I’m sure some of you have seen this before, but I haven’t. It’s great.
feck, I miss Fergie
feck, I miss Fergie
Alex Ferguson’s Farewell Letter to Cantona
- Thread starter Lennon7
- Start date
Thank you for that.
What a man SAF was.
"I have not won the European cup and it does get to me at times". 2 years later he did it.
"I have not won the European cup and it does get to me at times". 2 years later he did it.
A lot of class in that letter. Shows what a genuine and good man Ferguson was.
Eye watering...
feck, that reads like something from the baroq, not 20 years ago.
Wonderful men. Both od them.
feck, that reads like something from the baroq, not 20 years ago.
Wonderful men. Both od them.
Apart from it being a wonderful gesture, just shows the mutual relationship and warmth that Sir Alex and Eric shared. It was unlike any other, not even with Class of 92 who looked at Fergie as more of a father figure while Eric and Sir Alex were more like friends with deep mutual admiration.
The other interesting thing that it reminds me of is the emphasis Sir Alex paid on top quality strikers. Through out his time here he was never hesitant to spend big to land a quality striker because he knew that goals win matches. We got Yorke when we had Cole, Ole, and Teddy. We got Rooney when we had Saha and Ruud. Got Berba when we had Tevez, Rooney & Cristiano.
Something for Ole and the coaching team to think about.
The other interesting thing that it reminds me of is the emphasis Sir Alex paid on top quality strikers. Through out his time here he was never hesitant to spend big to land a quality striker because he knew that goals win matches. We got Yorke when we had Cole, Ole, and Teddy. We got Rooney when we had Saha and Ruud. Got Berba when we had Tevez, Rooney & Cristiano.
Something for Ole and the coaching team to think about.
Does anyone know how it was released? Did SAF provide it to the club to make public?
Lovely letter and very warm hearted.
Always impressed with the way SAF handled ex players, giving them new roles and keeping them involved in some capacity
Always impressed with the way SAF handled ex players, giving them new roles and keeping them involved in some capacity
Brilliant and very open about what he's thinking about the European Cup and integrating Teddy. I think it would be very strange to go from being one of Fergie's players to being a friend of his, but I suppose once he invites you to consider that relationship it would get easier.
A lot of people get caught up in how a player & manager is performing, or not performing which is usually the case more often than not. But these players & managers are human beings, that's why racism needs to be clamped down on now and clamped down on properly.
When you look at players and managers as human beings instead of their profession, reading this letter does get you emotional because SAF was not only one of, if not the best managers but also a fantastic human being.
People think a manager has to play player X,Y,Z or this formation, that formation but on the face of it, they have to deal with even more pressing matters off the pitch and SAF went through it all. Not only the incident with Cantona, which he handled brilliantly as everyone else had their pitchforks out for Cantona but also the sensitive moments like when Ronaldo lost his dad and the Rooney & Ronaldo WC drama (I've probably missed out on a lot more and if anyone has more stories then I'd appreciate it if they could share them!)
What an unbelievable person we had managing our club!
When you look at players and managers as human beings instead of their profession, reading this letter does get you emotional because SAF was not only one of, if not the best managers but also a fantastic human being.
People think a manager has to play player X,Y,Z or this formation, that formation but on the face of it, they have to deal with even more pressing matters off the pitch and SAF went through it all. Not only the incident with Cantona, which he handled brilliantly as everyone else had their pitchforks out for Cantona but also the sensitive moments like when Ronaldo lost his dad and the Rooney & Ronaldo WC drama (I've probably missed out on a lot more and if anyone has more stories then I'd appreciate it if they could share them!)
What an unbelievable person we had managing our club!
Wasn't expecting to get emotional reading a letter. And I've never seen him play. Just makes me miss SAF even more.
I remember the club published it so I guess they had it on file anyway and probably ran it past Sir Alex.
Cantona was the man. Fergie is the greatest of them all, truly miss him.
This is why i always laugh at how simple FIFA is. Look how Jose lost his dressing room last year. SAF never lost his team. The stories of how he managed players is truly amazing.
Darren Fletcher told the story of how SAF came to him 3 weeks before I think it was an Arsenal game and said it would be a critical game he that SAF was counting on Darren being ready so he would be rested until then. Fletcher was left wondering if he was that important and needed for the big game or that unimportant that he would not be starting for the other two games.
SAF just knew his players and knew the right buttons to push for most of those players.
Darren Fletcher told the story of how SAF came to him 3 weeks before I think it was an Arsenal game and said it would be a critical game he that SAF was counting on Darren being ready so he would be rested until then. Fletcher was left wondering if he was that important and needed for the big game or that unimportant that he would not be starting for the other two games.
