The Frustration of Being a Manchester United Fan...

The best thing of being the fan for the current Manchester United FC is that the fact that United was rarely having a star one-man-team player over the course of Sir Alex Ferguson's reign. The fact that made most non-fans accused the fan for upheld United too highly that they almost become overrated to some...

Red Nose's Crazy Scott?

The thing is, the main core for united for the past two decades is obviously on Sir Alex Ferguson. Being in one club at his position for so long, and having won so much as him, it is inevitable that some would rate him as a genius. rival managers, players around the globes and of course the fans all spoke very highly about him.

The fact that he's been in the number one position at a club of a Man United standard for so long, and had won so many with different set of players over the course was his main attribute to his legendary status, especially among the fan. The fact that almost none other manager did the same in any other primary clubs in Europe, or even around the world, make it even more compelling...

Some might said that, with his long tenure, he should've won more, especially the European Cup. The thing that many miss was that, even though he did assemble many generation of strong squad at his tenure as the United no. 1, he rarely got a squad full of the world beater, and this is far from undermining his achievement or his ability as a top manager, but actually serve as a proof for his genius...

The thing is, United squad were rarely has a one-man-team star player mostly down to the ability of SAF to assemble some average talents and turn them to the world beater when it's matter. Take the current squad for example. In the first eleven, or more accurately, first 22 (since there were so many players can claim to be as the first team members considering their contribution and experience), there were almost no player which can be so vital as a match-changing player for their country... One can said such player is Wayne Rooney, or maybe Nani or Chicharito. Berbatov, before his international retirement was his nation's best player for so long. Park Ji Sung is the most popular player at South Korea. Vidic, Ferdinand at his best, and Evra most probably walk in to any first eleven available in the world, but that is it!

Rooney and Berbatov (before his retirement) maybe their nation's best striker, but their national team, to be honest, are rarely in the group of 'the best team' in the world. Nani was never more important than C. Ron at Portugal, and maybe only Chicharito can claim as the most important player for club and country in the current squad. While maybe the current back-line can claim as one of the many fiercest defender across the Europe, it's still far from the est individual in their current position...

The fact that from generations ago, United are lacking in one-man star is down to the fact that they always create a great team, rather than a great player... Take example of Barcelona. They have the strongest squad nowadays because they were consist of geniuses like Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, Pique, Pedro and David Villa. This is an all-star team, which every single player I mention is capable to become a one-man-team hero anywhere across the Europe or the world. To gel a team consist of people like them will surely get you the world to conquer. Among the years of SAF reign at United, this kind of team were always emerging. Like Barca of '92, AC Milan and Juventus of the noughtys, Real Madrid at the early 2000s, Bayern Munich of the late '90s, they all a team consist of many genius players that gel well! Apart from the Galacti-jokes 1.0, of course...

The thing is, United squad from those eras was almost average at best, when you talked about the individual. But when it comes to talk about the team, rarely was anyone who can speak of them with lack of respect. It is in Fergie's strength to create a strong squad from a bunch of a slightly above average or average players imto a great team. A player like Giggs, Scholes, Beckham, Roy Keane, Sparky, Bobby Robson, Nisterooy, even the like of C. Ronaldo, Nani, Rooney, or Tevez would probably can't lift their nation single handedly to win a major trophies (which has come as a point to underestimated the United players over the years...), but together under SAF, they were one of the fiercest world beater. The fact that last season title-winning, European finalist squad had long be damned as the worse squad under Fergie's reign, but still can go making the best start for United in a decade, making a 29 unbeaten run in the league, and making the best home's record since Chelsea under Mourinho, winning the league by 9 points, having the league top scorer and top assist and making an appearance in the UEFA Champions League Final for the third time in 4 years...

The issue is, for me, despite this proof of how genius SAF actually are, creating a great team from players available around without many great names, who, from Gascoigne to Ronaldinho, all turn him down, and despite lasting for so long even when the game is changing on and off the field, but still taste the success despite the rivals all comes and go, with the new rival is always more fierce than the last, many opposition fans still find it appropriate to trash talked him...

Sure, he talked rubbish sometimes, backed his team too much and shove people down at his will, especially the media. But when you put in the perspective of the emotion involved (an interview after his team just lost), or when the situation was involving his key players/staff, of course he will act at the way it's best serve the club's interest. Wouldn't we done the same too? After all, I would prefer having a manager who will all fire up and burst into his emotion when the team is beaten and down rather than a manager who too relax and too comfortable at his position, even after missing out at the only trophy they never won, was still confident that he will retain his place as the team manager, only to find out he has been shown the door even before he walked in to the office on the next day...

Fergie might complain about the officer sometimes, but most of the time he did that, there were a case. Opposition fans loved it when Fergie lost control and used it as a way to undermined the great Scott, but then, when the issue raised by Fergie has hit their team in the face, they would whine too... Only their manager don't, and I always thought that those fans will wish that their manager is Fergie, or at least as outspoken as him...

But even Fergie will admit defeat when it is appropriate and well-beaten, like the final in Wembley at May, he said that Barca was a deserved winner (Real Madrid might not concur though, ha-HA!)

And the latest, he was asked about the Champions League favourites for this term. he said, "Barca & Real without a doubt. But I think the English teams like ourselves, Chelsea & City will make a good show of it"

For someone who was hated on the entire English soil except at the Stretford End, and for someone who accused as a bad loser, he sure know how to praise he opposition, keep his feet firmly on the ground, and rated the fellow domestic rivals so highly despite the fierce rivalry...

But still, for the anti-United fans, he will always be a whiner red nose crazy Scott...

...and it's frustrated for a United fan, who rarely can claim their players as the finest in the football's world, when even their one and truly only great 'player' was disowned the credits he deserved...

T/t: BEL 19 VE