Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger seem to get on fairly well these days. Even last year when Arsenal were in the title race for the majority of the season, the two managers rarely locked horns.
At a recent LMA fundraiser, Wenger and Ferguson looked like best buds, having a laugh and a joke with each other.
Of course, it wasn’t always this way, with the tunnel brawl between the two clubs seeing the climax of the bad feeling between the two managers. After many heated clashes between the two clubs, with the Premiership trophy going back and forth between Old Trafford and Highbury, it is understandable why the rivalry would be so fierce.
Ferguson has attributed Wenger’s longevity in the job as well as the trophies he used to deny us of as reason enough for the Frenchman to be his biggest rival.
“Well over a long period Arsene Wenger has been the longest survivor in terms of rivalry and particularly between the two clubs Arsenal and Manchester United has been a fantastic competition over the years,” said Ferguson in his interview with CNN. “And of course with Arsene staying as long as he has that’s persisted. Whereas, if you take Chelsea, they’ve had three managers in the past three years, Liverpool have had seven managers in the time I’ve been here. No-one has survived as long as Arsene so he has to be the main rival.”
Man Utd News 24/7
i was only thinkin about this the other day. sir alex must be the longest manager in the champions league and arsene mustn’t be far behind
Any person who says any shit about Ferguson and Wenger are dope headed. No manager in England, and barely worldwide has accomplished what the those 2 men. Both teams may not get on well, but no one can disrespect both of them. They have done so much, not only for England but all over the map.
I realize that them not being direct rivals as of today makes it easier but without a doubt I think he is a genius. I do think the last few years are a black mark on his record but maybe he can turn them around.
It’s not easy to survive in the Premiership over the long haul.Mourinho can atest to that.Wenger’s success is that when you think of Arsenal you think of him.Just like it happens with SAF and United.I think it will go down as the best Premiership rivalry ever.And i did enjoy there time together at the gala last autumn.
One cannot emphasise enough the contribution of these two greats in making the EPL the most exciting league in the world. Football is about entertainment – not Mourniho type stifling play.
Credit to Venger, he truly deserves respect, and I would much prefer his team to be on second place instead of Benitez’s. But anyway, I’d be cursing him as usual if Arsenal become contenders for the title again.
invertedquestionmark that’s how i also feel.At least Wenger never publicly trashed SAF the way Beneathus did.Nor did he impy that all of his success was due to the money that United had.Let me remind that Beneathus was the only manager that didn’t wish Mourinho well when he left.Even Wenger had a good word even though TNSSO called him a voyeur.But if Wenger builds another side that will be genuine title contenders,then i will start hating him again!
Costas – “But if Wenger builds another side that will be genuine title contenders,then i will start hating him again!” That is a distinct possibility.
It won’t be easy if they keep selling players just as they are starting to fulfill their true potential but that’s how they run their ship.I am still trying to figure out what Flamini was thinking of when leaving them.Where is he now?Hleb too.He doesn’t play much at Barca i think.
@Costas: depend on what you mean by “public thrashing” He has come out with a few daft statements against United in the past. Seemed to have learn to shut up as of late though.
Anyway I still can’t stand him or Arsenal, genuine contenders or not, Arsenal fans have to be one of the most god awful annoying set of fans ever created, I can’t bring myself to ever like to stop hating them whether they’re contending or even if they get relegated.
OTRed for one thing,he does refer to him as Sir Alex.Not “Mr Ferguson” like Benitez does.We have had our wars with them no doubt and pizza-gate and the rest of those clashes are still fresh in my mind.As is his public critisism of Van Nistelrooy.But deep down you felt that he did it because he wanted what’s best for his club.Rafa is a miserable bitter person.He doesn’t say things in order to protect his club.He says them because quite frankly he even hates his own guts.
Off topic – I probably should have known but I didn’t realise Jaap Stam was our South American scout?
