Ferguson

[Hermes]

Looks like matthew Syed of The Times wants to add himself to his banned journalist list:

 

 

 

 

Others guilty over Sir Alex Ferguson’s abuse of power

 

Is there any point in complaining about Sir Alex Ferguson’s serial abuse of power at Old Trafford? Is there any use in chronicling the episodes of personal spite that sully his status as a knight of the realm? Why bother when those with the responsibility to confront the Manchester United manager consistently flunk their duty?

It is not just the Football Association whose spinelessness has given Ferguson free rein to vent his tendency to megalomania, it is also the United board, the Premier League and everyone else who believes that his standing as the greatest club manager entitles him to behave as if English football is his personal fiefdom.

 

The latest episode is instructive, not least because it provides an insight into just how brazen Ferguson has become.

Last week Darren, his son, was dismissed as manager of Preston North End with the club struggling at the foot of the npower Championship. It was a decision taken with apparent reluctance, but in what was considered to be the best interests of the club.

 

Within a matter of hours, Manchester United had recalled two players who were at Deepdale on loan and it was reported that they were seeking to end the loan agreement of a third. Now, you may or may not have strong views on the loan system and whether it should be scrapped for the good of English football, but there is no disputing what the scheme is supposed to be about.

Managers such as Ferguson use loan arrangements to give young players first-team opportunities when they are unlikely to make it into the United line-up. In the case of Preston, Ritchie de Laet and Joshua King were loaned until the new year bank holiday and Matty James for a season. The Preston website said last night that James was also returning to United.

 

Players are the most valuable assets of any club. Ferguson’s responsibility — you might even call it his moral duty — is to provide his young players with the best opportunities to develop, so that they can be used productively by United’s first team or sold for a profit. That is what the parents of De Laet, King and James would have been entitled to expect when they entrusted their children to the safekeeping of the world’s most famous club.

But if it seemed like a remarkable coincidence that Ferguson chose his son’s club as the optimum place for the youngsters to pursue their footballing education, it is nothing less than scandalous that he withdrew them just as soon as he lost his job. De Laet and King were reportedly enjoying their time at Preston and had two more games to play under the loan agreement. Later the same day, Tony Pulis, the Stoke City manager and a Ferguson acolyte, withdrew two other players from Preston — Danny Pugh and Michael Tonge — apparently as cover for his squad, but many will perceive it as an indication of the breadth of Ferguson’s influence.

 

Ferguson’s actions are, if nothing else, profoundly corrosive to the integrity of football. It is hardly mitigation that the loan system is often used on a scratch-my-back, scratch-your-back basis.

These youngsters are not pawns for Ferguson to use according to personal whim, nor to further the managerial ambitions of his son, still less to wield as instruments of a vendetta when he is dissatisfied for personal reasons by the actions of the club to whom they have been loaned. As one contributor to a United forum put it: “The termination of the loans is a shabby act that shames the very institution Sir Alex was appointed, all those years and titles ago, to represent.”

 

But the wider question is: why should Ferguson bother to modify his behaviour when neither the United board nor anyone else seems prepared to challenge his power?

It is not as if this is the first time Ferguson has used club assets as if they were his personal playthings. As early as January 2010, just days after his son had been appointed Preston manager, Ferguson reportedly allowed them to use the Carrington training ground (which has undersoil heating) on three occasions when the Preston training ground was covered with snow.

The United press office was unable to assist yesterday with the question of how often Preston used Carrington in total, nor whether Preston had benefited from this striking generosity before Ferguson Jr arrived at Deepdale. They did point out, however, that other clubs have used the facilities, although there was no information on how often and according to what criteria. Funny, that.

 

But if Ferguson’s recent behaviour is disquieting in its own right, it also provides an ominous parallel. In his acclaimed biography of Ferguson, Michael Crick alleges previous instances of when Ferguson used his position as manager not to further the interests of his players or employer, but those of his son, this time Jason, the twin brother of Darren, who, at that time, was a football agent.

