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So the news is that Robin Van Persie is out with a thigh injury. The extent of the injury can only be speculated upon. Yet, why is no one surprised? I mean, he does have the reputation of being the most injury-prone footballer in recent history. This is a man who surprised everyone, maybe even himself, when he managed to go without injury for a single season. And with Wayne Rooney injured, Sir Alex Ferguson’s woes seem to have multiplied. Yes, RVP scored four goals in three games. Yes, all of them were sheer class. But why did Ferguson spend so much money for a 29 year old, injury-prone striker when he could have spent that money better on a midfielder they seem to need so much? Obviously, the old man is losing his marbles. Or is he?
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Now, I am not a Manchester United fan. In fact, I’m not a ‘fan’ of any club in particular. I guess it’s because I don’t care which team loses as long as I enjoy watching the game. And the one team I have truly enjoyed watching over the years has been Manchester United. Somehow, only they are capable of snatching victory from the jaws of defeat the way they do. Thrilling, nail-biting, inspiring stuff. Stuff of legends, some might say. And through all this, there has been one man standing – Sir Alex Ferguson. The wily fox, the tactical genius, the master schemer. He has as many nicknames as he does trophies. And he’s earned each and every one of them (trophies AND nicknames). Managers and players have come and gone, and been long-forgotten, but this man, now over 70 years of age, still stands at the touchline, chewing gum in the same way he has been for the last few decades. His achievements are dizzying. He has won every trophy there is over and over again and then he’s gone back and won some more. Every time there was a question mark over his ability, he silenced his critics by inspiring his team to perform better that anyone’s expectations. Love or hate Manchester United, you cannot help but respect and admire the man they call Sir Alex Ferguson (anyone disagreeing should kindly stop watching football).
Now that we’ve established the greatness of the man, let’s get back to the topic at hand; the not-so-flying Dutchman. So why did Ferguson buy him at all? Sure, he’s a great player and all, but is he worth 24 million pounds? Isn’t that a lot of money? Maybe so, but to understand the purchase you need to understand the mind of the man who made it possible. Fergie didn’t become a legend just because he is a good manager. He’s a legend because of the philosophy he instilled at the club: ‘The club is always bigger than the player.’ He was ruthless in implementing this policy and spared no one who thought otherwise. Jaap Stam, Fabian Barthez, David Beckham and even Roy Keane were shown the door after Ferguson lost his patience with them. And none of these players could ever produce the same level of success again after leaving. A man who commanded respect, sometimes even fear, was the main reason for the renaissance the club has seen in the last two decades. And over the years, he has nurtured and groomed some of the greatest players that ever played (I’m sure everyone knows the list). And then came Wayne Rooney.
Wayne Rooney, in my opinion, is one of the best players in the world today. His work rate, pace, strength, determination and skill truly make him the ‘complete player’, a true Manchester United star. But let’s rewind a few years into the past. This was a time when a young Wayne Rooney, full of raw talent and energy, was stepping on people’s groins in World Cup matches, peeing outside clubs in a drunken stupor and basically doing things that were considered less-than-ideal for a footballer of his talent (shades of Balotelli?). But it was Ferguson who made Rooney the player he is today. He took all that raw energy and gave it direction to make him one of the most feared strikers on the planet. Together, they won every trophy there was. Times were good. But then came the 2010-11 season, when Wayne Rooney, going through a personal crisis, was almost about to sign for United’s derby rivals, Manchester City. The fans were outraged. Death threats were made to Rooney. In all this chaos, a seemingly defeated Alex Ferguson held a press conference and was very emotional about Wayne Rooney leaving. Those six minutes changed the course of history and Wayne Rooney pledged his loyalty to United by signing a five-year contract. In a career which has seen so much success, this, I think, was Ferguson’s greatest victory. A true moment of genius, if such a thing exists. He got Rooney to stay on HIS terms. He knew how important Rooney was and he succeeded in retaining him. After a difficult start to the season, the now-legendary bicycle kick against City and the Cantona-esque celebration propelled Rooney to super stardom. That game changed the complexion of the season and Manchester United went on to win the Premier League a record 19th time as they, in Sir Alex’s words,’ knocked Liverpool off their f*****g perch.’ All was forgiven, but never forgotten. Alex Ferguson never forgets. That’s what makes him Alex Ferguson.
Coming back to the current season, Rooney’s horrific injury has been overshadowed by rumors of his future at United after RVP’s arrival. Van Persie has already become a cult-hero after his late goals against Southampton, while the press is at Rooney’s throat. So, are these just rumours or a sign of things to come? Now that Van Persie is injured too, United will have to field their their two young strikers, Welbeck and Hernandez. And we all know you can’t win anything with kids, right? (Alan Hansen, eat your heart out). But the season has just started and it is too early to make any kind of prediction.
We all know Fergie is going to retire soon, maybe in a couple of years. Yes, I know we’ve heard that before, but this time I think he’s going to do it, irrespective of the Pep Guardiola equation. There are enough talented youngsters in United to ensure the club’s future. So, is Van Persie the final piece of the puzzle? A last goodbye, if you will. In one masterstroke, Sir Alex Ferguson snatched his arch-rival’s star player while showing his prodigal student who the boss really is. Van Persie will play for a maximum of two to three years, but that’s exactly how long Fergie plans to stick around. Of course, he will try to win every trophy he can get his hands on, but he’s already delivered his coup-de-grace. No matter what comes next, Ferguson has lived by the philosophy that has made him the man he is today. Truly, no player is bigger than the club. But what about the manager? Well, that’s a debate for a different day.