I think he is King Eric.
mind games? i’ll be miffed if i was rafa and fergie discounted our rivalry and title threat
Arsenal Fan in peace, nice to see some mutual respect bubbling away beneath the rivalary. I too respect everything SAF has achieved with your club and have enjoyed every match and every arguement I have had with your lot over the years. Football as it is meant to be played, a deep and textured, lasting history and story. Wenger, for his faults (and he has many, of that I am aware) has taken a well followed but small family club and, through admitted sacrifice in terms of challeage (for the moment), transformed its percepton, image, ethos and potential. Like you, we have an academy pumping out quality players and a world class stadium, a first eleven thats name is in the hat near the end of most competitions. There is no doubt both men deserve respect but so do the boards, for it is all born of stability, of faith in these great men.
The article in the Telegraph today re. the finances of the top 4 EPL teams is interesting and I feel this could be Arsenals making over the next two years and where Wengers management and vision truly goes beyond anybody elses, where his relationship with his board will pay dividends. Your board has placed a heavy burden on your club and if, worse case scenario, the depression proper starts – it may well be the beginning of the end for your golden era. Wengers entire project of the last five years has had a contingency bias – placing us in a healthy position to start our own golden era.
Anyways, top stuff, we could, could, play four times before the end of the season – should be interesting, sure we won’t all be being so nice then. On that…Been a while since you’ve had any points off us in the league, what what, OTRed?!!
Andy B – Been a while? You beat us the last time we played in the league, we beat you the time before that, and we drew the time before that. In the middle of that, we can throw in the 4-0 battering in the Cup.
Hey Andy B.It could be an interesting run in that’s for sure.4 more Arsenal-United games?This will remind me of the 04-05 season when we got sick of playing each other.Craig is right.You did the double over us 2 years ago but we took 4 points out of 6 last year.The financial situation that you mention troubles me too from time to time.The Glazers have really put the club in an unenviable position financially even though we have enjoued great success during their time.I don’t know.I have adapted a live for the moment mentality on this.
Wenger aint bad for a old poof, pity the move to the Emirates took a lot of his spending power away…. never nice to see SAF closest rival struggling …..NOT !!….
Jeez, and if you fucking believe that ….
Arsene has some strict spending when they went to build Emirates, if not I believe if he goes buying direct at good players.. would be much easier for him rather than grooming the unknown.. Anyway.. both are great managers.
What I love is all that success Manure had they are at a loss, £700 million in debt and your ST will be going up again, Wenger wasn’t stupid, at Arsenal we have one debt the ground which is maintain so we can repay back the loan, the Mancs are worth £800 million, in today’s recession you are fucked, now you will be treat like customers
Despite a turnover of more than £250 million, the aptly named Red Devils incurred an operating loss of more than £26 million (after tax).
This means that even in a year when the club won both the Premier League title and the Champions League – as well as progressing to the quarter finals of the FA Cup – they still couldn’t make any money.
The organisation’s debts stand at almost £700 million.
It seems dazzling to say this, but the world’s best football team, a side so good they play to packed stadia wherever they roam, provide a lousy business model for how to run a company.
This, surely, is quite some carry-on.
My favourite part of the report, though, comes when the group’s board of directors – whose eight members include more than six with the surname Glazer – claim that their stated aims are to ‘[Treat] fans as customers.’
Customers, eh? Now that’s a novel approach. I wonder what other ways the club could have thought to treat those who pay to watch the team play?
Animals, perhaps?
Dupes and idiots?
Prisoners?
Actually that last one isn’t that wide of the mark. Money men in the safe-as-doll-houses world of the financial markets have a phrase to describe those of us who pay money to watch football. That phrase is ‘captive market.’
Captive, as in not being free. You might call it loyalty, but they certainly do not.
The notion that the club might start ‘treating fans as customers’ will surprise some Manchester United fans, especially the ones who have lodged an official complaint about the club with the Office Of Fair Trading.
These fans allege that even though they are season ticket holders they can not get tickets for key games, such as last season’s Champions League semi final home leg against FC Barcelona.
The question seems to be this: where is this all going to end? If MUFCPLC can’t make money in a season as successful as the last campaign then when will they make money? And how will they make it?
Well, they’ll try to do it by squeezing the fans – the same fans that are described as being ‘captive’.
