Tribute to Sir Alex Ferguson

Alex Ferguson is a former Scottish soccer player, and currently the coach who manages English soccer club Manchester United for 25 years now. Manchester United is the best soccer club in England, and now one of the best in the world, and is largely due to the hard work of Ferguson as the managing coach. He essentially has established himself as the most successful British manager of all time, with a team that could not win a title for 26 years, is now the most successful team in England. His hard work led to being knighted by the Queen of England in 1999, when Manchester United won the first ever-famous treble, consisting the league title(domestic English league), FA Cup(oldest soccer tournament in history that consists of teams in all of the United Kingdom), and European Cup(league that consist of the best clubs in all of Europe).

Born Dec. 31, 1941, in Glasgow, Scotland, to a humble family, his father worked in the shipbuilding industry. Ferguson also began working at the shipyard at a young age as an apprentice tool worker, and also played part time soccer for Queens Park. By 1964, Ferguson began his professional career as a center forward, and I was not long before his hard work ethic showed on the field and a bigger club, and also his childhood idols, Glasgow Rangers, bought him. His playing career lasted ten years before he moved to coaching.

Given the teams he was handed as a coach, and the condition they were as not the best established in their respective league, Ferguson was able to accomplish so much and defy the odds. The teams that Ferguson managed were able to become strong in their domestic league, and eventually even European Cup winners, including a 2-1 final in favor against the powerful Real Madrid.

It was in November of 1986 when Ferguson was appointed the coach of Manchester United, a team that was struggling in the English league, and in danger of being regulated to the second division. Apart from being the first manager to win a treble, Ferguson also became the first coach to win the league in England three consecutive times. The most recent league championship was won last year during the 2010-11 campaign. This was a meaningful for Ferguson and all the fans, for it was the championship that allowed the club to move ahead of rivals Liverpool who had 18 league titles. With 19 league titles, Manchester United has become the most successful club in England, and to think when Ferguson took began his career in Manchester, the club only had 7 league titles.

"Retirement is for young people. If you retire when you're old, where do you go next? I would not quit unless my health deteriorated .If I get off that treadmill where do you think I'd go - only one way, down." Said Ferguson to a BBC reporter at the post conference just after winning the 19^thtitle.

Even as a husband, and father to three sons, Ferguson always makes time to manage the two. He is known for being at the training grounds as a early as 7:30 am, and usually works 18 hour days. He is always loyal to his players, however he never holds back when he has to give them a blast of anger.

People talk of Vince Lombardi, and Phil Jackson, as some of histories best all time coaches, Ferguson deserves his name up their as one of the best, if not the best. Manchester United are just a few games away this season to winning back to back league titles, and number twenty in it’s history. You don’t have to be a soccer fanatic to know his accomplishments are praiseworthy, for that reason this tribute to Sir Alex Ferguson.

-Erik