MUTV commentator and regular 12 o'clock blogger Stewart Gardner is awestruck by Sir Alex's hunger and drive for more success...What is the secret of Sir Alex Ferguson’s remarkable, sustained success? I was given a clue on Saturday afternoon in the tunnel at Old Trafford.
The champagne was being sprayed in the dressing room and thousands of fans were celebrating a hat-trick of titles. But amid all of these joyous scenes, one man was already thinking about next season – the boss.
Less than half an hour after the final whistle, he was already plotting a record breaking 19th Championship. I put it to him that equalling Liverpool’s haul of titles was a great achievement. He was more interested in beating it – now THAT really would be a special achievement he told me.
And therein lies the difference between Sir Alex and the rest. A frightening, almost superhuman will to win. No resting on laurels, no basking in glory – it’s a case of “job done, what’s next?”
It's amazing really - for him, the time to celebrate and the time to reflect on another season of glory seems to last just a few minutes.
He deserves all of the eulogies that have been written about him over the past few days. He also should have been congratulated by Rafa Benitez. But I personally found it quite disrespectful that the Liverpool boss wasn't particularly forthcoming with his praise of the modern game's greatest manager.
Liverpool pushed United all the way in the title race and Benitez and his players deserve credit for that. The Ferguson-Benitez rivalry certainly added some colour and excitement to the campaign. But I’m quite certain that if
Liverpool had won the title then Sir Alex would have congratulated Benitez – just as he did with Jose Mourinho and Arsene Wenger when they were victorious.
The fact that United have wrapped up the title with a game to spare means that some of our biggest names will have 10 clear days to prepare for the Champions League final. Barcelona are in a similar position, having tied up La Liga.
What a mouthwatering prospect that match is! But before that we go to Hull and back. And I’ve got a question for you. What team will the boss pick at the KC Stadium next weekend? Post your answers on the Talking Reds thread - but I bet nobody gets it exactly right! And, of course, you'll find out first on MUTV at around 15:00 BST on Sunday.
The views expressed in this blog are personal to the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Manchester United FC.
Ujungpandang Time
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