"Superheroes aren't born, they are made", so says Stanley in his Iron Man comics. This statement is indeed true. Sir Alex Ferguson, the manager of arguably the greatest club of Europe, joined Manchester United 25 years ago on this very day. 6th November, 1986 was the date when Old Trafford saw a change. A change in manager, a change in Squad, a change in temperament and yes, a change in Habit, United players were now bred to WIN! His antics have lifted Manchester United from "another competent team" to "Red Devils" as he brought Devil back to Old Trafford. We love him, We respect him and We wish he stays the Manager as long as possible because it's impossible to imagine Manchester United without Sir Alex.
He brought a complete revolution to the English game as he emphasised on the importance of a strong defense. He conceived the idea of rugged defending and a country that boasted of having the best midfielders in the world moved on to having the best defense in the world. His emphasis on defense is a lesson to learn for India where Strikers steal the lime light. The Indian menality about defending needs to change.
Walking into the palika bazaar, I knew what I desperately wanted. The threads that would give me a feeling of belonging o the best club in the World. Yup, I wanted a Manchester United jersey with Vidic written on the back. The experience at the shop was as annoying as it could get. Firstly one of the shoppers suggested me to buy a Liverpool FC's jersey because it "would look nice on me!!". I felt like punching him in the eye as my friend burst into laughter at the Lame Suggestion. When I insisted at getting what I had come here for, he came up with a HUGE heap of jerseys. The names at the back ranged from Rooney, Chicharito, Giggs and Berbatov. Being the noob I am, i asked him for one that read Vidic. The comment that followed made me realise the truth about Indian Mindset of football. He said, "Kya Bhaiya Vidic ki jersey mang rhe ho? Koi defenders ki jersey pehenta hai bhala?? Defenders match mein karte hi kya hai? Ek jagah khade rehte hai! Asli kaam toh strikers karte hai." I fought the strong urge to beat the Salesman to death as resorting to violence is the last thing one wants to do when he's out with his friend(and that too a girl!!)
Having played for my school team for the past 6 years, I knew every tiny bit of detail of the school football. I have a strong built which made me an obvious choice for the position of the Centre Back. During School days many students asked me, "Dude, you didn't feel bad when the coach made you a defender?? Because defenders are the worst players on the Roster!" I had never seen that coming, not even in the wildest of my dreams.
Every football fanatic Indian who witness India being humbled in the AFC Asian Championship knew that the Only thing that let the Indian Team down was the defense. The outlook of defense needs to change from the grass-root level if we are to become a superpower in Football. Defenders are more than just mere players, They define a team. They determine a team's performance in the tournaments.
In India every child wishes to be a Messi, Ronaldo, Rooney, Aguero, Suarez, Torres, Villa, Beckham, Ozil, Gomez, Xavi and countless other "Attacking players" but no one wants to be a defender. The day a young aspiring football wants to be a defender, Football would see a new era in India.
Sir Alex once said, "Strikers may win you Matches but Defenders win you tournaments". He brought this whole idea of Resilience and Never say die spirit in The Manchester United squad. The habit of winning it late in the game even transformed the term Injury time into Mancheser United time. He is the Boss, he always was, and he always will be. His legacy shall remain in the memories of Old Trafford forever.
These lines sum up the ype of influence he had,
"CAN MANCHESTER UNITED SCORE?? THEY ALWAYS SCORE!!"
Glory Glory Manchester United....
Glory Glory Sir Alex Ferguson!!!!
Sir Alex Ferguson is one of the biggest names in football world. Arguably the best managers of all time, he has managed Manchester United for more than 25 years. He has won every possible trophy with Manchester United and has been witness to every event that shaped the future of united.He saw the class of 92 which came forth and conquered the football world. Legends have come and gone since his arrival. He is known for his shrewd tactics which makes every squad look lethal. Manchester United have more premier league titles than all their rivals combined. This speaks volumes regarding Sir Alex's career.
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