I just don't know anything else. Sir Alex Ferguson has been Manchester United's manager longer than I have been alive. 3 years and 20 days longer, to be exact. To me, and to many others, he *is* United. The end of an era for sure. An era that will never be forgotten. I can't even begin to imagine what United would be like without him.
Not just United, what would the Premier League be like without him? People are saying that next season's Premier League would be very exciting; that the doors have been blown wide open (funny Reddit thread about that). Maybe, for the first time in years, United wouldn't be one of the title contenders. Okay, I can't even go there; it hurt just to type that.
But, seriously, what would United be, what would football be, without the gum-chewing, red-faced gaffer on the sidelines, protesting referees' decisions while pointing at his watch?
I'm glad to know that he's staying at the club as a director and ambassador for the club. I'm not 100% sure what those titles entail, but I would imagine that him being there would help in persuading players to sign for the club. Or, it could be just titles to keep his name around and keep him in the payroll for a few more years. He's already leaving incredibly big shoes to fill; think of the pressure when the man himself is watching (and judging) the next manager's every move!
And I am definitely glad that Ryan Giggs has signed a contract extension to stay another year. It's crazy to think that even Giggsy has never played under a different manager! He signed on as a schoolboy in 1987, a year after Sir Alex Ferguson became United's manager. It's very likely that Paul Scholes will retire (again) at the end of the season. I can barely handle losing both Scholesy and Sir Alex at the same time; I don't even want to think about what it would feel like if Giggsy decided it was time, too. Giggsy would be the only remaining person who has been there since I started watching United. It just wouldn't be the same without any of them. It's a shame, too, that I still have yet to watch a match live at Old Trafford. Hopefully that will happen before Giggs retires!
Sir Alex Ferguson, thank you very very much. It has been a great honor and absolute privilege to be able to watch, follow, and support your team in my life time. It has been a wonderful time to be a United fan, and it's largely due to you. Cheers, Boss!
What now?
The biggest question is definitely: who will be his replacement? Almost all reports (rumors) are saying that it would be Everton's David Moyes. He's definitely my pick -- technically after Pep Guardiola, who I thought would have been perfect when Sir Alex retires *in a few years* -- because he seems to have the right personality for the job. People are criticizing his lack of success, especially in Europe. While true, I believe that, given time, he can be successful with the current United team.The second biggest shout is Jose Mourinho. He definitely seems like he wants the job. I just can't picture him being United's manager. He's a great manager, for sure, and definitely more proven than Moyes (beating Sir Alex's United with 3 different teams is quite a feat); but with the way he left his teams, and with how things are going at Real Madrid right now, I don't think he's worth the chance of United imploding. It would be very interesting though, to see him at the helm. At the very least, it would be fun to watch the Chelsea fans reaction (who are expecting Mou back next season). People are saying that United might be the perfect club for Mourinho, with the history of success, a great team, and owners who don't micro-manage. This could be the club he's been searching for and would end his club-hopping. If that were true, yes, it would be pretty amazing. But his antics have just been too much...
Whoever it is, I'm sure Fergie and the United board has discussed this and has handpicked this. The news reports are saying that the next manager would be named within 48 hours. Almost everything is pointing towards Moyes right now, but I'd wait until the confirmation from the club.
Saw an interesting comment on Reddit, which says something like: whoever Fergie's replacement is, imagine how intimidating it would be, for every home game, to have to walk by the statue of, and to see the stand named after, your predecessor. I knew there would be immense pressure, but I never thought about these two huge visual reminders until I read that comment.
Rooney on his way out?
Stories about Wayne Rooney asking for a transfer are correct. Asked to see Ferguson two weeks ago, request was rejected #mufc
— Daniel Taylor (@DTguardian) May 8, 2013
That's twice in 3 years now that Rooney has asked to leave the club. Many people argue that Rooney isn't as important a player for United as he was the first time he wanted out; I begrudgingly agree. He hasn't been in his top form and he doesn't look as fit as he used to be. He might be on decline; and if he is, this would be the perfect time to let him go. Funny thing is, when Ronaldo said he wanted to leave a few years ago, I just said: "His heart's not here. Why keep someone who doesn't want to be here?" For some reason, I'm having trouble saying the same thing about Rooney. There's a part of me that still believes (hopes?) that Rooney would be a United player until the end of his career. However, unlike Rooney, Ronaldo made his intentions clear; he wanted to join Real Madrid, which is his childhood dream. I guess that's what makes Ronaldo's decision respectable, compared to Rooney's. Or maybe it's just that the news broke today, of all days, when I'm feeling very vulnerable, especially in anything United related, that this hit me way more than it would have been any other day.
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