Sir Alex signs for United- world football changes forever.
David Gill, the antichrist for some, but for me actually a man who’s done his best over the past few years, has been speaking of the legacy of Sir Alex Ferguson.
Gill told MUTV:
‘It will be difficult to replace him – it’s naive to say anything other than that,’
‘But we are a great club whose values go back in history to our heritage to the ’50s and ’60s and the last 25 years with Alex.’
‘To continue with that, the new manager needs to understand those values and the vision for the club and must buy into that.’
‘The important point to make is the new manager, whenever that may be and whomever that may be, will be taking over a great, great club, in a great, great sport and Alex, in particular, will want to make sure he inherits a great squad,’
‘That’s our goal – to make sure when the new manager comes in he does have a great squad to work with in terms of age and profile.’
‘Alex’s legacy to United is to my mind very clear – delivering an unprecedented period of success in the Manchester United way,’
‘By that, I mean attractive football using young players – both homegrown and buying players when necessary like Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney, but actually developing our own players.
‘That record is there for everyone to see and that legacy is very clear also.
‘Within that, he’s made sure he’s cemented United’s position as one of the top clubs in world football.
‘We’re very well respected clearly in this country and around the world. You only have to see our following there on tour in America and Asia, plus in Europe when you speak to any other club.
‘United are rightly held in very high esteem down in no small measure to what Alex has achieved in the last 25 years.’
While none of those statements are exactly revelatory, it’s good to know that the MD shares the managers vision for United’s long-term future, let’s just hope the Glazers do.