Renowned manager, Sir Alex Ferguson who led Manchester United to numerous victories and 13 Premier League titles during his tenure from 1986 to 2013, has made comments that seem to indirectly criticize some of his former players when discussing the use of the term “world-class” in football.
Throughout his illustrious career at Old Trafford, Ferguson experienced many remarkable moments, including achieving three consecutive titles twice and securing the treble in the 1998/99 season.
He notably fostered a successful team dynamic with the famed “class of 1992,” where academy talents played a dominant role in his squad.
According to Daily Express, since retirement, he has remained a regular figure around the club, attending games and getting involved in key decisions, including managerial appointments.
Ferguson shades former players
The use of labels and classification for players has become a thing in football. Legend and world-class are the two most controversial terms used currently in football.
The 81-year-old has waded into the discussion using his Manchester United players as examples in what appears to be a subtle dig at some great stars.
“If you read the papers or listen to the television commentators, we seem to be awash with ‘world-class’ footballers,” he wrote in his book, Learning from Life and My Years at Manchester United, via SportBible.
“I don’t mean to demean or criticise any of the great or very good footballers who played for me during my 26-year career at United, but there were only four who were world-class: [Eric] Cantona, [Ryan] Giggs, [Cristiano] Ronaldo and [Paul] Scholes.”
He had special praise for the greatest of them all, Cristiano Ronaldo, a five-time Ballon d’Or winner, including one under Ferguson’s watch.
“And of the four Cristiano was like an ornament on the top of a Christmas tree,” he said.
Ferguson apologises to Solskjaer
Sports Brief reported that Ferguson apologised to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer for publicly criticising the manager over his treatment of Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Scot was influential in bringing Ronaldo to Old Trafford for a second spell that did not pan out well and joined a brigade of critics of Ole.