Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson almost joined Arsenal
After being on the verge of helping Manchester United win their 19th English League title, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Alex-c4752 Ferguson has gone on to drop a bombshell. The manager has come forth and revealed that prior to joining United, the Scotsman was on the verge of becoming
manager of Arsenal.
Ferguson was offered the job to be Arsenal boss in 1986 and he had almost agreed to taking up Arsenal on their offer. The manager had also planned to take Walter Smith along with him to be his assistant manager at Highbury.
However Ferguson asked for the Gunners to be a little patient and give him some time to make up his mind. This was because Scotland were preparing for the World Cup in Mexico and Ferguson was aiding his home countries preparations for the tournament. With
Arsenal demanding Ferguson to take the post prior to the World Cup, talks between the manager and the club died down and amounted to nothing in the end.
When talking about this opportunity that he had, Ferguson is reported to have said: “I was offered the Arsenal job and I wanted to take Walter with me.
“I thought I would sound him out when we were on http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Walter-c36580 was going to Rangers at that time.
“I told him that I had been offered the chance to go to Arsenal and I asked him what he thought. He was positive about it, saying they were a big club and that kind of thing.
“So I said to him 'Do you fancy coming with me?' Then he dropped the bombshell that he was going to http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Rangers-c40314.
“The thing about the Arsenal offer was that they wanted an answer right away but I couldn't give them one because I was going to the World Cup in http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Mexico-c2956 with Scotland.
“So the http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Arsenal-c38429 thing fell by the wayside. Walter went to Rangers and then later that year I went to Manchester United.”
It is rather amazing to see what being hasty has cost Arsenal on the long run. Should they have been a little more patient in the past, they could potentially been winning trophies left right and centre by now.
Nonetheless, it is impossible not to applaud the work that Ferguson has done with United. He took the reigns at the club, when http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Liverpool-c39809 were dominating English football and he has now gone on to match the 18 League title record held by the Reds and is on
the brink of breaking it and landing United their 19th title.
All in all, perhaps Ferguson joining United was something that was just meant to be.
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