Bank Holiday in Dorset, England

United's Triumph credited to Sir Alex

http://sport.independent.co.uk/football/comment/article2521661.ece

http://sport.independent.co.uk/football/comment/article2521662.ece
(with related links at the bottom)

Plus, Guardian's interview with Sir Alex (albeit in a press conference):

http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,2074324,00.html

Enjoy.

Manchester United's 9th

Champagne's in order and we have indeed already had some - KJ and I together with our missus met at the canalside overlyloud to share a bottle and a few lagers.

The eulogies have started to pour in and they have been effusive. Considering that 9 of every 10 pundits and journalists who think they know better predicted a 3rd or 4th place finish for Utd before the season started, the ones holding their hands up apologising for their initial pessimism have, in my opinion, still not done enough. To be fair, they might have hedged their bets with the bottomless pit of roubles and rafa's seemingly unending ability to improvise clouding their judgement. However, for most of the hacks to then think that the north london arses would be more resilient and to be better able to balance attack and defence more times than not an entire season than the great mancehester united was doubly hurtful. Gallas and baptista in, pires and reyes out - I might have been tempted to think that an improvement especially since they largely kept the team that led them to the champs league finals the season before intact. It would have been unbearable if Utd crossed the finishing line in any other position this year other than first.

And so, it is indeed a relief that Sir Alex is still the great conjurer of works of art that speaks consistently of aspiration and individual toil for a greater cause. The Daily Telegraph's angle writes thus:

Napoleon's maxim that "a leader is a dealer in hope'' has echoed within Ferguson, the last emperor of English dug-outs. One of life's natural optimists, and a master at using adversity to forge dressing-room mettle, Ferguson has again been a beacon of belief to his players. All Chelsea's might and money could not live with the sense of mission Ferguson instilled in Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo and company.

So if for nothing else, Sir Alex should be praised to have been dealing in hope - in infusing the Carrington complex with belief in self and team, in coach and tactics that ultimately bound the players and staff together in a journey in unison that could set the foundations for greater successes and better things should they collectively choose to continue toiling, dreaming and believing.

The Daily Telegraph continues:

(Sir Alex): "Everybody played football and it was always a competitive environment but this healthy competition created a will to win that encourages real leadership qualities to emerge. This taught me discipline and a loyalty to friends and it was also responsible for the drive and perseverance which you need to be successful. These traits have never left me, simply because I could not let down those who helped me all those years ago; they invested their time in me and I believe in fulfilling that sacrifice.
"My Manchester United players have established a reputation for being tough but also for playing fair which is a discipline that I have worked hard to instil in them as I believe it is a fundamental requirement to get through life.'' As for his own leadership tenets, Ferguson added that, "the important thing to succeed is a real work ethos, discipline, determination and a respect for others.''

Hughes again. "Ferguson's - and United's - mission is to prove the rest of the world wrong. Ferguson understands the power of the sense of mission that the Italians had in the World Cup. He suggests that Manchester United is 'like a bus which never stops moving forward' and he challenges his players to prove they deserve their place on it. He tells his players that the bus is always being attacked, so they have to keep moving.'' Dealing in hope, dealing in success.

More reason to look ahead in optimism then.