Greatest Manchester United XI – Fergie's Choice From 1989

[harms]

I thought that I would inject some positivity into this subforum. I think every United fan would enjoy watching this – Fergie choses his Manchester United All-Time Greatest XI... in 1989, before his first ever trophy with us. Considering how all current United's All-Time XIs are (rightly) filled with Fergie's players, it's interesting to see his choice from before the beginning of that unprecedented era of success.

Lists of nominees that he choses from are also quite interesting – he talks a lot about players that rarely (if ever) get mentioned as United's greats anymore, which is a bit of a shame.

 

[TMDaines]

Interesting. I'll have to watch this later. I'd suggest Stepney, Stiles, Foulkes, Best, Edwards, Robson, Charlton and Law were all shoe ins at that point, especially if you are building a then modern 4-4-2. It's the left back, right back and second centre forward where there is any real debate.

 

[Class of 63]

I thought that I would inject some positivity into this subforum. I think every United fan would enjoy watching this – Fergie choses his Manchester United All-Time Greatest XI... in 1989, before his first ever trophy with us. Considering how all current United's All-Time XIs are (rightly) filled with Fergie's players, it's interesting to see his choice from before the beginning of that unprecedented era of success.

Lists of nominees that he choses from are also quite interesting – he talks a lot about players that rarely (if ever) get mentioned as United's greats anymore, which is a bit of a shame.

Probably seen it before, and I haven't got the time/patience to watch the whole video just skipped to his XI, any particular names who rarely(if ever) get mentioned?

 

[harms]

Probably seen it before, and I haven't got the time/patience to watch the whole video just skipped to his XI, any particular names who rarely(if ever) get mentioned?

Oh, tons – not so many in the final XI though.

For example, the full strikers list is as follows (and he says a little about each one of them):
Taylor, Law, Rowley, Viollet, Herd, Kidd, Greenhoff, Jordan, Macari, Pearson, Hughes & McClair.

 

[Negative Red]

Looks like a bit of Van Gaals approach of square pegs in round holes with the defence. Surprised Buchan and Colman are missing but no one can argue with the front six (even if Charlton is on the wing). Will have to watch it later.

 

[Class of 63]

Oh, tons – not so many in the final XI though.

For example, the full strikers list is as follows (and he says a little about each one of them):
Taylor, Law, Rowley, Viollet, Herd, Kidd, Greenhoff, Jordan, Macari, Pearson, Hughes & McClair.

Cheers, a few names I wouldn't expect him to mention, including Jimmy Greenhoff and I Ioved him! And he probably only mentioned Jordan, Macari and Choccy because they were Scottish, fine players though they were.

Of the team he's picked the front 6 and Roger Byrne would be in most peoples teams, and it looks as though he's put Johnny Carey from Sir Matt's first great team at right-back just to get him in his team.

 

[Mr. MUJAC]

Looks like a bit of Van Gaals approach of square pegs in round holes with the defence. Surprised Buchan and Colman are missing but no one can argue with the front six (even if Charlton is on the wing). Will have to watch it later.

Not sure about 'square pegs' comment. All those players played in those positions for a lot if not all of their careers. I would agree I would have Buchan ahead of Foulkes/Stiles (probably Paul McGrath too??), but Eddie Colman was never going to get in central midfield when your other choices were Robson and Edwards. I'd have both of those over any other midfielder in our history. Charlton played five seasons on the wing in the late 1950's and early 1960's...so again based on where he actually played as opposed to 'square pegs'.

 

[Negative Red]

Not sure about 'square pegs' comment. All those players played in those positions for a lot if not all of their careers. I would agree I would have Buchan ahead of Foulkes/Stiles (probably Paul McGrath too??), but Eddie Colman was never going to get in central midfield when your other choices were Robson and Edwards. I'd have both of those over any other midfielder in our history. Charlton played five seasons on the wing in the late 1950's and early 1960's...so again based on where he actually played as opposed to 'square pegs'.