Crick not only details a particularly harrowing episode when Ferguson allegedly attempted to intimidate young players to leave their present agent for Jason, but also another instance where two players (Jonathan Greening and Mark Wilson) were told they would be condemned to rot in the reserves if they did not sign with his son. Only the threat of legal action, according to Crick, caused Ferguson to relent. BBC’s Panorama programme, broadcast in 2004, asserted that six of United’s players at that time were represented by Jason Ferguson’s company.

If nothing else, we may wonder how Ferguson squared his appetite for his son to become a super-agent with his publicly stated views that agents were little more than parasites. “There is a rat race and the rats are winning,” he has said. And later: “I would have to say agents. I don’t think they’ve done any good at all.”

 

But hypocrisy is a minor quibble when it comes to Ferguson. The problem is that the organisations tasked with running football have not been willing to confront him. His boycott of the BBC (in the aftermath of the Panorama programme) is a case in point: it is in defiance of contractual obligations and yet it continues, in large part, because of the pathetically inadequate attempts by the Premier League and the United board to bring him into line.

He routinely snubs post-match press conferences (another part of his duties) and bans journalists who write things he doesn’t like so often that the United press office find it difficult to keep up on who’s in and who’s out. He has even managed to accuse the anodyne men who compile the fixture list of conspiring against United.

It is a pity that those who criticise Ferguson are invariably accused of jealousy or of nursing some grievance against United. Nothing could be farther from the truth. The reality is that many of those who are most appalled by the behaviour of the United manager are those who most admire his positive qualities, not least his commitment to attacking football, and his extraordinary success.

 

No. This is not about being pro or anti Ferguson, still less pro or anti Manchester United. Rather, it is about the governance of football and, of even greater importance, about standing up for what is right. It is time for English football to grasp the Ferguson nettle once and for all.

[the walsh]

great achivments as a manager but is a despicable horrible nasty ugly fuckfsce of a human being.i will celebrate his death and im not ashamed to admit it.

[Guest San Don]

The gutless FA wont act on what was clearly a spiteful personal act in retaliation to the sacking of his son.

 

How on earth can that be allowed as a reason to recall players from loan? IMO the loan system is wrong anyway. This is just another reason why it is wrong.

[Anubis]

About time somebody had the courage to say it in print.

[waiting game]

About time somebody had the courage to say it in print.

 

What and get shot down by the rest of the media just like Rafa did with his "Facts"?

 

Not sayings its right mate, but cant see to many people willing to put their necks on the line.

 

Love to see it though.

[mlwilliams]

Brilliant read.

[Section_31]

Thought it was interesting today watching him come out for the start of the gane alongside Kenny and he was unusually animated, clapping and waving to the crowd. I've very rarely seen him do that and it perhaps offers an insight into the man, as in he was expecting Daglish to be supported by us, and wanted some for himself from his own lot - even though the opinions of the fans, who they do and don't love, has always seemed an irrelevance to him. I think he's intimidated and threatened by Dalglish in all honesty, he was top dog for years when Ferguson first got the job, and he was the first manager to wrest the Premiership from him.

[RobbieOR]

Great article. He'll be banned soon enough.

[clareinexile]

Fergie defends corner until he effectively owns the ring

The recalling of Preston loanees was the latest example of his power, writes Miguel Delaney

 

Master of all he surveys: Alex Ferguson's huge influence in the game has meant that rival managers dance to his tune in order to stay in his favour

1 2

Last week wasn't the first time Alex Ferguson got a little too involved in one of his sons' careers. When Jason Ferguson worked as an agent, for example, there were numerous stories about how the Manchester United manager would attempt to bully young trainees into signing for his son's company. Indeed the book that claim comes from, Michael Crick's acclaimed 2003 biography The Boss, even features an entire chapter devoted to the manager's relationship with his boys. As one family associate argues, "there's certainly an element of arrogance: he's the big man, so it won't do for his son not to be someone big too. It's an ego thing." Reading it now, it's difficult to stop the mind drifting back to King Lear.

 

Within the chapter, an unnamed Premier League manager offers a different comparison. "I would liken him to the mafia – if you affect his welfare in any way, no matter how good the reason is, he'll come for you."

