I'll admit to knowing pretty much nothing about O'Farrell until I saw the documentary 'Frank O'Farrell - In the Shadow of Busby' last night.I'd recommend it to anyone that hasn't seen it.
No coincidence that it was being broadcast in the run up to a new season where David Moyes will face a similar task to O'Farrell - namely taking over from an irreplaceable, legendary manager who, while retiring from management, has stepped upstairs into a directors role and remains at the club.
Many opposition fans, and shamefully many of our own, are predicting that history will repeat itself, that it will be impossible for the new man to emerge from his predecessors shadow and that it will signal the start of a downfall for the club.
While, on the surface, the task Moyes faces seems very similar to O'Farrell, who was appointed on a 5 year contract following the sacking of Wilf McGuinness, but for anyone willing to dig a little deeper there are major differences.
The relationship between O'Farrell and Busby didn't get off to the best start - with Busby, being typically Scottish, telling O'Farrell that the salary was £12k per year and O'Farrell later learning from the Chairman that it was actually £15k and Busby was basically just trying to get him on the cheap. “It got us off on a bad note, me and Busby. He knew that I knew he wasn’t playing it straight. The trust was damaged from the start. From that moment, I didn’t trust him.”
It wasn't improved on O'Farrells first day at OT when he learned that Busby was to stay in the managers office and O'Farrell was to get the First Team Coach office. During McGuiness tenure Busby had taken the position of 'General Manager', undermining the new mans position completely.
O'Farrell confronted Busby telling him that retaining the managers office wasn't acceptable. “I told him, sorry he had to move. It was quite a thing to say. But I knew I had to make my position clear from the start.”
It also seems that Sir Matt had trouble walking away from first team affairs - “He was always about somewhere where the players could find him. After one game, he told me I shouldn’t have dropped Bobby Charlton. Obviously he said the same to Charlton, because the player was moping round the place.
“Another time he told me Martin Buchan, O’Farrell’s first signing, was responsible for letting in all these goals, when it clearly wasn’t his fault. He was interfering.”
Bubsy also approached O'Farrells wife, telling her that he was a 'stubborn bastard', and that he should ask for more help.
In the end O'Farrell was sacked after 18 months in charge and replaced by Tommy Docherty (a good friend and godfather to his son) and then the rot really set in.
While I'm no expert, overall it isn't a period that reflects well on the club or on Busby - O'Farrell ended up in a 9 month long legal battle before he received his compensation from Utd.
Busby's presence and influence was undoubtedly a factor in O'Farrells demise and, even though I didn't think he isn't overly critical in the documentary, I think he carried a huge amount of resentment after his departure - who could really blame him.
All the blame can't be laid at Sir Matts feet however. O'Farrell inherited an aging squad, many of whom were fiercely loyal to the previous manager. And despite a good start to his time in charge, the brilliance of George Best papered over many of the cracks in the team. Best was well on his way to full blown alcoholism which brought its own problems, creating a media frenzy around the player and presenting O'Farrell with the choice of dropping his best player.
O'Farrells approach to managing Best was to adopt a softly softly approach and try to help, rather than discipline the player. As some people will know trying to help an alcoholic who isn't ready for help is like banging your head against a wall, and ultimately O'Farrells management of Best created division in the squad, and the impression that there was one rule for George and another for the rest.
Personally, my impression is that O'Farrell, while a well respected and talented manager and a very decent man, simply didn't have the personality or presence to take on a job the size of Utd. Particularly when he was following a manager that built the modern club to what it was, and once his relationship with Busby soured that was curtains for him.
To coin a phrase 'only god knows' but I don't see the relationship between Moyes and Fergie being in any way similar to O'Farrell and Busby. And I also think Fergie is a very intelligent man, who will know the history - fans need to do the same. O'Farrells wars were mostly fought within the club, whereas I think the biggest challenge Moyes will face will be the fickle nature of many modern fans and the 24 hour media storm that now surrounds everything. I think Fergie and the support and culture of the club, could be among his biggest assets.
