How did Alex Ferguson build Manchester United into a great club?

Manchester United went through three consecutive trophyless seasons from 2003/04 to 2005/06. However, after this lull, the Red Devils rose strongly and established the most glorious period of the legendary Alex Ferguson era.

Michael Cox, a writer for the Independent and a close friend of Sir Alex, recently revealed the secrets that helped Manchester United rise from obscurity to greatness.

Changing perspectives on human resources

At the end of the 2005/06 season, Manchester United finished 8 points behind champions Chelsea. It was the Red Devils' third consecutive season without a Premier League trophy. At that time, many believed that MU had reached the end of their successful run. While Chelsea emerged as a new force with bold moves in both tactics and personnel, Manchester United appeared outdated.

However, through a radical reform across many areas, Manchester United quickly regained their former glory. They won the Premier League three seasons in a row: 2006/07, 2007/08, and 2008/09. During that period, the Red Devils consistently reached the Champions League semi-finals and won the prestigious competition once (in the 2007/08 season). This was the most glorious period of the legendary Alex Ferguson era.

Sir Alex's first revolution lay in the personnel department. Previously, Man United typically only used players from the United Kingdom, or from footballing nations that adapted well to the Premier League such as France or the Netherlands, and rarely used Latin American players.

But from January 2006 onwards, the Red Devils no longer limited themselves. They prioritized buying highly mobile players who could perform various tasks depending on the flow of the game. Patrice Evra is one of the prime examples of this philosophy. The French defender was not only responsible for defending the left flank, but also frequently pushed forward to become a dangerous attacking threat.

At a lesser degree of success, signings like Nani or Anderson could also play in various positions. The players' mobility and versatility provided the foundation for manager Ferguson to build a more flexible playing style.

Gameplay transformation

Manchester United's tactical revolution of the past decade began with Carlos Queiroz, Ferguson's right-hand man and assistant manager. It was Queiroz who suggested selling star striker Ruud van Nistelrooy, arguing that in the long run, MU didn't need a central striker and would instead utilize attacking players with a wider range of movement.

Manchester United have abandoned the traditional 4-4-2 formation of English football in favor of a 4-5-1, or sometimes a 4-3-3, system. The Red Devils no longer rely on the opportunistic talent of a top-class striker. Instead, they seek unpredictability through cohesion between positions in the team, movement, and a focus on counter-attacks.

A section of Manchester United fans were initially unenthusiastic about these changes. They were surprised when Ferguson brought Carlos Tevez to Old Trafford, as the Argentinian striker's playing style was quite similar to Wayne Rooney's and he wasn't the type to score goals inside the box. But Sir Alex had his own plan.

“Many people have told me that Tevez is too much like Rooney. But I don’t see that affecting the plans we’re pursuing. They’re both quick, good at dribbling past opponents, and both shoot well with both feet. This similarity doesn’t matter when they play together,” Ferguson said.

By the 2007/08 season, Ferguson's system had reached a high level of efficiency. At that point, it was difficult to pinpoint the Red Devils' primary attacking threat. Manchester United often fielded a front three of Ronaldo, Rooney, and Tevez. But sometimes Nani or Giggs were also pushed further forward to play as strikers. In home games against weaker opponents, the attacking players didn't have fixed positions. They moved back and forth, collectively controlling a large area of ​​the pitch.

Ronaldo thrived in this free-flowing system. Sometimes CR7 played on the right, then switched to the left, or moved into the center. Rooney, Tevez, or Park Ji-sung would fill the position Ronaldo left vacant.

Recalling that period, former defender Gary Neville said: “Often, Ronaldo would try to test all four opposing defenders before targeting the weakest point he perceived. Once he identified his target, Ronaldo would accelerate, powerful like a leopard.”

According to bongdaplus.vn