Love him or hate him, retiring Sir Alex Ferguson was brilliant

Published 10:48 pm Wednesday, May 8, 2013

By Chris Parry

This is more than an end of an era. This is a landmark moment in sports history.

Sir Alex Ferguson began managing Manchester United when Ronald Reagan was still in office and announced Wednesday morning that he will retire at the end of the season.

Full disclosure, I do not like ManU and am not a fan of Fergie, but I still must give the man his due respect because he’s earned it and then some. In fact, he may be the most successful coach in any sport — ever.

Let me make my case why.

In this age of team owners in all sports leagues going younger with coaches, maybe so they can dispose of them as easy as grabbing another Kleenex, Ferguson broke that mold.



The 71-year old Scot was named manager of Manchester United in 1986. Before his arrival, the Red Devils had not won a first division title (now called Barclays Premier League) in 26 years.

Ferguson will finish his 26th year at the helm in a couple weeks. That alone, places him in select company. I honestly don’t recall a professional coach staying with one team like that, unless you reach back in the history books and start saying names like Tom Landry.

In that time, Manchester United have won 13 league titles, two Champions League trophies, five F.A. Cups and four league cups.

To try and put that into terminology a U.S. sports fan can understand is a little hard except to say Manchester United have basically won the equivalent of 13 Super Bowls in 26 years.

Think about that.

And most of the years ManU did not win the league, it was runner-up.

Oh, and this year, ManU wrapped up No. 13 with a month left in the season.

So he’s not exactly going out on a downer.

That’s Manchester United.

That’s Sir Alex Ferguson.

 

Do you think Sir Alex Ferguson is the best coach ever? Give us your comments at sports@tylerpaper.com or tweet to @CParryETFS.