If you are a regular at Old Trafford and you are currently feeling the pinch of a recession then chances are you’ll soon be feeling it that little bit more. Probably any day now, when you have to fork out for a new season ticket.
Be warned: the club you love will take the piss out of you. Why? Because it thinks that it must and believes that it can.
Enjoy it while it lasts because Fergie will be gone soon and he won’t give a fuck as he is cemented in your expensive history
Is fergie mean ‘Rafa will not stay long so that Arsen is my only rival’? Wise man!!!
For otred, Wenger has said plenty of good things over the years which does not get a mention in the press because “nice” comments dont sell papers apparently.
Still when we get back to winning ways, and I do believe we will, sooner rather then later, the old hatred will be back. For some of us however that will never go away.
Up the Arse.
LooneyGooner – Whilst I agree with the vast majority of what you say, don’t forget Arsenal FC have the most expensive season tickets in the whole country and a single seat at the Emirates for a single game can cost as much as £96! Given that you haven’t won anything since 2005 it’s pretty shocking to see how much it costs to watch your team win nothing for £1000s a year! Your club might not call you “customers” but it’s clear for £96 a game, they don’t really give a shit about “fans” at the Emirates.
Great article. Love Wenger because of his ideology of how football should be played and sticking to his own guile concerning his youth policy: the acquisition, educated and progression of young talent from around the world. Who else has the never to even attempt to build a team with a bunch of kids under 21 years old haha. But Sir Alex….I have to say I revere him. For the accomplishments, playing style, and mentality he brought to Man. Utd. He’s a classy manager and probably the best in the world at the moment. However, Wenger isn’t far behind and when Sir Alex retires…who do you think will take up the mantle of best manager…? Three words….Sir Arsene Wenger HAHA. Ok, enough fun…have a good one mates. Gooner4lyf
Get your facts right mate £96 is the three course meal,ticket,free bar, not the regular fans who go, we are the most expensive but how many of your fans would pay that much, not that many, enjoy your moment because you are fucked and you know it.
Your prices will increase and your attendance will drop in the next few years, you can’t accept that you have sold out to get, what ten years of good success, your club will follow Leeds.
Wenger wasn’t daft he has set us up to get through this difficult period, it’s funny how frog-face Platini cites you lot as a prime example of what’s gone wrong in football, a lot of you Mancs moan about the Chavs and their spending but you have been buying the PL for a long time, there are are worrying times ahead for you lot and I have no sympathy at all, you reap what you sow
Looneygooner – who’s the Arsenal fan here?
http://www.arsenal.com/membership/buy-tickets
My mistake, the most expensive ticket is £92. No mention of a meal or free bar though. D’oh. So, like I say, Arsenal treat their fans like “customers”, whether they officially name you as customers or not.
You’re mental if you think the support of Manchester United is comparable to Leeds.
We’re not asking for sympathy thanks. Your fascination with our club is flattering though.
I have said for a long time..
Both SAF and Wenger both have fantastic ability at developing young talent..
Also both SAF and Wenger have never been scared to introduce young talent..
The rivalry has been there, but i think as time has gone on, that there is no doubt a mutual respect for each other… even though on match day that goes out of the window lol.
looneygooner i won’t dispute what you are saying about the financial status of the club.I said it myself that there are some worrying years ahead and that’s why most United fans live for the moment.But i will always take exception to the notion that we have bought the Premier League.Over the 15 years,there have been countless examples of not the most expensive teams winning the league.Blackburn in 95,United in 96 and 97,Arsenal in 02 and 04 and UNited in 07.Do we have an advantage against teams like Newcastle or Blackburn?Of course.But the top 4 don’t have such a big difference in the wealth of their squad.I don’t see us becoming the next Leeds though.As many as the debts are,they can’t demoralise a team like United to that degree.You wish us what’s coming.Personally,i don’t wish that any club will have to go through what we will with that leech strapped on us.Free economy.Yeah right.
