Ferguson: When to ‘step aside’
As a
Chelsea fan, the news that Sir Alex Ferguson the manager of Manchester United
FC has decided to quit his job fills me with great joy ¯ and relief. If there
was any man who stood between Chelsea (ok, and other teams) and the English
Premier League silverwares it is Ferguson. The man straddled the league like a
colossus. I know no greater joy than when he loses. And now the Fergie Time is
over!
When I say Fergie Time do not
mistake it with the 27 years he spent as the manager of Manchester United. The
Fergie Time I mean was first heard in the 90’s. It is that extra period that
referees add that drags a match long enough every time Manchester United need a
crucial goal. The first was in 1993 when United got seven whopping minutes of
injury time against Sheffield Wednesday and scored to win a first top-division
championship since 1967. And after that there have been many of them. To the
opposition it is crazy, an injustice, but to Man U fans it is exciting, a
miracle.
Yet, no one can take his
managerial capabilities away from him. He is got the charisma. His team looks
on him like a father. It is always difficult to defeat a team that believes in
a coach and plays for him. He instilled in his boys a comeback,
it-is-not-over-till-the-fat-lady-sings mentality that is unrivalled in
football. Sometimes you think they get their cue, or even the match plan from
the intensity in which Ferguson chewed his gum.
He was supposed to retire in 2002
but shelved it. Ferguson knows a perfect story. Because that year Arsenal won
the league. Ferguson is also smart. He knows it is the last impression that
lingers on. He wants history to be forever kind to him. He does not want to
sully his status as a Manchester United legend and icon. He is leaving, or do I
say ‘stepping aside’ at the right time. His 27 years as Manchester United
manager remain glorious, and will be difficult to match.
He won 38 trophies with Manchester
United. That included 13 league titles, two Champions Leagues, five FA Cups and
four League Cups. Before this he tasted success in Scotland, first with St
Mirren where he won the first division title in 1977, and then Aberdeen, with
three Scottish Premier Division titles, four Scottish Cups, three League Cups,
and a famous European Cup winners Cup victory over Real Madrid in 1983.
African leaders can learn from
Ferguson. At first, African leaders may come with good intentions for their
people. They may improve the lot of their people. Instead of leaving when they
should, they wait to be booted out in shame after destroying what they may have
built. If only African leaders know that the best time to leave is when they
are loved by the people, when they are doing well. This raises the bar for the
incoming person and nudges them to want to do better as all eyes will be on
them. Success begets success. And failure begets failure, which is why African
leadership has had failure in perpetuity. African leaders should borrow a leaf
from Ferguson’s book who leaves when the ovation is loudest.
Yet I could not help the sneaky
feeling that Ferguson knows that come next season Jose Mourinho could be coming
back to Chelsea. And with Manchester City’s ever bigger dreams? Trophy starved
Arsenal? Vengeful Liverpool? Surely there is a knight who knows the best time
to ‘step aside’ is now.
Dr
Cosmas Odoemena,
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