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| Alex Ferguson prepares for Old Trafford farewell | | |
LONDON: For almost 27 years, Old Trafford has witnessed Alex Ferguson venting his anger from the dugout, berating officials, anxiously checking his watch and making celebratory jigs down the touchline.
On Sunday, 76,000 fans have one final chance to witness - and savor - the most successful manager in British football history taking charge of Manchester United on home soil.
With the title wrapped up, the Swansea match is effectively meaningless, but the United players will want to give their retiring manager a suitable send-off from Old Trafford.
And for the 13th and final time, the Premier League trophy will be presented to the 71-year-old Ferguson now that black, red and white ribbons have replaced the blue and white of Manchester City.
"After losing two of the last three fixtures at Old Trafford, the onus is on the champions to put on a show and provide an occasion fitting for the greatest ever manager," United announced on its website.
Ferguson is yet to explain why he has decided to bring an end to a United career that has yielded almost 50 trophies since 1986.
But former England coach Fabio Capello offered an insight on Friday following a phone call with Ferguson.
"A few months ago he told me that he was going to stay on," Capello told broadcaster Sky Italia. "The news of his retirement really surprised me.
I called him and he told me that he decided this way because of excess stress. ... He told me that now he'll go and travel a bit, have fun and see the world with his wife."
It was his wife Cathy who persuaded Ferguson to reverse previous retirement plans for the end of the 2001-02 season - ensuring he went on to establish himself as the most successful manager Britain has produced.
That Ferguson is leaving on his own terms from Old Trafford would have seemed unthinkable during his early days with United when it took him four years to win his first trophy - the FA Cup - and another three to land the Premier League.
"He was the greatest coach of all time, especially because of all the difficulties he overcame at the start of his career with Manchester and for remaining for so many years on the same bench," Capello said.
"It's really incredible. I normally think that after four-five years at the most a coach should move, so to think that he stayed on the same bench for 26 years is incredible.
"That takes psychological, technical and humane capacity. I had a special relationship with him."
Ferguson is being replaced by a manager in his own mold - fellow Glasgow native David Moyes, who is leaving Everton after 11 years. "It's obviously a big change because this club's been run for so long under the same person," United midfielder Michael Carrick said. |
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