Sir Alex Ferguson was (and perhaps still is) the Bill Gates or Jeff Bezos of football. During his career, he was regarded as the best manager to have ever graced the football world. And despite retiring since 2013, he, arguably, still sits at the very peak of the list. Sir. Alex was the very definition of success in coaching, and till dates remain the perfect model for young and even veteran managers. In a career spanning across 39 years, SAF amassed 49 trophies, but what stands out is his time with Manchester United. In the get-success-quick system of the Premier League, it was astonishing that a man could remain at a club for 26 long years, riding the storms and sailing the waves. In his incredible prime, Sir. Alex broke all existing records and wrote new ones that would take very long to reach. To put it short: Sir. Alex Ferguson is the greatest coach ever in the Premier League and, perhaps, the world.
However, for all of his unparalleled success, Alex Ferguson had a wild reputation for his fiery temper. There are several instances of his anger and was sometimes cancerous. He even broke David Beckham’s head in a dressing room confrontation. On several occasions, he used obscene swear words on players, always dishing out the craziest words at anyone unlucky enough to be at the receiving end. Couple this with his ability to be stoic and inflexible, and sometimes horrible with decisions and you have a man whom no one in his right senses would have willingly played for. How then was such a man able to coach a group of young players who earned very high, had extraordinary talents and sometimes tried to be rebellious? Just how? But the pitch was not the only where SAF excelled. He was immense off the pitch too. Due to some ‘shrewd’ decisions, he played a significant part in United’s rise from a modest club with a lot of history to a top conglomerate in the football world. Well, as people would eventually realize, Sir. Alex Ferguson was never a manager. He was a leader. This, perhaps, aptly reflects why the book is titled ‘Leading’, and not ‘managing.’
In Leading, Sir. Alex Ferguson, alongside Sir. Michael Moritz reveals his secret for continuous and incredible success on and off the pitch. He reveals his formula for winning throughout his career. He answers the questions that have bothered many over the years. In Leading, Ferguson extends his success to a more significant part of the world, and by reading, one realizes the man would have excelled, even if he had not ventured into football at all. However, as you will see, Leading does not reveal mind-blowing or magical techniques for winning. The template is relatively familiar.
Alex Chapman Ferguson was born on 31 December 1941 in Govin, Scotland. He was born to Alexander Beaton Ferguson, a worker in the shipping industry, and Elizabeth Hardie. He grew up with his younger brother, Martin. Ferguson had his primary education in Broomloan Road Primary School and upon graduation, moved to Govan High School. While growing, he followed his father to bricklaying jobs, and that would go a very long way in his future. He also worked as a toolmaker’s apprentice in Hillington and was soon appointed as a union shop steward. He tells that he worked to an extreme during these times and his determination, work ethic and persistence were formed during this period. He grew the constant hunger to always be the best at whatever he did.
Ferguson tells of his playing stints before making a career switch. He started his kid career with Harmony Row Boys Club in Govan and afterward moved to Drumchapel Amateurs, a youth club reputed for developing excellent players. His amateur career began with Queens Park at the age of 16. His first match for the team was against Stranraer, a match his club lost 2 – 1 but with the young striker scoring the sole goal for his club. He was unable to play regularly despite scoring 20 goals in 31 appearances and soon, his hunger would motivate him to switch to another club. In 1960, he moved to St. Johnstone. Again, he was a regular scorer, always netting in matches, but was still unable to command a starting berth in the club. This prompted him to request a transfer and at this stage, he even considered moving to Canada. However, the inability of the club to sign a striker forced him to see out the remainder of the season. He maintained his goal-scoring prowess, with the highlight being netting a hat-trick in a 3 – 1 victory against Rangers.