I dont think Charltons best football came from the left wing and im pretty sure Stiles was a midfielder. I wasnt around back in them days but im just going off what ive seen/read/heard.

 

[Web of Bissaka]

59:34

Stepney
Carey -- Stile -- Foulkes -- Byrne
Best -- Edwards -- Robson -- Charlton
Taylor -- Law
​

Can't dispute any of that.

 

[harms]

I dont think Charltons best football came from the left wing and im pretty sure Stiles was a midfielder. I wasnt around back in them days but im just going off what ive seen/read/heard.

To be fair

1. Fergie makes a point about his squad’s versatility – that personnel can line-up like 4-4-2, 4-2-4 и 4-3-3
2. The best role for Charlton in today’s football would probably be something close to the one of Iniesta. I’d say that a free role on the left is a good use of him (with Best being more wide-oriented on another side). When you look at Charlton at his peak you’ll see that he often roamed wide, especially on the left, it was natural for him
3. Stiles was technically a midfielder, but in big games he was often used as a man-marker (most notably – in 2 games against Eusebio, for England in 1966 and for United in 1968). Skill-wise he’s certainly closer to a modern CB than to a modern CM, although he lacks a bit in size

 

[harms]

59:34

Stepney
Carey -- Stile -- Foulkes -- Byrne
Best -- Edwards -- Robson -- Charlton
Taylor -- Law
​

Can't dispute any of that.

I’d probably put McGrath in Stiles’ place (and Fergie gives him quite a praise in there, saying that he’s probably the most talented player that he has ever managed – up until 1989, obviously); but I can understand the reasoning behind Stiles since he was instrumental in some of United’s greatest achievements.

 

[Mr. MUJAC]

I dont think Charltons best football came from the left wing and im pretty sure Stiles was a midfielder. I wasnt around back in them days but im just going off what ive seen/read/heard.

I think it's hard for most people to determine when older players played their best football. Charlton's form dipped massively after Munich and so Busby moved him out to the left wing. He was relatively prolific from that position and was also one of England's top goalscorers for that period. So he didn't do too badly at all. When Best hit the scene Busby moved him into the centre of midfield and England did the same. Bobby's career had three distinct phases. Nobby was defensive midfielder up until 1964/65 when he was moved into defence next to Foulkes. He then played in defence right through to 1970. He certainly played more games in defence than in midfield.

The point is...putting them in those positions is certainly not square pegs into round holes in any shape or form.

 

[Grande]

I think it's hard for most people to determine when older players played their best football. Charlton's form dipped massively after Munich and so Busby moved him out to the left wing. He was relatively prolific from that position and was also one of England's top goalscorers for that period. So he didn't do too badly at all. When Best hit the scene Busby moved him into the centre of midfield and England did the same. Bobby's career had three distinct phases. Nobby was defensive midfielder up until 1964/65 when he was moved into defence next to Foulkes. He then played in defence right through to 1970. He certainly played more games in defence than in midfield.

The point is...putting them in those positions is certainly not square pegs into round holes in any shape or form.

That video was a great watch, and it does tell you alot about what was so special about Alex Ferguson’s approach to Manchester United. He had the humility to interview alot of the old timers at the club picking up details about so many players even many ardent United fans couldn’t tell you, and at the same time confident enough to lift up his predecessors to the sky while talking about his chance to follow them with a relaxed smile. It was so much the opposite of Mourinho’s Sevilla speach (it should be noted Mou started of praising Fergie in quite the same way, nice effort - his personality just wouldn’t let him go through with it...).

Of course there’s a few ways to arrange that team given not only that players played different roles throughout their carreers, but also that the roles were very different back then. Charlie Roberts put in defence while Duncen Edwards is in midfield - it could easily have been the other way around. But if Edwards had come around today, it’s hard to
Imagine he’d been playing anywhere but central mid, I’d hazard.

I would have liked Best and Meredith getting each their own wing, but it just doesn’t add up subtracting anyone either ...