Having retired from management in 2013, Sir Alex Ferguson is undoubtedly one of the greatest managers to ever grace football. The Scot made a name for himself with Aberdeen, who he managed between 1978 and 1986. In the latter of those years, having also briefly managed the Scottish national side, Ferguson moved south of the Anglo-Scottish border.
Ferguson spent almost 30 years in charge of Manchester United. Taking over a side that were desperate for silverware, Ferguson turned them into a force just as, if not more, dominant than the fabled Matt Busby side of decades prior. After a tough few seasons to open his time with the Red Devils, Ferguson won his first trophy with the club by lifting the FA Cup in 1990 and from there, never looked back.
Ferguson won a staggering number of trophies with Man United, including a record-setting 13 Premier Leagues and two Champions Leagues, the first of which came as part of the first-ever European treble won by an English side. Ferguson also won five FA Cups and four League Cups in charge of a side that were always competing each season.
Through a combination of smart signings and the use of Man United’s youth academy, particularly evident in the Class of ‘92, Ferguson always had a strong team at his disposal, coaching them brilliantly until retiring after the 2012/13 season, having won his 13th and final Premier League trophy.
Ferguson has shared a number of opinions on football over the years, such as when, as per Sky Sports, he revealed why he turned down the approaches of a certain national team.
‘No Way I Could’ve Taken The Job’
Sir Alex Ferguson cast his verdict on Freddy Adu
Sir Alex Ferguson cast his verdict on Freddy Adu
Ferguson, by his own admission, was approached twice by England, who were interested in making him manager of the Three Lions. According to The Guardian, Ferguson was wanted in the 1990s before England, in turn, appointed Glenn Hoddle and Kevin Keegan in 1996 and 1999 respectively.
There is no question over whether Ferguson had the ability for such a job, but as the man himself explained, the matter came down to something far more personal. Ferguson said:
“There’s no way I could’ve taken the job. The first time it was actually the Scots lad [who asked], Adam Crozier was the first one to come. The second time they came (it was) Martin Edwards. I told Martin, ‘just forget it, I’m not interested.’
“I met Crozier at Old Trafford and he made the offer for me to manage the team. It didn’t take me long, about 10 seconds. There was no way I could manage England, not in a million years could I manage England. Think of me going back to Scotland, deary me.”
Scotland, the nation that Ferguson hails from, have a famous and historical rivalry with their English neighbours and as the manager noted, his nationality would not have made him an ideal candidate to take charge of the Three Lions.
Man United supporters, no doubt, will be glad that Ferguson chose to remain at Old Trafford, though had he taken the England job, perhaps he would have been the man to finally lead them to lifting a trophy once more.