He moved to Dunfermline in the summer of 1964 and became a full-time professional at the club. In the 1964/65 season, the club happened to be strong contenders for the Scottish League and even made it to the final of the Scottish Cup. The club lost 3 – 2 to Celtic, perhaps due to the decision to drop Ferguson due to his poor performance in a previous league match. What’s worse, the club lost the league by a point. In the following season, Ferguson was outstanding, netting 45 goals in just 51 games. He won the top goalscorer of the league with 31 goals. The following season, he moved to Rangers for £65, 000 which was a record transfer between two Scottish teams then. He continued his brilliant form with the club and performed well in Europe too, helping the club to two Inter-cities Fairies Cup semifinals on two occasions but ended up knocked out by English teams on both occasions. He had a fallout with the club here and he moved to Falkirk. He would have moved to Nottingham Forest but his wife was not keen to move to England. He played here for four years and owing to the experience he had garnered, was appointed a player-coach. However, upon appointment, the new head coach stripped him of his post and this upset Ferguson, causing him to request a move. He ended up at Ayr United where he finished his playing career. Throughout his career, Ferguson encapsulated hard work, determination, extreme drive, and consistency. His drive for excellence ensured he was the best wherever he played.
Ferguson proceeds to narrate his managerial positions with three Scottish Clubs. Ferguson’s coaching career began with East Stirlingshire in June 1974 at a relatively young age of 32. He was to earn £40 weekly. He quickly forged a reputation for his strict and disciplinary measures despite his young age. He wouldn’t have any player gallivanting about. In the following October, he was courted by St Mirren, a relatively larger club than Stirlingshire and although he had been reluctant to move due to loyalty, he eventually did. Ferguson coached St Mirren for 4 years, from 1974 to 1978. In these years, he transformed a team playing in the bottom half of the old Second Division into First Division Champions in 1977. During his time here, he discovered a sea of talented players and got the best out of them in a superb attacking style of football. Some of these players were Billy Stark, Tony Fitzpatrick, Lex Richardson, Frank McGarvey, Bobby Reid, and Peter Weir. His preference for young players was obvious here, with 19 being the average age of his champion team; the captain meanwhile was just 20. He soon had some problems and was sacked over claims of contract infringement due to some of his activities. He appealed but lost and moved to Aberdeen
Ferguson moved to Aberdeen in June 1978. Despite being a major club, the team had won the league just once, and that was in 1955. At the time of his appointment, however, the team was in good form and had not lost a game since last December, having finished the previous season in second place. Ferguson would have problems commanding the respect of this team, however, particularly that of the older players. The season ended badly, with the club losing the semifinal of the Scottish Cup, the final of the Scottish League Cup and finishing 4th place in the league. Ferguson analyses this period and describes what had been missing: discipline. He goes ahead to tell of the remarkable turnaround, mainly due to the harsh decisions he took. The following season, the club won the Scottish League, and Ferguson claims that this was the birth of his respect. He highlights the significance of discipline on the club’s victory. He once fined one of his players for overtaking him on the public road and at some other time, kicked a tea urn at the players at halftime for poor first-half performance. He earned the name “Furious Fergie”.
Ferguson reveals the tenets of the incredible success that followed. The team won the Scottish Cup in 1982. In the following year, the club qualified for European Cup Winners’ Cup. The first match pitted the club against Bayern Munich, a real reckoning force, but Aberdeen won anyway. In the final match, the club defeated Real Madrid 2 – 1, becoming the third Scottish team to win the European cup. In the European Super Cup, the club won again, winning Hamburger SV 2 – 0 over two legs. That season, the club won the Scottish Cup and did well in the league. Until Fergie’s move, Aberdeen won a trophy every season. Prior to his departure, Fergie was courted by a plethora of teams, with Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal notable mentions. Ferguson does not talk modest of his time at the club, and that is what would be rightly expected, given that this was a highly competitive and accomplished man. He had carved himself a reputation.
In 1986, Ferguson moved to Manchester United, the club at which he would build his legacy. Before his arrival, the club had not won any trophies for several years. In fact, since the era of Matt Busby, the club had not performed well and was only regarded as a modest team with some history. Liverpool was the rave of the years, and every English football fan knew that. However, the arrival of the savior would change everything, although it would take time.
