Why I love Manchester United!

Manchester United. The name speaks for itself. We could end this conversation here but allow me to indulge you with one of my passions. I am sure I have lost some of you there. The club insignia invokes such passion and vitriol in equal measure. The club badge is the most recognized in the world. It is the universal symbol of success. Of course the haters would not agree but facts do not lie. Most successful team in England and it is in England that football matters. It is a good day to blog about Manchester United. Sitting at number three in the premier league despite the naysayers. Somehow the results keep coming even with a shambolic defense, lackluster performances and the haters keep getting miffed. I am absolutely delighted by the clubs fortune. Surely after last season, the club needed some luck. The question is, how long does this continue? It won't matter to me because I am not a glory seeker and I will stand with the club in glory times and the not so glory times.

My love affair with Manchester United began in the late nineties when the team in red (the real reds) would win all the titles. That is a general statement laden with facts. Case in point; when the club won an unprecedented treble in 1999. Before I continue, let me put out some appendices to help you understand me. Pardon me if I refer to the club as 'we' and 'our' and other clubs as 'them' or 'they'. These are terms acquired by the fans who cannot be separated with the club. For instance, how can I forget the Arsenal 6-1 drubbing at Old Trafford in February 2001. Dwight Yorke scored a hat-trick as United marched on to yet another title. Arsenal in those days was the main rival and as much as they have faded away to become a commercial club content with 4th place, beating them will always be a delight. August 28th, 2012 Arsenal was outgunned again by Manchester United in their most humiliating defeat. The scoreline was the date in reverse. How significant..Of course in true Man United fashion, I had to troll Arsenal. That's what we do as United fans.

The crowning moment as a United fan

Enter Jose Mourinho, the man I will remember for running the touchline at Old Trafford with his rookie Porto team marching on to the 2004 Champions League title. What a way to announce your entry at the world's grandest stage. Old Trafford. The theatre of dreams. Jose went on to Chelsea and built a team that would become the new rival to Manchester United. It is the only team in England I consider as a true rival to Manchester United success. The phenomenon that is Jose is a man that you love to hate but give all your respect to. The man simply is a genius. A tactical genius and wherever he goes success follows him. It is a pity he is not a Manchester United manager.

Sir Alex Ferguson. The greatest manager of all time. The epitome of the club. Anyone who has been a United fan knows that SAF is synonymous with Manchester United. He is one of the reasons I fell in love with Manchester United. He is the embodiment of success. The man is a winner. I am yet to get his autobiography but I am definitely putting the book in my reading list for 2015. You could trust him with the team because more often than not he would deliver. Players would line up to play for Manchester United just to be coached by SAF. Former players like Hughes, Steve Bruce, Gary Neville and now Ryan Giggs have followed him into management. It is a testament that the man instilled leadership like no one could. Jose Mourinho simply calls him, 'boss' and that is a befitting name from a person who is equally good. Watching United play with SAF on the stands was such a joy as you would always know the outcome. For me, what makes SAF a phenomenon, is the ability to build teams over and over again capable of competing. That is an achievement. The challenge is always to get a team that has won everything hungry for success. There was a wall hanging in our house that had this quote, 'becoming number is easier than remaining number one' and nothing sums up the challenge that SAF had at Manchester United.

After the treble of 1999, the team went into decline and SAF knew he had to build a new team to challenge again especially with the emergence of the Roman Chelsea empire. The likes of Dwight Yorke, Andy Cole, Solskjaer had all come to their career's end. Ruud Van Nistelrooy was acquired but he was part of a transitioning team. For a few seasons, the club was trophy-less but SAF built a team that comprised of a burgeoning Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez. That was a devastating attack and was dubbed the 'holy trinity'. It blew away every opposition and became champions of Europe on that rainy night in Moscow. It was a proud day to be a fan of Manchester United. It stands out as one of my highlights.

UEFA Champions League Winners 2008

The 'holy' trinity of Tevez, Rooney and Ronaldo

History was made when United became the most successful English team sealing its 19th title with a 1-1 draw with Blackburn Rovers on 14th May, 2011 overtaking our arch nemesis Liverpool who are still stuck on their 18th title. We got the bragging rights and immediately SAF looked to go one better. Get the 20th title.

May 2012 and it was d-day to determine the winner of the premier league. United were away at Sunderland and level on points with Manchester City who were hosting QPR. For 92 minutes, United had wrapped its 20th league title by winning 1 nil until Sergio Aguero with the last kick of the season stole the title from Manchester United and the 'noisy' neighbours had finally become noisy. It was heartbreak of untold proportions. I will not forget that day and all those against Manchester United had their field day. The unthinkable happened. United lost the title on goal difference. SAF was enraged understandably and went and signed one Robin Van Persie wearing jersey number 20 clearly targeting that elusive 20th league title. It was impossible to imagine that Arsenal would sell their top striker to United but SAF made it happen. He was looking for goals and goals he got. RVP became our MVP and sealed the 20th league title with a hat-trick against Aston Villa with four games to spare. It was a title won convincingly and not on goal difference. The title was won with a record margin of 11 points. On the last day of that season (2012/13) SAF managed United for the last time and rode into the retirement sunset a winner although his last game finished 5-5 against Westbrom. 
A day to remember. A tribute to the legend. 26 years had finally come to an end.