 

Preston North End, who recently sacked Darren Ferguson as manager, will know the feeling. Look at how they massacred his boy. And look how he responded: by recalling the loan players that may well have helped them avoid relegation. The most curious aspect of the whole affair, however, was the decision of Stoke City boss Tony Pulis to do exactly the same. "Like a puppet dancing on a string," as Mario Puzo once put it. Puzo based some of The Godfather on King Lear and the image, then, given by that unnamed manager is an obvious one: of Ferguson, just like on the film's poster, with his hand on all those strings.

 

Whatever United's critics might say, Ferguson isn't that insidious, of course. But he may well be that unconsciously influential. The entire episode raises new questions about how powerful Ferguson really is in the game. Not only did it illustrate the skewed effects his loaning programme can have (an average of 18 players a season) as well as the actual sway he holds over a cabal of managers, but it comes quickly after the authorities' difficulties in reprimanding him for his treatment of the media and referees. As one official within the game told the Sunday Tribune, "The mere sound of his voice goes an awful long way. It does sometimes seem as if he operates according to a different set of rules".

 

Ferguson may not exactly be pulling the strings, but he is usually pushing things in the direction he wants. And forcefully. In that, he's a phenomenon unprecedented in the English game. Sure, at the height of Liverpool's dominance there were questions about the unconscious effect Anfield had on referees. And, at the beginning of it, the so-called socialist Bill Shankly used to collude with Matt Busby to keep their players' wages down so as to maintain control. Both men, meanwhile, used to enjoy the audience of many other coaches in the game.

 

But neither could cause the quakes that Ferguson does. Referees' chief Ian Blanchard admits: "As a manager and as a person he has a very influential role in this country when it comes to football. People listen to him."

 

Most obviously, people like Pulis. Along with Harry Redknapp, Steve Bruce, Sam Allardyce, David Moyes, Roy Hodgson, Ian Holloway and Alex McLeish, the Stoke manager makes up a group of managers who are always curiously loud in their support or praise of Ferguson. He has also managed to bewitch previous dissidents like Roberto Martinez and Jose Mourinho. A new friendship has even been forged with Arsene Wenger.

 

Indeed, Hodgson did little to dispel the doubts many Anfield regulars had before his first day when he curiously announced: "I know Sir Alex is not really a Liverpool man so I'm a bit concerned about my excellent relationship with him. I sincerely hope he forgives me and hopefully we can have a glass of wine together, maybe in secret."

 

This sort of thing goes beyond mere lip service though. The League Managers Association (LMA), for example, forms many of its initiatives and proposals by canvassing the opinion of its 92 members. And many of those often conform to Ferguson's thinking. As such, he indirectly drives a lot of what the LMA do.

 

An obvious question, of course, is why so many senior figures – themselves having reached the top of their profession by directing squads of grown men to compete with Ferguson's United – are so in thrall to him.

 

It's a far cry from two decades ago when, as many reporters who have covered Old Trafford beat testify, Ferguson wasn't far off meek as he sought to make friends and keep support. His Old Trafford success came at a particularly opportune time, however.

 

Not only did the trophies give him the breathing space to be much more bullish, the fact they came as English football underwent rapid economic expansion allowed him to make a financial monster out of Manchester United. The club could derail the whole Premier League were they to negotiate their own TV deal – which they're perfectly entitled to do.

 

All of this, as well as Ferguson's obvious expertise, have made him an elevated figure in the English game. Other clubs actively seek his advice when signing players or appointing new managers.

 

That may sound simplistic, but the actual effect can't be understated. Apart from a handful of top clubs, the majority of British sides are run in a woefully unsophisticated manner. One story emerged during the week of an established Premier League club exclusively drawing up their shortlist for a Director of Football out of a World Soccer list. In that sort of climate, a few words from Ferguson go an awful long way. It pays to stay in with him. Just look at the manner he recently made a point of actually recalling a Sky interviewer to defend Allardyce.

 

On a more human level then, there's also the fact that Ferguson is hugely charismatic and good company when off the clock. Every so often he'll take a group of north-west managers to dinner. Already friends with him, many then see him as a father-figure to learn from.

