olesmyhero
Emmy Moses
This is for the folks who've been supporting United for at least 24 years. Before SAF was brought on, what did you think about him? Did you know much about him? Were you hoping we'd hire him? Give me your thoughts.
To be honest, I didnt really know what to think. But then Big ron had got us in a bit of a crap run of form. I heard he was quite a hard task master. Probably proved that when he made choccy cut his hair before signing him and breaking up the drinking culture.This is for the folks who've been supporting United for at least 24 years. Before SAF was brought on, what did you think about him? Did you know much about him? Were you hoping we'd hire him? Give me your thoughts.
You are right. United had built up a reputation for being abit like Spurs. A glamour club which was not punching its weight. SAFs appointment was a clear signal from the board that they were serious about being a proper football club and that things would change dramatically. And how they did!To be honest, I didnt really know what to think. But then Big ron had got us in a bit of a crap run of form. I heard he was quite a hard task master. Probably proved that when he made choccy cut his hair before signing him and breaking up the drinking culture.
Ay, whenever I talk to elders about when Fergie was appointed that is usually the response they tell me, that there were few who actually thought he was the man for the job, based simply by some by his nationalityI was 6 when he was brought on. All I know about SAF back then was that my grandfather called him "that bloody Scot" and lacked confidence in his managerial skills.
We actually lived in Aberdeen then Banchory when Sir Alex was in charge after seeing what he did at Pittodrie there was no doubt that he would do something at United, though I doubt anybody would have expected so much.I am an Aberdeen supporter as well as United one and during the time he was in charge up here he had a top class youth system setup producing great young players and he did the same for United. He along with McLean at Dundee United broke the Old Firm dominance in the leagues and cups in the early 80s. He also had the drive and desire in his system to do the same at any club he managed so i knew he would do the same for us when he got here.
The Cup Winners Cup run to the final raised his profile with a lot of people as beating the likes of Bayern Munich and then Real Madrid in the final with what was a provincial in Scotland at the time sent shock waves through Europe. Then beating Hamburg in the Super Cup the season after definitely brought him to even more interest from clubs around Europe. He also beat the likes of Ipswich in Europe who at the time were one of the big clubs in England so showed what he could do against top cluns at the time, also i think Sir Bobby Robson managed Ipswich then as well.
If you look around as well at his ex players a few of them are now in management or coaching McGhee at Aberdeen, McLeish at Birmingham and Bruce at Sunderland plus various other coaches like Ole. This is also another aspect of SAF other managers raised in his mind set doing well at other clubs.
He was a lot more firey up here and one of his famous outbursts after one scrappy Scottish Cup Final win was to question the desire of the players for their display, thing is this was only days after the Cup Winners Cup win from memory so he has always been a hard taskmaster to please. Which at the time was what we needed here to sort the club out and bring it back to where it belonged at the top of the English game.
It's interesting you mention watching older games in your reply. It got me thinking back, as to my mentallity going to games in those days. I think due to a combination of lack of success, and quality of the team, I don't think I went to games expecting to win, more we may win, to see us lose then wasn't as painful as it is now, as now it could cost us winning the league. So to lose to a last minute winner then would be not expected, but something probably stung a little harder, but we'd be over it quicker then.I was only 8 but I remember watching Granada Reports on the night Big Ron was sacked and it said that United were in talks with Aberdeen about their manager Alex Ferguson. Ron should have left the previous summer after 1985-86 turned into a disaster. I was watching ESPN classic the other week and they showed United getting beaten in the last minute by a Kerry Dixon goal at home to Chelsea (1-2). Painful!
With respect to your dear Dad Sammsky that is not how I remember it. We had the human mouse of Dave Sexton then the bullshitter Fat Ron. Neither were anywhere near the best available at the time. The United board had lost the will to live let alone compete with the very best. Fergie's appointment was pure luck. The fact he was interested having done all he could at Aberdeen and he was dirt cheap. For years afterwards Fergie wasn't even in the top five highest paid coaches and it was only when he got a tipoff from George Graham that he realised his true worth. At the time I thought he was a good appointment but he was not my first choice. You could see the youth policy building but his ruthless policy towards the old guard made me very sad as Big Norm was a hero at the time and I would never have dreamed of the success we have enjoyed since.I remember my late Dad telling me that United had shown that mean business by appointing such a talented and respected figure and that this was why he supported United, because we always went for the best. My point being, it was a marque type appoinment, much like Cappello for England or when Mourinho signed for the Chavs.
Very true and a very good comparison for the younger fans. United could and did beat any team in Europe on their day but were unable to prove their consistency over a whole season. Fergie ultimately created a team hewn from the Aberdeen granite of his aprenticeship.You are right. United had built up a reputation for being abit like Spurs. A glamour club which was not punching its weight. SAFs appointment was a clear signal from the board that they were serious about being a proper football club and that things would change dramatically. And how they did!
Who was your first choice?With respect to your dear Dad Sammsky that is not how I remember it. We had the human mouse of Dave Sexton then the bullshitter Fat Ron. Neither were anywhere near the best available at the time. The United board had lost the will to live let alone compete with the very best. Fergie's appointment was pure luck. The fact he was interested having done all he could at Aberdeen and he was dirt cheap. For years afterwards Fergie wasn't even in the top five highest paid coaches and it was only when he got a tipoff from George Graham that he realised his true worth. At the time I thought he was a good appointment but he was not my first choice. You could see the youth policy building but his ruthless policy towards the old guard made me very sad as Big Norm was a hero at the time and I would never have dreamed of the success we have enjoyed since.
Lou Macari from Swindon or Arry Redknapp from BournemouthWho was your first choice?
"hopeful" is how I felt too. Although I was well aware of his achievements in Scotland and his success in Europe, I went to watch his Aberdeen side at Liverpool hoping they'd put one over them. They were put back in their little box by a Liverpool side at it's best, so it kind of put things in some perspective for me. So, it was hope rather than expectation for me.I was hopefull but no more hopeful than when we appointed Sexton and Atkinson. He had done well at Aberdeen but going to United was a big step up.
What I failed to appreciate was just how well he had done at Aberdeen. During his eight seasons there (1978/79 to 1985/86), the 24 domestic honours had been won as follows:-
Aberdeen 8
Celtic 7
Rangers 6
Dundee United 3.
No other Scottish club has had a similar period of sustained success against the Old Firm.
Fergie's success at United dwarfs that but he has been extremely successful as a financial underdog as well as with megabucks.