Perhaps the one manager that got one two many over SAF other than Mourinho was Pep Guardiola. He simply inherited a brilliant Barcelona team with the best players in the world and no team would match them. It is unfortunate that the two managers would not go toe to toe now with SAF retired. Two times, Barcelona beat Manchester United in the Champions League final. Barring the brilliance of Xavi, Iniesta and Lionel Messi, United would have won more Champions League titles. It is okay to be number two when you know number one is better than you. Barcelona was such and SAF acknowledged this. SAF was able to make ordinary players like Michael Carrick, Wes Brown, etc look extra ordinary. He made them compete with the likes of Xavi and Iniesta. That is a motivator par excellence.

Ask any United fan and they would tell you their biggest fear was losing SAF. After sealing a 20th league title in emphatic fashion, SAF said that he would continue to make United even better. A few days later, social media was rife with news that SAF had decided to retire. As is the case these days, when you see it on social media, it is as good as confirmed and SAF declared his retirement. Another dark day in the life of a United fan, It was dreadful to imagine what would happen to United next. Whoever was to replace him would find it impossible to emulate him. They would fail before they even start.





Enter David Moyes, the chosen one by none other than SAF and he had the unenviable task to lead United to yet another title or at least maintain the standards that had been set. He began so well with a community shield trophy followed by a 4-1 thumping of Swansea with RVP getting a brace. 10 months later, all records United held came tumbling down and United failed to qualify for the Champions League. 'How the mighty had fallen!' The pundits and the newsmakers had written the obituary of Manchester United. It was even more insulting to predict that United would go the Liverpool way and become a 'history' club. I feared for the worst but as a MUFC fan I was obliged to stand with the club. The words of SAF would ring in my ears when it became too much to bear: "I'd also like to remind you that when I had bad times here the club stood by me. All my staff stood by me, the players stood by me, you stood by me, and your job now is to stand by our new manager. That is important." We stood with the club but not the manager. David Moyes was fired on Twitter before officially been shown the door by the novice Ed Woodward. The Chosen One had become the Rejected One. As a fan, I bayed for David's blood when record after record went tumbling. I had never seen a man so hated, I pitied the man. David was a good man, a good manager, an average manager. United needed a world class manager and David was not. It was that simple. David would fit well in an average team and guide the team to become a more than average team but he could not manage the champions of England. That was way above his pay grade. For all SAF's brilliance, this was a blot that would not be forgotten. Maybe he wanted to cement his legendary status by appointing a mediocre manager he knew would make him look great. Maybe. The only silver lining to David Moyes 'error' was that he managed to beat Arsenal at home and avoid defeat at the Emirates. What a fete for the man who had previously not achieved it with his teams.

Fast forward to today and United have LVG, a world class manager who is tasked with taking United back to its glory. He even got an angel by the name of Angel Di Maria to exorcise the devils of David Moyes. It would seem that he is on the right track. SAF had spoiled us with success and success is the minimum requirement in this business.

Louis Van Gaal posing with new number '7' signing Angel Di Maria

I cannot finish without mentioning the players that have graced Old Trafford and cemented my love for the club. Obviously Cristiano Ronaldo better known as CR7 is one such player who makes you proud to be associated with Manchester United. He is, according to me, the best player in the world. Period. His services to the club will never be forgotten. David Beckham the other number 7, was a player with immense talent as well and those assists would never be forgotten. Ryan Giggs, What can I say about this freak of nature. Played for United all his life and broke every barrier possible. Knighthood awaits him. Paul Scholes, the hard tackler and the pin pointer shooter. What a player! Eric Cantona, the legend, another number 7. He was the player that brought swag to the team. He was just pure finesse and who would ever forget that quote he gave, 'When the seagulls follow the trawler, it's because they think sardines will be thrown into the sea'. I never saw him play but George Best is clearly a legend. As they say in Belfast, his birth town, 'Pele good, Maradona Great, George Best'. My all time best first eleven is: Van Der Sar. Garry Neville, Nemanja Vidic, Rio Ferdinand, Patrice Evra, Ryan Giggs, Roy Keane, Paul Scholes, Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, Ruud Van Nistelrooy. I watched all these guys play and in their prime they were devastating. I hope to get update this eleven in the future with even better players.

I have followed United with a passion and continue to do so and hopefully I will transfer this passion to my offspring. It is a travesty I have not visited Old Trafford nor met the legend SAF. It is in my bucket list to at least get to do one of the two with the former being more realistic. When that day comes, I will update this blogpost with that experience.

I leave you with this quote from Eric Cantona. Most parts of this quote are not true and I say this before my wife Sylvia without any fear of contradiction but the sentiment is clear.