Reuters Soccer Blog
World Soccer views and news
Evergreen Ferguson masterminds another triumph
When Jose Mourinho burst onto the scene and Chelsea became the new force in English football, there were many who thought Alex Ferguson’s days as Manchester United boss were numbered.
Those doubters are suddenly running for cover after the feisty Scot steered United to their 17th league title and the 10th of his glittering Old Trafford reign.
Mourinho has long gone, Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez is still fathoming the secret of the Premier League and new Chelsea manager Avram Grant could be on his way like Jose if Chelsea don’t win the Champions League.
Men like Ferguson, and Arsene Wenger for that matter, don’t come around often.
If not a salary cap, then what’s the solution?
Kevin Keegan thinks the Premier League is getting boring — see our latest Vlog on the Pitch — but, not for the first time, Sir Alex Ferguson sees things a bit differently.
“The League is murder for me and Avram Grant and nerve-racking for fans and players,” Ferguson said. “It would be impossible to make the Premier League any more exciting.”
Friday afternoon question: Should Fergie quit if he wins a double?
Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson has been elusive over his retirement plans but with a possible double looming, should he start thinking about leaving on a high note if he manages to win this season’s Premier League and Champions League?
Ferguson, 66, has been at the club since 1986 and has brought nine league titles, five FA Cups and one European Cup to Old Trafford – will he ever feel he has won enough silverware?
Time up for ‘futile’ friendlies
My colleague Zoran Milosavljevic was enthused about Wednesday’s batch of friendlies but not everyone was so impressed. Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsenal’s Arsene Wenger both pondered the death of the international friendly after the midweek ‘action’ and they were not alone.
Other than the dramatic 4-3 victory by the Dutch, who had been trailing 3-0 to Euro 2008 co-hosts Austria, Wednesday’s games were a poor advert for mid-season international football with many players coming back injured — much to the annoyance of their club managers.
