Fergie - how will he be remembered?

[Brovion]

The FA Did Screw Us OverBut Do United Really Care About the FA Cup?

Ferguson quotes:

The pressure applied to persuade us to take part in Brazil was so strong we were made to feel it was a patriotic duty to go to South America,” said Ferguson. “Perhaps we should not have been too surprised to find that the men from the FA and Government who orchestrated that pressure somehow faded into the background, and behaved like mere bystanders once the media fastened on to the issue and it became clear that the absence of the trophy holders from the oldest knockout competition in football was being treated as a national scandal. All the quiet promises of official backing evaporated and we were left on our own as the convenient villains of the piece.” Ferguson went on to state that nobody at United had been interested in going to Brazil and were all too keen to participate in the FA Cup. “The truth is that I feel deeply for the FA Cup and the notion I would willingly belittle the competition is crazy. To the best of my knowledge, initially nobody at Manchester United was interested in going to Brazil. I have to say I was disappointed by how the FA and Government reacted, or failed to react, to the trouble their intervention stirred up around our heads. When all the flak was flying nothing was heard. How could they distance themselves like that?”


Think blaming him for that one is silly.

I must admit that was my understanding as well. I cannot believe that even Man U were big enough to say to the FA "Sod the FA Cup, we're not entering" and get away completely uncensured. However the FA betraying the competition they were supposed to be safeguarding and then trying to wriggle out of accepting the blame? Now that I CAN believe. (Especially as they were already trying to get out of a 'Gentlemen's Agreement' with Germany that we wouldn't go for the 2006 World Cup)

 

[clapham_gull]

The FA Did Screw Us OverBut Do United Really Care About the FA Cup?

Ferguson quotes:

The pressure applied to persuade us to take part in Brazil was so strong we were made to feel it was a patriotic duty to go to South America,” said Ferguson. “Perhaps we should not have been too surprised to find that the men from the FA and Government who orchestrated that pressure somehow faded into the background, and behaved like mere bystanders once the media fastened on to the issue and it became clear that the absence of the trophy holders from the oldest knockout competition in football was being treated as a national scandal. All the quiet promises of official backing evaporated and we were left on our own as the convenient villains of the piece.” Ferguson went on to state that nobody at United had been interested in going to Brazil and were all too keen to participate in the FA Cup. “The truth is that I feel deeply for the FA Cup and the notion I would willingly belittle the competition is crazy. To the best of my knowledge, initially nobody at Manchester United was interested in going to Brazil. I have to say I was disappointed by how the FA and Government reacted, or failed to react, to the trouble their intervention stirred up around our heads. When all the flak was flying nothing was heard. How could they distance themselves like that?”


Think blaming him for that one is silly.

He could easily had said no thanks and the world wouldn't have stopped turning.

As I seem to recall Ferguson was very close to individuals in the New Labour Inner Circle and there was even talk of him working for them.

Maybe he was flattered by the approach.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Champagne Socialist.

 

[clapham_gull]

Champagne Socialist.

Don't really see what the problem with socialists drinking champagne as long as it's been produced by a cooperative.

What I found odd is Capitalist Etonians erecting windmills on their million pound Notting Hill town houses and riding to work on a bicycle with their chaffeur dutifully driving behind.