THE PREMIERSHIP MEGASTAR - 14-1-08 Louis Spence Since the inception of the money-laden Premier League in the 1992/93 season we have had the pleasure and privilege of watching many of the world's football superstars in the flesh. Although it has not been cheap, it has been an absolute joy to marvel at the skills of Cantona, Zola, Juninho and many, many more. The stars just keep on coming. Now we have the mercurial talents of Berbatov, the pace and power of Drogba and of course Ronaldo (you can say diva and I can say diver), who is still a sight to behold when he is at his majestic best. It has not given me much satisfaction, however, to watch in action the person I rate as THE Premiership Megastar. You see I do not like the way he goes about his business. I do not like his bombastic bullying of officials nor his petulant behaviour because the media may not buckle to his command. I also dislike the endless mind games he employs to exert mental pressure on opponents and that demented little David Pleat three hop dance he does. AAARGH! He is not, and never was, a gifted footballer. He is however a fighter. A winner. And an outstanding manager. Sir Alex Ferguson When he joined Manchester United in 1986, the Reds had not won the league since 1967. He endured some tough barracking as he painstakingly went his own way building another successful dynasty. His first trophy came in 1990 when he won the FA Cup. The tide was turning and in 1991 they won the Cup Winners' Cup, defeating Barcelona in the final. The League Cup followed in 1992 and then came the avalanche of successes that marked this special man as THE Premiership Manager. In the fifteen seasons the Premiership has been in existence, his charges have won the title an amazing nine times, finished runners-up on three occasions and have three third places to their credit. At the start of this season I tipped Man U for another title. Nothing I have seen from a resurgent Arsenal has swayed me from this line of thought. When the going gets tough, so does Alex. Ask Kevin Keegan. To accompany those titles he has, in the Premiership period, won four FA Cups, one League Cup (mere bagatelle to United) and of course, on one unforgettable night in 1999, his United side captured the European Cup with two late late goals to defeat Bayern Munich. Winning this has now put Alex alongside his hero Sir Matt Busby, who similarly triumphed back in 1968. It is not just the countless trophies he has accrued. He has ALWAYS done it by playing teams packed with attacking flair. He has a fearsome reputation and has on at least five occasions to my memory shipped out wonderful players whose thinking did not correspond with his. "My way or the highway"? That phrase could have been invented for the combustible little Govan Oven, whose other nicknames include Furious Fergie. It is always debatable as to when a recognised team comes to an end but it is generally accepted that thus far he has built three outstanding Manchester sides. Please reader do not insult my, or for that matter, your own intelligence by pointing out the riches he has had at his disposal. You may have had an argument were it not for the fact that he dragged Aberdeen from the sidelines of Scottish football and turned them into worthy three times champions. He also won a European trophy, defeating Real Madrid no less, to win the Cup Winners' Cup with the Dons. This remarkable transformation was completed with limited funds. Not only that but wealth itself does not guarantee success in the short term let alone this seemingly endless run that Ferguson has embarked upon. You can argue with most things in football but facts are facts. Show us your medals. Victory is always the decisive repartee. He has been and continues to be the most exceptional talent in English football today. He is to me many things I do not like about the modern game. He is, however, undoubtedly THE PREMIERSHIP MEGASTAR Louis Spence JOIN THE DEBATE IN THE NEW HOLGATE MESSAGE BOARD RETURN TO LOUIS SPENCE INDEX PAGE HERE	BACK TO ARCHIVE INDEX © All written site content is copyright ComeOnBoro.com 2004-2008, unless otherwise stated, and is not to be used without prior permission.
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