Best quotes by Sir Alex Ferguson

Sir Alex Ferguson is one of the most decorated managers that the footballing world has seen till date. Not only did he show his character on the pitch over the years with some brilliant decisions, but he also showed the world his character with some brilliant quotes off the pitch. However, some of those stand above the rest. Some of them just tells us that he is the master of ‘Putting people in their place’ and you can take his recent comments on Alan Pardew as a perfect example. Over the years we have seen his spat with Wenger, Paul Ince, and Mancini among others, but some of the comments made by Sir Alex Ferguson just never go off your mind. Let us see ten of the best quotes made by Ferguson in his never-ending career. I have listed them in no specific order.

Ferguson with the Champions League Trophy

“I can’t believe it. I can’t believe it. Football. Bloody hell.”

This was the immediate response from Sir Alex Ferguson after two dramatic injury time goals ensured a Manchester United night in Europe in 1999. Into injury time in the UCL final against Bayern, United were losing 0-1. However, goals from Sheringham and Solskjaer sealed their first Champions League title under Sir Alex Ferguson.

“They say he’s an intelligent man, right? Speaks five languages! I’ve got a 15-year-old boy from the Ivory Coast who speaks five languages!”

Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger are two of the longest serving managers of English football. This obviously means that the two of them must have a history of spats. This one was a particular comment made by SAF in 2003.

“He was certainly full of it, calling me Boss and Big Man when we had our post-match drink after the first leg. But it would help if his greetings were accompanied by a decent glass of wine. What he gave me was paint stripper.”

Ferguson was quoted as saying this after the first leg of the Champions League clash between Manchester United and Porto FC in the year 2004. Alex Ferguson and Jose Mourinho are known to have a good relationship with each other. Even in the 2004-05 and 2005-06 seasons when the title challenge between United and Chelsea was vigorous, the two managers had a strong friendship going. Mourinho is touted to be a possible successor for Ferguson, and who knows what is going to happen.

“Sometimes you look in a field and you see a cow and you think it’s a better cow than the one you’ve got in the field.”

This is my personal favorite. In the year 2010, after the dramatic U-turn made by Rooney over the transfer request issue, Ferguson was quoted as saying this. This man is certainly a genius. This is not just about football, it suits us in our everyday lives.

“I remember the first time I saw him. He was 13 and just floated over the ground like a cocker spaniel chasing a piece of silver paper in the wind.”

This reference was made by the most decorated manager in British Football for the most decorated player in British football, Ryan Giggs. He told this to the media in the year 1997, when Giggs was shaping up to be the best winger in English football.

“That lad must have been born offside.”

Filippo Inzaghi was a player caught offside far too often, and Ferguson had a go at the legendary striker. Inzaghi retired from football last year.

“I bet him he wouldn’t get 15 league goals and I’m going to have to change my bet with him. If he gets to 15 I can change it and I am allowed to do that because I’m the manager. I’m going to make it 150 now!”

When he was talking about the bet he made with Ronaldo about his goal scoring fortunes, he said this.

“I used to have a saying that when a player is at his peak, he feels as though he can climb Everest in his slippers. That’s what he was like.”

During Paul Ince’s time at Manchester United, a spat arose between him and the gaffer. They both had a long-sustained tempestuous relationship, and when he was sold to Inter, Sir Alex was quoted as saying this. It suits perfectly for many players in different sports around the globe, doesn’t it?

“I think it’s important to work and I’m entitled to work. Some people do not want to work but I want to continue working. Retirement is for young people.”

Ferguson has been under constant pressure regarding his retirement, and this was the answer to one such question. His view that ‘retirement is for young people’ says it all. His love, passion and dedication to the game is depicted here.

“It was a freakish incident. If I tried it 100 or a million times it couldn’t happen again. If I could I would have carried on playing!”

This was during the aftermath of dressing room incident, during which the boot which Ferguson kicked in anger hit Beckham accidentally. Plenty of rumours propped up regarding the future of Beckham at the club, and the answer to those rumours was this.

The quotes mentioned here are just small drops in an infinitely long ocean. One article is not enough to write the history of golden words that have come from the Manchester United gaffer.