FailsworthDevil i think that when Arsen and SAF saw people like Beneathus and Mourinho running clubs,they appreciated what they have between them.This new generation of managers isn’t as respectful as the old one was.
looneygooner, arsenal has been turned into one of the most corperate teams in the league your prices for tickets is so high its mad and your new stadium although very stylish and modern has no soul what so ever.
Although arsenal has changed so much over the years, i miss the rivalry due to a few years of not challenging for the title its kind of died down abit, but i hope in the next few seasons we’ll see arsenal being the team we’re battling it out with atleast you gooners play actual football!
I also enjoy banter with the fans, although i say sometimes ‘i hate arsenal,cockneys etc etc’ arsenal fans are probably the only set of fans who i can have banter with and not hate them. Maybe im wrong but ive never actually heard arsenal fans mocking Munich which sadly is quite a suprise considering most sets of fans.
Our financial status may not be the best, but it is definitely not the worst. At least we did not have to resort selling our stadium name to some Arab country. Nice knowing your beautiful flagship of a stadium represents something else rather than your team huh?
both sets of fans, you guys should check this link: http://www.receiveyourdreams.com, you’ll like it.
Interesting to see Fergie’s comments on his successor. He mentions in a couple of years time he doesn’t know where Wenger will be, and he doesn’t know where TNSSO will be either. Seems he’s thrown Mourinho’s name into the hat, but I can’t see Wenger there. I’m curious as to why noone has mentioned Hiddink’s name as a possible replacement once SAF goes, yes, he is 62, but the person to replace Fergie was never going to be there for the long term, just someone who isn’t going to cock up, and leave us in a good position for a few seasons. He’s tactically astute, seems to get the best out of his best players, is proven at a national and international level, and plays decent football. I don’t think his 3month secondment as Chelski manager should count against him – it shows he can do it in the EPL.
Thoughts?
Why shd AW join MU?He wants to create his own Wengerdom.
As for SAF don’t think he can win everything. The 5 min extra time for the
Villa game was over generous and the FA shd investigate.No less a soccer
analyst than Venables has qustioned it.
Whoevre takes over from SAF is on a lose lose mission. The moment
results go against MU he could be axed.
@costas : I agree with you that Arsenal policy to sell players is costing them alot at the moment … the problem with em they r selling their experienced players…
in general, i enjoyed the time when Arsenal were our main rival..they showed some nice football during late 90s…so credit to wanger
But i don’t care whatever happen to them (even they drop to the championship!) I just want man utd to stay on top whoever the rival is!
Hi Scott the Red
I’m an Arsenal season ticket holder and, you’re right, the cost of the ticket is enormous compared to most other clubs, but you’re [understandably] only concentrating on just face value without knowing what that fully incorporates.
The cost of my season ticket is inclusive of all home FA Cup games and all home Champions League games, something that I am led to believe is quite rare amongst the big hitters of the league? And when you start adding on the individual ticket price of all those FA Cup/Champions League games, the ticket price doesn’t look so bad at all (relatively speaking). If we assume that the £££s I shell out are simply for the home games only, as is the case with many clubs’ season tickets, then I’ve been to every home FA Cup game this season FOR FREE and have been to every home Champions League game this season FOR FREE. Of course, I prefer to look at it the other way round in an attempt to justify paying such a ridiculous amount of money
I recently worked it out with a West Ham season ticket holder friend of mine, and, believe it or not, due to the regularity of Arsenal’s progress in both competitions, and basing the cost of a season ticket on inclusive home games, his West Ham season ticket actually works out as costing more than mine!
Also, a Chelsea season ticket holder friend of mine informs me that Chelsea used to do the same as Arsenal, and include those cups in the season ticket price, but that was stopped, unbelievably, when Roman took over the club. Shocking.
Anyway, just wanted to clear that up. Huge respect to your great club, by the way, nearly always a real delight to watch (even Man Utd have their occasional off days). I have every faith you’ll spank Porto in the away leg. The reality is all you need to do is win one game of football, and I know of few better teams in the world capable of that small hurdle.
Good luck! Hope to see you in the semis.
Dave
Up the Arsenal!
Any truth in the rumour that Walcott might be coming to OT next year???