Fergie is the special won
SO the title is back at Old Trafford after an absence of three
seasons. It has been a victory not just for Manchester Uniteds
relative prudence over Chelseas halfbillion pound budget, but in
Alex Fergusons belief that the beautiful game can still triumph
over raw power and aggression. It also confirmed Fergusons
dominance in his personal duel with Jose Mourinho. Over the 10
months, Ferguson had both the man-management skills and
self-control that slowly deserted his closest rival. Like his team,
he had class and style when it counted. Crucially, he had a belief
in his team Mourinho clearly never did. Even before a ball had been
kicked, the Manchester United boss had to iron out the ill-feeling
between Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo.
It seemed at one stage Ronaldo would be on his way out of Old
Trafford after his controversial run-in with his United team-mate
at the World Cup. Ferguson got the pair in, appealed to their
better nature, reaffirmed his belief they were the two essential
pillars of the new United and let them get on with it. From the
moment the pair set each other up for goals in an opening-day 5-1
thrashing of Fulham, whatever problems there may have been were
firmly in the past. If there was one key to the success that would
follow, it was this. Between them, Rooney and Ronaldo have so far
scored 31 Premiership goals between them and created countless
more. Compare this to Mourinhos failure to come to grips with the
challenge of assimilating Andriy Shevchenko and Michael Ballack
into his side.
While Ferguson had bought well Nemanja Vidic in defence and
Michael Carrick in midfield Chelsea failed to fill basic holes in
the squad. For one reason or another, they were unable to provide
Didier Drogba with a goalscoring partner while, at the back,
Mourinho quickly bemoaned a lack of cover for John Terry and
Ricardo Carvalho. Even when Khalid Boulahrouz arrived, Mourinho let
it be known the player wasnt his choice.
But, surely, the Chelsea manager must have been responsible for
something in the transfer market? Paulo Ferreira or Shaun
WrightPhillips, perhaps? Mourinho, though, never referred to their
shortcomings. Arjen Robben didnt escape, either, with Mourinho
questioning his ability to string more than a handful of
appearances together. All this squabbling added to
behind-the-scenes friction and the already strained relationship
between Mourinho and Abramovich. Ferguson, typically, never once
questioned the players under his command. Even when they struggled
for results at times, he provided reassurance rather than pointing
the finger. He showed loyalty to all his players and got it back
in return.
A few days earlier, he had held his hands up and admitted United
were very much second-best after their 3-0 whipping by AC Milan.
Here was another field in which Ferguson heavily outscored
Mourinho. Class in adversity. Mourinho, on the other hand, came up
with the preposterous nonsense that the best side had lost the
other Champions League semi-final. He should listen to his own fans
sometimes. Yet, by this time, Mourinho was heading off the rails.
He saw conspiracies everywhere and responded with a scatter-gun
attack on anyone who caught his eye. Worst of all was his
highly-personalised criticism of fellow countryman Ronaldo. A man
who himself was brought up amid wealth and a certain opulence, had
the temerity to refer to Ronaldos lack of intelligence and poor
upbringing.
Ferguson, ever the Govan-raised Socialist, nailed Mourinho with the
words: There are people from very poor backgrounds who have
principles. Whereas there are others who are educated but have no
principles at all. That, without question, is the case here.
Finally, Ferguson was again the winner when it came to the football
produced by the two sides.
John Terry and Jose Mourinho embrace after
losing the title.