On his arrival, the club was languishing in 21st position, but this was not the most pressing issue. He was concerned about the fitness level of the team, with some of the players very much taken to alcohol. This was possible because England had not yet seen anything wrong in drinking alcohol for 12 hours straight and players had no regard for healthy living and eating. Furious Fergie immediately came into play. He was able to increase the discipline as well as improve the fitness level of the players, and as a proof, the club ended the season at 11th, even recording a win over title holders, Liverpool. He appointed Archie Knox, his assistant at Aberdeen, as his assistant.
Ferguson talks of the immediately succeeding seasons. He signed new players, such as Steve Bruce, Viv Anderson, Brian McClair and Jim Leighton. These players did very well in the club’s performance that season, with the club ending second behind Liverpool. At this point, it was apparent the team had a clear blueprint, and all it needed was time. The 1988/89 season was disappointing as the club was unable to build on the previous season’s improvement and ended up at 11th in the league. The club also lost at home to Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup sixth round. The following season, Ferguson paid significant sums to sign midfielders Neil Webb, Mike Phelan, and Paul Ince, as well as defender Gary Pallister and winger Danny Wallace. The team flattered to deceive, winning the opening match against reigning Champions Arsenal with a scoreline of 4 – 1 but ending the year just above the relegation zone. Soon, the team was drawn with Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup, and contrary to expectations, United won 1 – 0 and eventually lifted the trophy with a 1 – 1 victory over Crystal Palace. Ferguson describes this period as the darkest of his career yet.
The journey to recovery was just starting for the club. The 1990/91 season saw a significant improvement in the club’s style of play, but for all of the excellent showings, there was a lack of consistency and hence finished sixth. The team came runners-up in the League Cup, losing 1 – 0 to Sheffield Wednesday. The team tasted success in Europe that season, winning the European Cup Winners’ Cup in a 2 – 1 victory against Barcelona. At the end of it all, the coach declared that the club would win the local League the following season. But things didn’t go as planned, and the club ended second in the 1992/93 season. However, they won the League Cup and Super Cup for the first time.
The following season, Manchester United secured their first piece of silverware in the league since the time of Matt Busby and in doing so, became the first Premier League champions. That was the genesis of Ferguson’s era. The following season, the club won the League title once more, going through the whole season without losing top spot. The team won the FA Cup too with a remarkable 4 – 0 trumping of Chelsea in the final. It was however disappointing that the club lost the League Cup to Aston Villa in a 3 – 1 defeat. The following season was tough. The club lost the league because of a draw in the last match and lost the FA Cup final to Everton. This was however laudable given that Eric Cantona missed the final four months of the season due to an eight-month-ban he received for kicking a fan. This season represented the breakthrough for many young players namely Gary Neville, Nicky Butt, Ryan Giggs, and Paul Scholes.
Ferguson discusses Fergie Fledglings, highlighting the belief he had in the group after he had refused to sign replacements for three departing star players in the 1995 season. Other young players, such as Phil Neville and David Beckham joined the first team, and the coach felt the club was ready to challenge for honors with them. He revels in his confidence in the group, stating that he blindly stuck with them because they had been preparing for it for a very long while. The lads had worked very hard, and they showed extreme determination to be the best, and that was all it required.
The book follows the rest of Ferguson’s career until his retirement. By the time he retired, Manchester United had won 13 Premier League titles, 5 FA Cups, 4 Football League Cups, 10 Community Shields, 2 UEFA Champions League, 1 UEFA Super Cup and many more. Single-Handedly, he had moved the club to the top of the footballing world, with the club earning a top spot on the list of most valuable clubs. The man is forever revered at Old Trafford, having rebranded the club. With the arrival of the Scot, United fans could eventually speak were Liverpool fans spoke, although Gary Neville never backed down from an argument even when he hadn’t arrived. To cement his legendary status, the club erected a statue of Ferguson on 23 November 2012.
