If Manchester United operated by the same principles as clubs in Italy and Spain, or even those of the modern-day Chelsea, Sir Alex Ferguson would almost certainly be summoned at the end of the season and politely informed he was being ushered into retirement.
That his side have twice beaten Arsenal this season and occasionally produced enthralling football would be irrelevant. Not even winning the FA Cup would guarantee saving him.
To many that might sound preposterous but, football being the impatient business it is, which of the top clubs in Serie A or La Liga would stick by a manager who has missed out on the Champions League quarterfinals in successive seasons? Or, put another way, which of United’s associates in the elite G14 group would accept a record of only one success at a knockout stage in the European Cup since 1999?
Anybody dancing on Ferguson’s grave should always make sure the coffin lid is firmly nailed down and Sky was certainly risking one of his intermittent bans by conducting a vox pop asking whether United’s manager has passed his shelf-life.
United’s fans usually take pride in being one of the few sets of supporters in the world who never turn on their own club. Not in public, anyway. Since Tuesday’s defeat against Milan, Internet chatrooms have seen Ferguson derided for his methods and transfer policies. Interestingly, however, the Ferguson who often gets the worst abuse is Martin, the manager’s brother and United’s chief scout. In other words, the man responsible for finding Eric Djemba-Djemba, David Bellion and Diego Forlan.
Criticisms of the manager were generally limited to the odd rant, such as: ”Cringeworthy, shocking, predictable, sterile, bland and boring — thanks for everything but please go.” But mainly supporters seem to be confident Ferguson is building an improving team, albeit one that is eight points behind Chelsea in the Premiership.
Few will take up the odds of one bookmaker offering 100-30 against Ferguson being in charge at the start of next season, with Celtic’s Martin O’Neill favourite to succeed him at 5-2. Yet even Ferguson’s most ardent sympathisers would have to acknowledge his team is basically flawed and that, contrary to his post-Milan analysis, it may need more than just fine-tuning before they are capable of winning the European Cup again.
Everyone knows Ferguson will concentrate in the off-season on recruiting a new goalkeeper, so United, post-Peter Schmeichel, are no longer in the ludicrous situation where the position goes to whoever makes the fewest high-profile mistakes.
There are other concerns. At San Siro, Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo looked as bewildered as tourists trying to negotiate one of Milan’s zebra crossings. Ferguson spoke about them not fully adjusting to this level until 2008, but that will not placate anyone. Roy Keane, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes will all be gone by then, and possibly Gary Neville too.
Replacements will have to be found. Yet Ferguson has already spent next year’s transfer budget on Rooney. So do United take a deep breath and delve into their 2006/07 kitty or does Ferguson join Sam Allardyce in searching for free transfers?
Keane, apparently destined never to play in a European Cup final, looked the most crestfallen player on the flight home. ”We could have done better and we are out,” he said. ”We all have to look at ourselves. Going out in the last 16 is no good to anybody, is it? The expectations here are so high; and the manager, staff and players know that.”
Keane does not go in for clichéd claptrap and needs no reminding that United’s supposedly indom-itable spirit is in danger of becoming the stuff of myth. It was evident in 1999 but since then it is difficult to state a case for them being unlucky in any of their eliminations.
”We aren’t far away,” argued Ruud van Nistelrooy, who was so rusty Ferguson should surely have played Alan Smith. ”We have a younger side than Milan and their experience was an advantage to them. In the decisive moments it showed.”
Ferguson has emphasised that United ”have no divine right” to win trophies, but for a club with United’s bloated resources people are entitled to more than excuses. The question is: When do they stop saying ”next year”? — Â