Anyhoo.... thats my tuppence on Frank O'Farrell.... the little known one time Utd manager, and still the only Irish man to have managed Manchester United.
No coincidence that it was being broadcast in the run up to a new season where David Moyes will face a similar task to O'Farrell - namely taking over from an irreplaceable, legendary manager who, while retiring from management, has stepped upstairs into a directors role and remains at the club.
Many opposition fans, and shamefully many of our own, are predicting that history will repeat itself, that it will be impossible for the new man to emerge from his predecessors shadow and that it will signal the start of a downfall for the club.
While, on the surface, the task Moyes faces seems very similar to O'Farrell, who was appointed on a 5 year contract following the sacking of Wilf McGuinness, but for anyone willing to dig a little deeper there are major differences.
The relationship between O'Farrell and Busby didn't get off to the best start - with Busby, being typically Scottish, telling O'Farrell that the salary was £12k per year and O'Farrell later learning from the Chairman that it was actually £15k and Busby was basically just trying to get him on the cheap. “It got us off on a bad note, me and Busby. He knew that I knew he wasn’t playing it straight. The trust was damaged from the start. From that moment, I didn’t trust him.”
It wasn't improved on O'Farrells first day at OT when he learned that Busby was to stay in the managers office and O'Farrell was to get the First Team Coach office. During McGuiness tenure Busby had taken the position of 'General Manager', undermining the new mans position completely.
O'Farrell confronted Busby telling him that retaining the managers office wasn't acceptable. “I told him, sorry he had to move. It was quite a thing to say. But I knew I had to make my position clear from the start.”
It also seems that Sir Matt had trouble walking away from first team affairs - “He was always about somewhere where the players could find him. After one game, he told me I shouldn’t have dropped Bobby Charlton. Obviously he said the same to Charlton, because the player was moping round the place.
“Another time he told me Martin Buchan, O’Farrell’s first signing, was responsible for letting in all these goals, when it clearly wasn’t his fault. He was interfering.”
Bubsy also approached O'Farrells wife, telling her that he was a 'stubborn bastard', and that he should ask for more help.
In the end O'Farrell was sacked after 18 months in charge and replaced by Tommy Docherty (a good friend and godfather to his son) and then the rot really set in.
While I'm no expert, overall it isn't a period that reflects well on the club or on Busby - O'Farrell ended up in a 9 month long legal battle before he received his compensation from Utd.
Busby's presence and influence was undoubtedly a factor in O'Farrells demise and, even though I didn't think he isn't overly critical in the documentary, I think he carried a huge amount of resentment after his departure - who could really blame him.
All the blame can't be laid at Sir Matts feet however. O'Farrell inherited an aging squad, many of whom were fiercely loyal to the previous manager. And despite a good start to his time in charge, the brilliance of George Best papered over many of the cracks in the team. Best was well on his way to full blown alcoholism which brought its own problems, creating a media frenzy around the player and presenting O'Farrell with the choice of dropping his best player.
O'Farrells approach to managing Best was to adopt a softly softly approach and try to help, rather than discipline the player. As some people will know trying to help an alcoholic who isn't ready for help is like banging your head against a wall, and ultimately O'Farrells management of Best created division in the squad, and the impression that there was one rule for George and another for the rest.
Personally, my impression is that O'Farrell, while a well respected and talented manager and a very decent man, simply didn't have the personality or presence to take on a job the size of Utd. Particularly when he was following a manager that built the modern club to what it was, and once his relationship with Busby soured that was curtains for him.
To coin a phrase 'only god knows' but I don't see the relationship between Moyes and Fergie being in any way similar to O'Farrell and Busby. And I also think Fergie is a very intelligent man, who will know the history - fans need to do the same. O'Farrells wars were mostly fought within the club, whereas I think the biggest challenge Moyes will face will be the fickle nature of many modern fans and the 24 hour media storm that now surrounds everything. I think Fergie and the support and culture of the club, could be among his biggest assets.
Anyhoo.... thats my tuppence on Frank O'Farrell.... the little known one time Utd manager, and still the only Irish man to have managed Manchester United.