 

One of the perks of being on that side is getting entrusted with loan deals. The figures of where Ferguson's young stars have gone over the last five years (see panel) are enlightening themselves. Paul Sturrock may be surprisingly high but then he also played under Ferguson at the 1986 World Cup. There was little surprise, either, on Friday when it was announced Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's new club Molde were to benefit from Ferguson's philosophy.

 

For all the accusations of nepotism and favouritism, there's another way to look at his attitude to loans. Given that these young players represent the future of Manchester United, Ferguson is obviously going to prefer sending them to individuals or clubs he knows and trusts. He does have previous as regards recalling players though. When son Darren left Peterborough in November 2009, Ferguson immediately ordered goalkeeper Ben Amos back ahead of schedule.

 

In any case, it's not like the authorities can or would punish him for such petty behaviour – even if the likes of Rafa Benitez and Martinez have argued it's in accordance with a theme. But, while Benitez's infamous "facts" press conference may have been driven by a self-serving need to actively stand up to Ferguson, one insider claims there is a ring of truth to it. "He does get an easy ride from the authorities because he's so high profile and powerful."

 

Indeed, over 24 years in English football, Ferguson has only been fined by the FA three times. Not that that says much in particular, but when the United manager is involved in flashpoints he will often pre-emptively scorch the debate to prevent sanction.

 

A clear example was when he criticised the fitness of Alan Wiley but realised he had gone too far. On encountering a backlash, he immediately wondered aloud where there was a vendetta and questioned whether he would receive a fair hearing. By the end, Ferguson was understood to be "delighted" with the relatively lenient punishment he received.

 

As Martinez said to a Spanish paper at the time: "The reality is that they have almost begged his forgiveness for fining him. They would have hammered anyone else. He has a lot of control."

 

Clearly, there's nothing untoward about this control. It's not like Luciano Moggi at Juventus with Calciopoli. Rather, the exact same personality which has made Manchester United such a winning force has helped shaped affairs outside the club as well as inside it.

 

In constantly fighting his club's corner, he inadvertently occupies an awful lot more space. Preston now know that all too well.

 

mdelaney@tribune.ie

[TheDrowningMan]

I think Pukis doing the same with his loaned players was even more pathetic. Like a simpering lap dog, he was there for his master. It'll be great watching his anti-football team crash out of the division within the next couple of seasons.

[Staniola]

great achivments as a manager but is a despicable horrible nasty ugly fuckfsce of a human being.i will celebrate his death and im not ashamed to admit it.

 

Fucking idiot. Does saying mindless shit like that make you feel like more of a fan? Rock hard maybe? Wishing death on people is above and beyond any football rivalry.

[torahboy]

I'd give the wino from Euston Station a re-match with the obnoxious Govan gobshite. Ferguson surrenders any claims to greatness by being a contemptible and completely corrupt individual, lacking in dignity and decency while being the most laughable form of champagne socialist. Everything he has achieved in football is tainted by his own toadying, avaricious and bullying nature. Hard to believe that he comes from the same background as the sainted Kenny.

[razor]

Fungusface is vile. He rules the FA, he rules the media, he rules referees, he rules other managers.

 

Rafa's Revelation (no, sorry biased media, "Rafa's Rant") was spot on and anyone with an ounce of understanding can see it.

 

I may have mentioned before, but a mate of mine who is an ex Prem referee was told by Fungus that he would never referee at OT again after sending off a Man Utd player (and he didn't...). He said to me that what Rafa said was true, but no-one will do anything about it.

 

Interesting articles, both.

 

Tony Pulis has brought back his players, too. Why? Because like about 6 other managers, they are dewy-eyed when it comes to their beloved "Fergie".

 

I am not saying Webb is an overt cheat, but what I would say with 100% conviction is that he is under the influence of Fungus. Black and white decisions are easy to deal with, but when shades of grey come into it, there is more at play than mere rule-enforcing. There is emotion: the stuff that Fungus exploits. It can't be co-incidence, can it?

[Chocoholic]

Never mind that reporter being banned, it being a News International title, I'd be fully expecting him to phone tomorrow and make the order that Syed be carted away and be lobotomised. And the drones agreeing.

