BBC Sportfootball

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

Related BBC sites

Page last updated at 11:38 GMT, Monday, 12 May 2008 12:38 UK

Alan Hansen's column

Alan Hansen
By Alan Hansen
BBC Sport football expert

Sir Alex Ferguson's 10th Premier League title with Manchester United - bracketed with all his other honours - has merely cemented his greatness as a manager.

Sir Alex Ferguson
Why should Ferguson even think about retirement after building this team?

A sign of his longevity and success can be encapsulated in the fact that United's win at Wigan to seal the title came 25 years to the day after Ferguson guided Aberdeen to a stunning European Cup Winners' Cup win against Real Madrid. What a career and what a record.

And this is why it is right to rank him alongside my great former manager at Liverpool, Bob Paisley, although Ferguson himself has said he has not won the Champions League enough and Bob brought the European Cup back to Anfield three times.

But Sir Alex has got the chance to win his second with United when they play Chelsea in Moscow on 21 May, and they have an undoubted psychological advantage over Avram Grant's side because they have got that first major trophy under their belt at their rivals' expense.

On the surface Ferguson and Paisley may seem different characters and personalities when you examine the firebrand Scot and the quietly-spoken man from the North East - but they have so many similarities.

Bob was always looking to improve Liverpool's side, even after our greatest successes, and Ferguson has rebuilt the Manchester United side four or five times since arriving at Old Trafford from Aberdeen in 1986.

Paisley was an unbelievable manager, and he shared a great ability with Ferguson to motivate his players to win more silverware even when they had enjoyed previous successes, and constantly get the best out of players.

Ferguson is like Paisley in his absolute refusal to settle for anything less than the best - they embody the old adage we used to have at Liverpool that "first is first and second is nowhere".

Paisley would never allow complacency to creep in and Ferguson is the same. We were always told that while you may enjoy success one season, it counts for nothing once the next season starts - and never think you have won anything until the medal was in your hand and the trophy lifted above the captain's head.

And Ferguson certainly possesses the ruthless streak that Paisley possessed when it comes to making the big decisions required to keep his club at the top of the pack.

Bob Paisley
Like Paisley, Ferguson is a motivator, ruthless and refuses to accept second best

Ferguson is an amazing character in that his fire and desire burns just as brightly after his years in the game and the trophies he has won. The hunger shows no sign of waning.

I have to confess I did not particularly like the build-up to big games, in fact I hated it. Ferguson, on the other hand, loves the adrenalin rush of both the build-up and the games themselves - you can see it just by looking at him.

He thought about retirement a few years ago and wisely decided it was not for him. He has been proved totally correct and he has once again moulded another outstanding United side, in fact this can be called a great side.

Ferguson might have stepped back from management into an ambassadorial or directorial role, but he rightly recognised that whatever he did, nothing would replicate that feeling he gets on the touchline, being involved, building teams, working with great players and guiding them to trophies.

Some people live for that. It is like a drug and Sir Alex is one of those people. If you retire you don't get that rush, and why should he retire having built this young team with so much more in front of it?

United's players also get the benefits because they are working with a great manager.

He arrived at Old Trafford with the stated intention of ending the era of Liverpool constantly winning titles, which he has done, but he has achieved another feat by responding to the challenge of Chelsea when they were suddenly fuelled by the riches of Roman Abramovich.

Chelsea won two titles in succession under Jose Mourinho, but Ferguson responded and regrouped to take two Premier Leagues in succession for United.

The bar has also been raised in recent years. In the '90s you could win a title with a very good side - now you have to have an outstanding side to win the Premier League.

Ferguson's next challenge awaits in the Champions League final, and I have no doubts they have a psychological advantage over Chelsea by winning the title.

Whatever happens, they have a trophy in their cabinet this season, whereas Chelsea know they will end empty-handed if they lose in Moscow.

And for the great manager of Manchester United, it is just another challenge he will relish.

Alan Hansen was talking to BBC Sport's Phil McNulty


see also
Why Ronaldo made the difference
12 May 08 |  Man Utd
How the title was won
12 May 08 |  Premier League
Title race photos
11 May 08 |  Football
BBC pundits on the Premier League
11 May 08 |  Premier League
Premier League finale as it happened
11 May 08 |  Premier League
Premier League photos
11 May 08 |  Football


related bbc links:

related internet links:
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites