Ferguson sacrificing relationship with fans in favour of the Glazers

Sir Alex Ferguson’s defence of the Glazers isn’t something new; in fact it’s an occasion we’ve grown used to over the years. Ever since the Glazer’s takeover in 2005, many fans have lamented Ferguson for his surprisingly positive stance taken over the Glazers, but up until now it seemed as though Ferguson had been doing so half-heartedly. I personally believed that, behind the face of the man lying about how “magnificent” the Glazers are, there was a man growing increasingly frustrated at how they were running the club into the ground.

After all, it’s fair to suggest that an intelligent man like Ferguson should be able to see the effect the Glazers are having on the club in the same way that we can. Sensibly, many said they thought Ferguson actually dislikes the Glazers and that he supports them in public just to keep the club stable – or at least as stable as it can be when money is flowing out with constant debt repayments. Up until Ferguson’s quotes in the papers yesterday, this theory seemed perfectly reasonable for me – but unfortunately the latest round of Glazer adherence from Sir Alex has given my whole perspective of the situation a turn for the worst.

After years of having to listen to it, I’ve learnt to draw a blind-eye to all the rubbish spouted about the Glazers being “great” and Fergie being “comfortable” with the situation they’ve put him in. The latest quotes are full with that rubbish, and while it remains painful to hear Ferguson chatting rubbish just to keep the club’s harmony, I suppose the Glazers have done much worse. If it was just the usual “they’re fine” or whatever, then that would be contendable and the interview would hold little significance. But there were occasions where, in that interview, Sir Alex overstepped the mark by offending fans who – unlike the greedy yanks – actually care about the club.

Sir Alex saying stuff like “I think the majority of real fans will look at it realistically and say it’s not affecting the team” really was a misguided and apprehensive thing to claim. Does the fact we look at our clubs finances, and understand how every individual year the club pays more on debt repayments than player wages, make us a bad fan? Equally, by seeing that we’ve had a net spend lower than many mid-table Premier League teams since the Glazer’s takeover in 2005, we’re bad fans? According to Sir Alex, it does, and it’s the most illogical thing he’s said in a while.

The fact we’re creating a stir because we’ve not spent money may make us seem spoilt, but the point here isn’t actually about spending the money. It’s about the fact we’re the most profitable football club in the world yet we have limited funds to spend – essentially, we don’t have the money. The millions we make through shirt sales and sponsorship deals should be re-invested back into the club through various different routes; transfer fees, wages, building work, infrastructure and so on. But instead, the money goes straight into the club and straight back out again through bonds built to make debt repayments.

The truth is many ‘fans’ who can’t see the trouble the Glazers have been causing are extremely out of touch with both the real world and the football club. It wouldn’t be rude to suggest that many Glazer-apologists are unlikely to be unable to find Old Trafford on a map. The corporate and sponsorship side of things from the Glazers have unfortunately been fantastic, meaning that fans in more exotic parts of the world won’t understand the true cost of the Glazers until it happens on the pitch. But by Ferguson’s logic, a United ‘fan’ who’s never been to a United match is a better fan than myself because they can draw a blind eye to our poor finances. Whether he meant the words “real fans” to come out the way they did or not, it’s was slightly tasteless.

Maybe even more worrying though is Ferguson’s suggestion that “there are a whole lot of factions at United that think they own the club.” Either Ferguson was out on a deliberate mission to frustrate and anger fans or he doesn’t understand the difference between thinking you own the club and just loving it. Millions of pounds being sucked out of the club you support is like seeing somebody in your family victimised through fraud and losing all their money. It might come as a surprise to Sir Alex but, when that happens, you tend to care. The example might be a bit farcical, but the point’s there: we love the club, and when something bad happens to it, we want to voice our opinion.

Of course, I appreciate that, considering the public interest around the matter, Ferguson will always be inundated with questions in regards to the Glazers and their regime. But what’s not acceptable is the way Ferguson’s gone further than simply talking about the owners and has started to criticise the sane fans that can clearly see what they’re doing to our club. According to Sir Alex, because we love the club and can’t turn a bad eye to the people who are ruining it, we’re bad fans. It’s not easy for him to simply not talk about the Glazers – refusing to comment on any question about them would raise suspicions – but there’s no need, under any circumstances, for him to deflect pressure from the Glazers by badmouthing the fans.

When the evidence is there for all to see, it’s a very short-sighted thing to do. For instance, many journalists who don’t favour United agree that the Glazer’s financial regime is outrageous and can see the effect it’s having both on and off the pitch. Ferguson’s comments make it seem like we’re delusional because we love the club but it’s there for the neutrals to see as well. Many fans criticise Ferguson for praising the Glazers, and although I absolutely hate the idea of him doing it, I understand why he has to. We can’t, however much we want him to, expect Ferguson to criticise the Glazers because the effect it would have on the club is likely to be costly and significant.

However, what we can expect from Ferguson is for him to both keep quiet about how “fantastic” the Glazers are, and to refrain from lamenting the fans that are only showing worry for the long-term future of the club we love. If he gets asked a question about the Glazers he doesn’t have to say “they’re great,” he can just say they’re fine. Ferguson’s had plenty of experience of playing questions down and giving false impressions and short answers. There’s no doubting that the time Sir Alex has spent at United has been unquestionably successful and enjoyable for fans – and although the saga over his defence of the Glazers is yet to significantly tarnish the great work he’s done, it would be such a shame for it to get even close to doing so.