by Michael Crick in his book The Boss?
And will Preston continue to use Carrington? It should NOT have happened in the first place because this scenario was oh so predictable - after all how often do managers end up getting sacked? In making what was a very kind offer Fergie left himself wide open to these accusations of abuse of power...
Regarding lifting the ban on journalists and your point about about Harry Redknapp and Sam Allardyce - those two just happen to be among Fergie's inner-circle and of course we know who started what is a bad trend for football. When your team has just lost, don't you think the manager has a duty to come out and speak to the fans via the media? Thankfully, it doesn't happen that often with Fergie, but still the fans deserve better.
Just imagine if all managers stopped doing post-match interviews - we'd be missing out on Keegan like rants! :0)
Fergie has many, many qualities, but he is a bully.
Take the sacking of Mike Stone...the former club doctor who everyone liked at United.
It doesn't alter the fact that he is a great manager and one of the best man-managers in the game, but then we have to square that with those stories about Elite. All in all, Fergie is a very complex man.
Reyals,
ReplyDeleteIMO, Syed is bang on the money. Fergie has been acting like Don Corleone - he is the Godfather of the Premier League - cross him and one of his extended family members will make you pay...
In the case of the three young players; two out of three were due to return to United early in the New Year (or else have their loan agreements extended, which surely would have happened if his son hadn't been fired...)
Fergie shouldn't be acting like this; it makes him look bad and it could actually be counter productive - would you want your son used as a pawn in a personal vendetta? You might well argue, just being under the stewardship of Fergie is outweighs any potential negatives, but then what about Fergie's alleged threats about using his other son's Elite agency, as uncovered by Michael Crick in his book The Boss?
And will Preston continue to use Carrington? It should NOT have happened in the first place because this scenario was oh so predictable - after all how often do managers end up getting sacked? In making what was a very kind offer Fergie left himself wide open to these accusations of abuse of power...
Regarding lifting the ban on journalists and your point about about Harry Redknapp and Sam Allardyce - those two just happen to be among Fergie's inner-circle and of course we know who started what is a bad trend for football. When your team has just lost, don't you think the manager has a duty to come out and speak to the fans via the media? Thankfully, it doesn't happen that often with Fergie, but still the fans deserve better.
Just imagine if all managers stopped doing post-match interviews - we'd be missing out on Keegan like rants! :0)
Fergie has many, many qualities, but he is a bully.
Take the sacking of Mike Stone...the former club doctor who everyone liked at United.
It doesn't alter the fact that he is a great manager and one of the best man-managers in the game, but then we have to square that with those stories about Elite. All in all, Fergie is a very complex man.
Touché on the triple response.
ReplyDelete