The secrets to this revolutionary evolution are revealed, and they are nothing extraordinary. Just work hard and remain determined to excel always. He lays emphasis on the harsh decisions he had to make in completing the first phase of his rebuilding. He analyses the decisions he took, maintaining that he always put the club’s interest above all others no matter the player involved. The first instance of his discipline was how he had handled Paul McGrath when he had refused to quit his alcoholic addiction. He reveals the difficulty it took to make some decisions, particularly when it involved players with whom he had built a special rapport.
Sir. Alex mentions other issues too. He reveals a 2010 meeting with the Glazers and David Gill, the then chairman, on a bumper contract for Wayne Rooney. The decision reached was simple: no player was permitted to earn more than Ferguson. According to Fergie, they reached an agreement in fewer minutes it took to read two sentences.
There is also a hint that perhaps Pep Guardiola, not David Moyes, was the first choice for Sir. Alex’s replacement. The latter’s appointment was due to the unavailability of the former and other coaches, such as Jurgen Klopp, Carlo Ancelotti, Louis van Gaal, and Jose Mourinho.
Ferguson declares that he worked with just four world-class players during his entire time with Manchester United. These players were Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Eric Cantona, and Christiano Ronaldo, with the Portuguese tagged “the greatest player” of them all.
Sir Alex writes thoughtfully and candidly. The best part about Leading is that Sir Alex didn’t hold back anything; he mentioned names and is surprisingly open. Some very interesting aspects of his tenure are discussed in vivid details, and often it felt like reading the man’s mind. His iron grip on the dressing room, coupled with relentless hunger of being – and staying – the best, remains unmatched in the footballing world. He also highlights how he was able to avoid complacency even when he had been at the top for a very long while. Much is said of his work ethics too. It is stunning to read the boss used to arrive as early as 7 am and wouldn’t return home until it was dark, sometimes as late as 9 pm. An example of his exceptional commitment is evident in the fact that although his contract granted him an annual leave of 5 weeks, he only started taking the leave when he turned 50 and even at that, he used just three weeks per year.
Ferguson and Michael are superb in telling this story. Both men write with such flair that at the end, the importance of Sir. Alex’s core values are strongly impressed upon readers. Leading teaches a great lesson in the all-conquering power of focus and discipline and emphasizes the need to be extreme with oneself to turn weaknesses into strengths. Through this timeless book, readers learn to overcome the temptation to quit or just take the easy way. In the end, you realize that it’s not really hard; you just have to do it every day.
Similar Books To Read
- Sir Matt Busby: The Father of Manchester United.
- Roy Keane: The Autobiography
- Growing Up With the Trinity: An Englishman, a Scotsman, and an Irishman Walked Onto a Football Pitch…by Brendon Mcguire (Out Sept 2019).
- My Manchester United Years by Bobby Charlton.
- Gentleman John: The biography of Johnny Carey. Manchester United and Ireland Legend by Cavanagh MBE, Mr. Roy and Mr. Carl Abbott.
- Denis Law: My Life in Football (MUFC) by Denis Law and Ivan Ponting.
- From the Goal line to Touchline Kindle Edition by Jack Crompton.
- Harry Stafford: Manchester United’s First Captain Marvel by Ean Gardiner and Mark Wylie
- The Man Who Kept The Red Flag Flying: Jimmy Murphy – The Family Authorised Life Story by Wayne Barton.
- Class of 92 (MUFC) by Ian Marshall.
- Cantona: The Rebel Who Would Be King Philippe Auclair.
- Giggs: The Autobiography Joe Lovejoy.
- Duncan Edwards: The Greatest (MUFC) by James Leighton.
- Robbo – My Autobiography: An extraordinary career by Bryan Robson.
- Red, White & Blackmore by Clayton Blackmore, Wayne Barton, et al.
