5 reasons why Sir Alex is the greatest manager of all time

#4 He was a master tactician who achieved greatness with meagre resources

Sir Alex Ferguson achieved greatness with minimum resources available

One of the greatest factors of Sir Alex Ferguson's management. The Scottish gaffer was used to doing impossible things - on a consistent basis, throughout his career.

The first of his jaw-dropping achievements came back in 1983 when his Aberdeen team defeated a mighty Real Madrid 2-1 to lift their first ever European trophy.

Remember that game against Arsenal? The Man United boss played 7 defenders against the Gunners and emerged victorious with a 2-0 scoreline. His effective decision in using J.S. Park to mark Andrea Pirlo during United's Champions League game against AC Milan paid huge dividends as the Red Devils beat the Rossoneri 4-0, winning the tie 7-2 on aggregate.

Those examples give a solid proof of his tactical astuteness and footballing intelligence.

Sir Alex Ferguson had the guts to churn out results with the kind of players he had at his disposal. He lifted his first Premier League title with a bunch of kids who would later go on to become legendary veterans in the sport; a fine example that tells how he achieved the best things out of the meagre resources available to him.

His constant emphasis on the development of youngsters is worth a mention; developing raw talents and using them to a devastating effect was one of his greatest skills. Youth development always stood as a primary weapon and an answer to his rivals who relied on their stellar financial backing to win silverware.

In his later years at the club, he successfully saw off challenges from filthy rich clubs like Chelsea and Manchester City with a rather weaker squad of players, while handing out opportunities to youngsters.

Unarguably, his inimitable ability to deliver results from the available resources, regardless of their quality, is a crucial reason why he is perhaps the greatest mind to have graced the beautiful game.