Manager Profile: Sir Alex Ferguson - Part 2
As 1994-1995 season got under way, United were on the brink of reconstruction as they failed to win the league again in 1995 after drawing with West Ham United in their last league match of the season.
It was a real heartbreak for Sir Alex Ferguson who had set his hopes on winning the league title. However, it wasn't the end of the line for Ferguson who took Manchester United to another league triumph in the 1995-1996 season after promoting the likes of
David Beckham and Gary Neville to United’s first team. These promotions worked like a charm for the Red Devils as Ferguson’s men marched towards another league title in the 1996-1997 season as well.
In 1997-1998, Ferguson again failed to win any trophies while during 1998-1999 season, United’s youth finally matured and won an unprecedented treble. Ferguson led his team to win the European Cup, F.A Cup and the League title. Securing three championships
in one year was a remarkable feat. From 1999-2003, United won the English league three times in a row and in doing so, they scored a hatrick of Premier League titles. In the year 2004, United surprisingly failed to win any trophies.
Manchester United again under Ferguson won three titles in a row from the years 2006-2009. During that time, Ferguson also won the European Cup for the second time with United as they defeated Chelsea in the final of the competition after a tense penalty
shoot-out. In the summer of 2009, Manchester United sold their star player Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid for £ 80 million.
In 2009-2010 season, United faltered as they failed to win the English Premier League for a record fourth time in a row. Sir Alex’s team finished as runners up in the English Premier League title race to Chelsea as the Blues won the title with just a one
point advantage for the Red Devils.
In the summer transfer window of 2010, Ferguson acted quite shrewdly and didn’t go for a big name signing. It was an uncharacteristic gesture by the Scot who mostly bought youthful players such as Bebe, the Portuguese winger for 8 million pounds and Javier
Hernandez, the Mexican striker for an undisclosed transfer fee. These were complimented by the arrival of Chris Smalling from Fulham F.C; the striker was signed for 8.5 million pounds.
Manchester United’s start to the new English Premier League season i.e. the 2010-2011 club football season has not been an ideal one under Ferguson. The Scot has recently come under fire yet again for his lack of transfer activity. Lately, another bombshell
was dropped on the long time manager by his team’s talismanic striker, Wayne Rooney, who revealed his desire to leave the club due to its declining ability to attract top quality world class players.
In doing so, he has given Ferguson yet another challenge and yet another reason to stay at the helm of affairs at Old Trafford. Many fans and pundits have blamed Rooney’s desire to part ways with United on Sir Alex Ferguson’s failure to keep his star striker
happy. Given the amount of time he has spent at Manchester United and the legacy he has built for himself in world football, the current period in Ferguson’s tenure at United is seen to be the most difficult one.
Regardless of everything that has gone wrong at Manchester United in the new season, Ferguson still remains the most decorated manager in the history of English football and continues to guide United till this date, he might be getting old but Ferguson’s
desire for success isn't fading away.
With another challenge to rebuild yet another declining Manchester United side, Sir Alex Ferguson’s legacy is set to continue as the massive soap opera tale of trials at the Theatre of Dreams looks to be a never-ending sequence of events. Ferguson will no
doubt have his sights set on another European or a domestic triumph, if anyone can make it happen again it is the Scottish legend.
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