 

There are so many more crimes he's guilty of, too. Not least his abuse of power where refs are concerned. Why was that not mentioned in the above article?

[Trumo]

The Miguel Delaney article just sums up stuff I've thought about and written on this forum over the past couple of years. There is certainly a feeling that many in the game are loathe to cross him, but at the same time don't seem to realise that staying in his good books and heading his advice only benefits one person: Ferguson himself.

[G Richards]

Well done Matthew Syed for a great article. It needed to be said. If he is banned I hope that find its way into a subsequent article to try to shine the spotlight on this sort of thing even more.

 

As for Pulis, if he pulled his players out in some sort of solidarity thing with Fergie, then that's disgraceful.

 

I would love it, really love it, if Kenny gets this gig permanently and builds us up again and puts Fergie in his place once more. Come on!

[RobbieOR]

He has been a great manager nobody can deny that, but for me he is one classless cunt who hasn't got an ounce of dignity in his body, for all he's done for that shower of shite up the east lancs road you would think they would at least have a song for him, speaks volumes to me that.

 

More songs about LFC than their manager. Classy.

[Heinze]

mancopoli

[s(k)aturation]

You'd think with what he's achieved, he'd wouldn't have cause for complaint or justification.

 

Yet that's all his press conferences ever consist of.

 

Can you imagine: "It was a contentious penalty kick decision, but I thought it was there."

 

No, instead he has to explain why it was a definite penalty kick and build a moral argument defending the integrity of the player infringed against.

 

Always complaining or justifying "the facts".

[Libero]

Two fantastic articles that speak the truth, and that will be utterly ignored. The English football establishment is obsequious towards Ferguson, and he is drunk on that power.

 

That is why he is so irate about Kenny - he is one man who can't be bullied.

[RedBrian84]

Can see Syed's face being put on a poster in the Ministry of Alex with "undesirable number 3,276" on it. A really great article and well structured; he's not being petty as he mentions Ferguson's achievements to date. But he makes a really powerful point. Pity nobody else, not least in real positions of media power, will do anything about it.

 

When Benitez stepped up and stood up to Ferguson I was caught in between two emotions - the first being "fucking get in", the second being one of hopelessness. Only other managers, pundits and journos coming out at the same time could secure some real anti-Ferguson artillery. This of course never happened. Bruce, Holloway (even though I love the guy), Pulis, Hodgson, Allardyce et al, all grown men, all individuals supposedly capable of individual thought processes all act like children around him. Like pathetic dogs fighting for scraps from the lord of the manor's table.

 

It's cringeworthy in the extreme. And the media - largely - are no better. Those who do not criticise him for some blatant misuse of power and authority are merely sycophantic arse lickers looking for similar scraps to those of Ferguson's manager acolytes.

 

Sadly it won't end until he retires. Every now and then you wonder if the vultures will circle the dying animal , but when Pulis does what he did with his players you realise the moronic, unquestioning masses are all too concerned with impressing the dictator than overthrowing him.

[Chinandeler Bong]

Sounds to me like we are about to hear of another case in which he has got away with something.

 

I wonder if they will think perhaps that maybe Rafa was right all along ?

[Guest the boy]

I've very rarely seen him do that and it perhaps offers an insight into the man, as in he was expecting Daglish to be supported by us, and wanted some for himself from his own lot

 

Must bite at him that he has never - despite all his successes - inspired the personal fervor in his support that a Dalglish has amongst ours.

 

Ferguson, Sanchez, Allardyce - the whole shameful LMA - are disgusting.

[goatboy59]

Must bite at him that he has never - despite all his successes - inspired the personal fervor in his support that a Dalglish has amongst ours.

 

 

And Houllier, Ferguson publicly admitted as much.

 

PUKIS? I know the k key is next to the l, but I hope that was deliberate!

[Torvald Utne]

His boycott of the BBC (in the aftermath of the Panorama programme) is a case in point: it is in defiance of contractual obligations and yet it continues, in large part, because of the pathetically inadequate attempts by the Premier League and the United board to bring him into line.

 

This seriously cannot be still continuing? I thought the FA were going to issue an ultimatum in "Late September"!