Decoding Alex Ferguson's autobiography

Alex Ferguson

The recent flurry of comments and criticism heaped onto Sir Alex Ferguson in the past few weeks has puzzled many. As part of the launch of his now best-selling autobiography, publicity campaigns included a release of saucy snippets and quotes from his book which have flustered quite a few people, generating the publicity desired anyway. Yet, certain elements of his book are contrived to be merely of derogatory taste, at least as perceived and presented by the media.Is the book really maligned with contempt or is it just media frenzy that has blown it out of proportion. Let’s take a look :

On Steven Gerrrard: ” And I’m one of the few who felt Gerrard was not a top, top player.”An extract from a quote where Ferguson also feels the same about Frank Lampard expressing that he didn’t think Lampard was an “elite international footballer” but was a fantastic servant to Chelsea nonetheless.This of course is subject to opinion and the ex-manager is simply conveying his personal views in a book about his life, for which he is clearly entitled to do so . The stream of Liverpool ex-players that have come to Gerrrard’s defence (expectedly so) have also criticized Alex Ferguson for that bloody crime of holding an opinion ! (cue: sarcasm)This criticism aimed at a manger that has hailed Gerrard as one of the most influential midfielders in England also comparing him with the great Graeme Souness of Liverpool’s heydays in the 80′s as one of the greatest players in the club’s history.

Notice how the Liverpool Lobby here and the media have portrayed this escapade as a deliberate attempt by an ex-United manager looking to have a go at a Liverpool great, which clearly isn’t the case as Ferguson has reserved plenty of praise for Gerrard in the past and has constantly lamented over not being able to sign the Liverpool captain.

Another interesting development is the nonchalance at which Chelsea have not even tried to defend Frank Lampard(which Liverpool should have done too IMO)What affected Liverpool Football club here was not the supposed barb of criticism aimed at Gerrard but the fact that a manager from their great rivals, engineered it.

On Roy Keane: “Roy was talking all of them down”. “The hardest part of Roy’s body is his tongue. He has the most savage tongue you can imagine.”“Keane had to go because he thought he was the manager.”In the chapter of the book addressing his views on United legend Roy Keane and their eventual fallout, Sir Alex praises Keane’s abilities on the football pitch as an inspiring leader with immense abilities as a powerhouse between the boxes and then goes to on address the elephant in the room; the breakdown of their relationship. Ferguson is evidently clear as to how Roy Keane blatantly violated one of Ferguson’s most strident principles : Reverting from criticising players in public .

He goes on to explain how savagely Keane verbally tore apart many of his team mates in an explosive MUTV interview that was never published for the same reason.On watching the interview on Ferguson’s orders, many of United’s players had a go at Keane which almost ended up in a fist fight and that ensured Roy Keane’s imminent departure from the club as dressing room unity had been compromised.

Ferguson describes the fear he experienced watching a furious Roy Keane having a go at almost everybody that stood in his way that day and realised that he was assuming responsibilities way beyond his power. It was a unanimous decision by the staff to have him sold.

The so called “bitterness” expressed by Ferguson as portrayed by the media is complete hogwash. He praises Keane for his abilities but minces no words when it came to his players over stepping the line, a policy that is consistent with Alex Ferguson’s previous encounters with his players throughout his managerial career. The snippets released by his PR group in no way emanate any vitriol towards Roy Keane and perhaps, Keane himself should have waited to read the book rather than respond to his book purely based on a few selectively released quotations.

Ferguson with David Beckham

On David Beckham : “Beckham had to go because he thought he was bigger than the manager. You cannot have a player taking over the dressing room.”“David was only player I managed who chose to be famous.”“I had no issue with him, he was a marvellous guy. How can I argue with how he has turned out, he is an icon.”

“That” boot-kicking incident always pops up in our minds when we think about the relationship that they shared. The latter half of the quote above was obviously not shared extensively by the media because it portrays their relationship in good light and the “unbiased” media conveniently chooses to ignore these bits.

The passages about David Beckham are far from bitter. The only criticism that is levelled at Beckham is the one issue we expected to be raised; David’s penchant for fame. Whether or not this is true or not, Sir Alex has a few lines here and there expressing his disapproval of David’s certain antics, particularly one incident where he refused to take off his hat because he was unveiling a new hairstyle the next day. He also describes the famous incident that led to Ferguson accidentally kicking a boot at Beckham, no further explanations required.

Barring these references, he is quite appreciative of Beckham’s achievements and praises his ability to prolong the longevity of his career at a top level. He writes that Beckham made a mistake though and should have stayed on at United where he would have gone on to be revered like Scholes and Giggs, Becks is a legend at United nonetheless.

How the media blew this out of proportion with headlines like “Ferguson tears into Beckham in an explosive autobiography” is a mystery in itself.

On Rafa Benitez : “The mistake he made was to turn our rivalry personal. Once you made it personal, you had no chance, because I could wait.

The pair have shared their differences openly in the past especially during the 2008-2009 Premier League campaign when United and Liverpool were top dogs. He expresses the usual criticism expected when Benitez is in question. He writes “I found Liverpool hard to watch when he was there. I found them dull. Benitez has more regard for destroying a game than winning.”

As ardent followers of the game but with no authority to question a manager’s tactics, we can only pass this off as yet another observation perceived in the eyes of Sir Alex Ferguson, an opinion which is well respected whether or not it strikes a chord with an individual.

Keeping with the theme of the book in praising and criticizing equally, he writes in adulation of Benitez’s signings namely Pepe Reina and Fernando Torres, the latter whom we know terrorized United in his time at Liverpool.

Sir Alex goes on to write about other figures in his book, with honesty and wit offering some funny one-liners along the way.“Mancini bought very nice wine! I’m sorry he’s left!” being one of the many lines that brings a smile. The blatant manipulation of these snippets by the media have given the book an image of an old bitter’s man view on the world which is far from truth.

The words of Sir Alex himself has re-iterated the very point I’m trying to make:

“This is a football book, not just a news tornado.”

My advice ? Buy the book and be the judge and jury yourself. Alex Ferguson has never never been known to be dull and boring.