SAF just knew his players and knew the right buttons to push for most of those players.
I am just so grateful I lived my young adult life through them years. When all that mattered was football and we were the KINGS! feck you Klopp and Pep. We dominated for 25 years!
Tear in my eye..
Thanks for posting,never read that before.
I wonder is there other letters he wrote to players ?
I wonder is there other letters he wrote to players ?
I was too young to ever watch Eric Cantona play but I know very well how important he was for our dominance.
Never read this letter before, so thanks for posting.
Never read this letter before, so thanks for posting.
There is no talisman like Cantona. Maradona, Messi, Pele, Ronaldo. I would have him in my dream team before any of them. He’s more than a footballer.
Only one person comes close and it still hurts that Fergie never got his hands on Zlatan in his prime.
Only one person comes close and it still hurts that Fergie never got his hands on Zlatan in his prime.
Yeah, saw that already I think in Cantona's book or Fergie's one The Boss (not sure). Got emotional then and now again. One of the most special relationship manager - player that ever existed.
That’s awesome, thanks for sharing it.
Wow thats brilliant. I miss Fergie. No one will ever do as good as him, sad but true.
It’s strange because what struck me initially was that it read like an open letter which was always intended or at least expected to be shared at some point. But then there’s the bit about Sheringham and the lack of funds allocated by the club which I just can’t imagine Ferguson ever discussing so candidly in public.
The bit about the lack of funds is a timely reminder of life as a PLC and the struggle Ferguson used to have going to the shareholders and justifying a high transfer fee which would directly impact their dividends. Easy to forget that when moaning about the Glazers.
SAF > any manager
No matter what great attributes you've, good tactics as Jose have, but still you need a man management skill and SAF have it. Missed his hairdryer and how he explain to Rio he won't play next match and when he will play him.
No matter what great attributes you've, good tactics as Jose have, but still you need a man management skill and SAF have it. Missed his hairdryer and how he explain to Rio he won't play next match and when he will play him.
Great stuff. But I always keep in my mind that Fergies warmth towards those he has regard for is matched only by the coldness with which those who have crossed him find themselves facing...
Shear class from two of the most influential people in modern football and of course two of the absolute best people who have been associated with Manchester United.
Such people are exceedingly rare in that they became icons just by being who they are.
I love them both.
Thanks for sharing OP.
SAF
SAF
"I hope to find a young Cantona"
He did that in Ronaldo. I think he saw a lot of Cantona in Ronaldo, which is why he loved him so much.
Fergie just had the right mixture of love and discipline. Best man manager ever.
He did that in Ronaldo. I think he saw a lot of Cantona in Ronaldo, which is why he loved him so much.
Fergie just had the right mixture of love and discipline. Best man manager ever.
You are always welcome here and if you just pop in unexpectedly for a cup of tea, no fanfare, just for a chat as friends, that would mean more to me than anything. Eric you where I am if you need me and now that you are no longer one of my players, I hope you know you have a friend.
There's really no point in adding a lot more to this line. The point about so many of his former players refering to him as "The Boss" goes way beyond SAF simply being nice, there's so much more going on here. SAF deserves every bit of his legacy etched into the fabric Old Trafford, Theatre of Dreams.
There's really no point in adding a lot more to this line. The point about so many of his former players refering to him as "The Boss" goes way beyond SAF simply being nice, there's so much more going on here. SAF deserves every bit of his legacy etched into the fabric Old Trafford, Theatre of Dreams.
BIG middle finger to them both
..I’ve read that before but even then I got goosebumps. Feck, what a man SAF is.
Definitely it really highlights the financial restrictions Ferguson operated under for the first 15 years of his reign.
Lots of opposition fans and even some United fans seem to think United could just blow every other club out of the water financially back then but it just wasn't the case.
It makes his achievements all the more amazing.
Couldn’t agree more I think Fergie took what Cantona had and applied it to the development of Ronaldo.
And yes, SAF could turn good players into great players.
I've never seen this before, but I'm glad that I've seen it now. Not going to lie, that last sentence completely had me. You can tell that Sir Alex had a special bond with so many of his players.
Class act.
Seen it before but nice to see it again.
Class act.
Class act.
No wonder players like Berba et all love him and the club.
SAF, The one and only.
SAF, The one and only.
Wow. Incredibly heartfelt. It just shows how much Fergie cared. I miss that, and him.
That was class!
Thank you for sharing
Thank you for sharing
He went on a motorcycle in France to get hold of Eric. That showed Eric how much SAF respected and wanted him and that made him come back to United after his suspension.