Alex Ferguson’s Farewell Letter to Cantona

Red4Life_#7

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That was beautiful!! Sir Alex is a quality human being who impacted the club from top to bottom.

I remember our wage structure being a problem. It was capped at £40k per week and it stopped us from signing so many top players. I remember Batistuta would have signed if we would pay him more.

I'm glad Fergie managed to build a team even with restrictions that was able to win the European Cup in 1999.
 

Steven-UK

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Quote: "I feel we should have discussed at the end of the season that a top class strker is needed"

Nothing has changed there then...
 

SCJY

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That brought a tear to my eye. What a time to have been alive. That generation still had real men.
 

shamans

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I wish I could read/see more of this.

We are so used to seeing Fergie questioned/probed by journalists. Seeing the great man himself reach out to someone is beautiful. This shows once again Sir Alex was not this "tough love" hard coach but a master man manager.
 

Eckers99

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Among his many gifts, Fergie often had a nice way with words (when he wasn't calling journalists a bunch of lying cnuts). I always especially liked his description of the first time he saw Giggs.

"I remember the first time I saw him. He was 13 and just floated over the ground like a cocker spaniel chasing a piece of silver paper in the wind."

Nice imagery from the great man.
 

Saddy

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Just a reminder of how the Cantona deal was done :-

Edwards dismissed the approach for Irwin but asked if Leeds might consider selling Chapman. As he did so, Ferguson started whispering and making frantic hand signals. When that didn't work, he scribbled the name of Cantona on a piece of paper. Edwards inquired, Fotherby said that Cantona was unsettled and that he would get back to him within 24 hours. In fact he got back to him within one hour to confirm the deal was on. Leeds asked for £1.6m; Edwards worked Fotherby down to somewhere between £1m and £1.2m, depending on which account you believe. When Ferguson's assistant, Brian Kidd, was told about the fee, he wondered whether Cantona had "lost a leg or something".

Best piece of Transfer Business ever ?
 

edcunited1878

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Rob Bowman said:
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.
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Fergie was the man and didn't take shite from any United player. If they were making too much noise for the wrong reasons, right or wrong (e.g. Sharpe, Ince, Stam, RVN, Beckham, Keane, etc.) he would cut them lose immediately. It was the power and trust he earned and wielded. Jose wasn't going to gain that complete power and trust due to a variety of factors. Yet, Jose had good relationships with his players more so at Chelsea and Inter Milan just like Fergie did at United. But don't make it out like Fergie didn't rub players the wrong way. It was his way or out of the way (i.e. out of the club).
 

fps

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edcunited1878 said:
Fergie was the man and didn't take shite from any United player. If they were making too much noise for the wrong reasons, right or wrong (e.g. Sharpe, Ince, Stam, RVN, Beckham, Keane, etc.) he would cut them lose immediately. It was the power and trust he earned and wielded. Jose wasn't going to gain that complete power and trust due to a variety of factors. Yet, Jose had good relationships with his players more so at Chelsea and Inter Milan just like Fergie did at United. But don't make it out like Fergie didn't rub players the wrong way. It was his way or out of the way (i.e. out of the club).
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One of those factors in not having the power and trust is simply time. If Ole gives these young players their head and they're good enough, they will be utterly loyal to him. That can only come with time.

Wonderful letter OP, thanks for sharing.
 

Berbasbullet

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Rob Bowman said:
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.
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Iirc, it was v Chelsea, and we were all shocked to see Giggs and Fletcher in central midfield, pretty sure it was a comprehensive 3-0 win.

Amazing management.
 

edcunited1878

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fps said:
One of those factors in not having the power and trust is simply time. If Ole gives these young players their head and they're good enough, they will be utterly loyal to him. That can only come with time.

Wonderful letter OP, thanks for sharing.
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Agree with time but also patience. I just worry about the board/Woodward. When Fergie took over, the board allowed him to do it his way due to his success in Aberdeen and understanding of United. Fergie had values and principles that have served him well as a person, which he usually attributes to his family and upbringing in Glasgow.
 

RooneyLegend

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RedFish said:
No wonder players like Berba et all love him and the club.

SAF, The one and only.
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It really is incredible to hear his former players talk about him, even Anderson loves him to bits. His ability to make the whole squad believe they were important to the success of the team was his greatest strength imo.
 

GGT

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Is this for real?, it seems to personal to be on headed Manchester United notepaper.
Unless Sir Alec, or Eric himself, have confirmed, I call bullshite.
 

Marvin-ator

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Berbasbullet said:
Iirc, it was v Chelsea, and we were all shocked to see Giggs and Fletcher in central midfield, pretty sure it was a comprehensive 3-0 win.

Amazing management.
Click to expand...

Nope. The story is muddled. It's actually G Nev from his book Red.
 

Red00012

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Great read.

I’ll never forget the day he announced his retirement I was only 14 , I was at my local soccer club watching them play when news started filtering through he had announced his retirement. At that time I remember thinking we’ll never be as good as when he was there ! Little did I know what SAF was going to do.
 

tenpoless

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I love how just below the logo, there's the description of it.

Good old days.
 

meamth

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Abhinav said:
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.
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To be fair, currently we have great attacking academy products coming through compared to those times.

I feel if he is still managing us, Martial, Rashford and Greenwood is exactly where they supposed to be now.

Remember when we sold Ruud? Rooney and Ronaldo was just getting that consistency..and then he signed Tevez to replace Saha.

I'm sure when we got rid of Alexis, we will sign the best forwards again.
 

Charlie Foley

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RooneyLegend said:
It really is incredible to hear his former players talk about him, even Anderson loves him to bits. His ability to make the whole squad believe they were important to the success of the team was his greatest strength imo.
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Andy Mitten telling stories about Anderson and Sir Alex is brilliant. When they met the first time apparently Sir Alex went for a handshake and Anderson gave him a bear hug-and Anderson was 18 at the time :lol:

Then Anderson was telling Sir Alex “boss, you play me against Arsenal, I kill Arsenal for you!” So Sir Alex plays Anderson and he shits on Fabregas (or whoever was playing). United are winning handily and Anderson starts showboating, so Sir Alex takes Anderson off and tells him we don’t do that, we’re United. And Anderson just looks at him and says “but boss! I kill Arsenal!” :lol:
 

Cantonagotmehere

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It's tough for me to read that again. Cantona is my favorite all time player, but goodness I miss Sir Alex. We are so damn lucky to have had him at the helm, and it makes me sad at times.

Go Ole. Bring us back.
 

Lennon7

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Carolina Red said:
Damn. That’s the kinda guy you’d charge the gates of hell for. He could have been a field marshal if he were born in a different age.
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Yeah. It’s things like this that have made so many players over the years, including Cantona, fall in love with the club. They were made to feel special, like it’s the greatest honour in the world yet simultaneously reminded it’s an honour they shouldn't take for granted, or else.

Cantona’s love for the club is real and I have no doubt it’s all down to Fergie.
 

SteveW

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What's with the weirdos claiming the letter is fake? What a strange stance to take.
 

Sparky_Hughes

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Two great men with a love and mutual respect for each other. I feel blessed to have been a utd supporter In their times.
 

Eckers99

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GGT said:
Is this for real?, it seems to personal to be on headed Manchester United notepaper.
Unless Sir Alec, or Eric himself, have confirmed, I call bullshite.
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I call bullshit on you even being a United fan.
 
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