The legendary Red Devils coach: The road to success

Chapter 37 The Hard-Earned First Victory

Ferguson's first victory as Red Devils coach did not come so easily, but this also made him stick to the subsequent management ideas. The Red Devils are not hopeless, and the players are not weak as chickens, they just became sluggish for various reasons.

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Losing to Oxford United, especially in such an ugly way, made the board and the Red Devils fans unhappy and it was difficult for Ferguson to remain calm.

After the game, the Red Devils returned to the Cliff base. Ferguson made a brief post-match summary, and then the whole team disbanded. Ferguson did not have the arrangement of adding punishment training after losing.

At the end of a busy day, Ferguson's office lights remain on until the early hours of the morning.

In the past, on match days, the coach and the players would disband directly after the game, then take a day off the next day and return to the team on the third day, but now Ferguson has changed this arrangement.

Many years later, Ferguson said: "I was surprised and deeply ashamed by the defeat in the first game. I could not accept the quality and process of such a game, let alone turn a blind eye to the performance of the players. I took immediate action the next day and convened an emergency meeting for the whole team. I met with all the players to discuss the reasons for the defeat and clarify the responsibilities. I called everyone's name and talked to them one by one from their performance on the field to their physical condition."

"I have one most basic requirement for the team, and that is to have fighting spirit. I am extremely disappointed with this group of people and I am determined to give them some strength first. The first is physical fitness. There are too many players in the team who cannot meet the requirements. I decided to make a detailed training plan for them and immediately carry out intensive physical training."

Physical training began immediately, and Ferguson maintained this requirement until the end of the season.

At Ferguson's request, the Red Devils board of directors also held a special meeting.

Ferguson pointed out the problem sharply at the meeting: "Everyone watched the game, and I was deeply shocked. I don't know how you feel about losing to a club like Oxford United and losing in this way. I can show you the video of the Aberdeen team's game, and you can compare and see where the gap is. The Red Devils were unable to fight back against Oxford United. This is a warning signal."

Ferguson said: "What I cannot accept the most is the attitude of the players. The attitude towards training, the attitude towards the game... It's all too hard to understand. Slackness, laziness, negativity, surrender, numbness... What kind of state is this? They have no demands on themselves, and no desire to win the game. How can such a team win?!"

"We need change."

Ferguson said, "The biggest problem for the club is not injuries, training and tactics, or even obedience to the manager, but alcohol. Almost everyone in the team drinks, all the time. Alcohol is everywhere, which gives me a headache. Alcoholism has seriously affected training and games, and affected the team's will and mental outlook."

The board unanimously expressed support for Ferguson.

Ferguson continued training the next day, and the intensity began to gradually increase.

Ferguson supervised personally, and the entire coaching staff was on site to direct and assess the players. The players eventually completed the training exhausted and in agony, but nearly half of them failed to meet the standards set by Ferguson.

Training doesn't just happen the next day, but continues until the next game.

This is a cycle. After the game, Ferguson insisted on continuing various training sessions and adhering to the original standards regardless of the score or win or loss.

Another big problem Ferguson had to deal with was alcoholism.

Ferguson himself likes to drink and came to England from an alcoholic environment. He once opened a bar in Scotland, and his customers were fans and players. Even when he joined the Red Devils, he did not completely give up the habit of drinking. But this does not mean that he allows players to drink without restraint.

Ferguson took a deep look at the Red Devils' training base and had in-depth conversations with the players and staff, and he realized how serious the alcohol problem was within the Red Devils team.

Ferguson was well aware of the troubles of alcohol, and he soon discovered that persuasion was ineffective. Several injured core players even ignored the critical period of recovery and continued to indulge in alcohol. McGrath, the team's indispensable main defender, even raised his glass in the locker room.

Ferguson was almost going crazy. He didn't think such a team could have enough fighting power.

In addition to this problem, Ferguson's strict training made some players exhausted, and they were so tired that they just wanted to rest; other players were self-disciplined and they took Ferguson's words to heart.

After the first game, Ferguson's second game as coach of the Red Devils was still away, and the opponent was Norwich.

Compared with the starting lineup of the previous game, Ferguson changed defender Sevebek and midfielder Olsen, while the others remained unchanged. In the end, the Red Devils still failed to win, and the two teams shook hands and made peace with 0-0.

After two defeats, Fleet Street began to point fingers without scruples, questioning "outsiders can't chant sutras" and "Ferguson can't save the Red Devils!"

Ferguson ignored the rumors from the outside world and focused on preparing for the next game.

Ferguson firmly believes that the training will work and the team has changed. In the past week or so, Ferguson has talked to some key players. He believes that these talks will touch the hearts of the players and change the team's mental outlook.

In the 16th round of English League One, the Red Devils faced Queens Park Rangers at home.

Ferguson wrote in his pre-match outlook: "We are back to our great home ground, which will give us strength and confidence. Winning is our only goal. This stadium contains our glorious history and gives us unlimited motivation. I must thank the fans for their continued support and companionship. You will see our bravery and positivity, and we will give everything for victory."

Ferguson said: "We hope that the fans will enjoy a wonderful performance in this great stadium. We hope to bring more joy and excitement to the fans. The fans have always inspired us to win, and this time has come!"

Ferguson sent out the same starting lineup as in the previous game. At the pre-match mobilization meeting, he said, "I have no doubt about your ability. After two weeks of preparation, now is the best opportunity to show your strength to the home fans!"

After the game started, the Red Devils changed their sluggish spirit and took the initiative to attack the opponent. Queens Park Rangers seemed very flustered under the Red Devils' strong attack, and the game quickly developed into a one-sided situation. The Red Devils' attack was very sharp, with the two wingers constantly passing the ball from the bottom, and the midfielders frequently pressed near the opponent's penalty area.

The Red Devils broke the deadlock with a free kick, and right-back Sevebek became the first player to score a goal in Ferguson's Red Devils career. The Danish international took the free kick from about 20 yards away from the opponent's goal. With a powerful volley, the ball flew straight into the goal. The Queens Park Rangers goalkeeper was not prepared and could not save the ball even if he flew his body. He could only watch the ball fly into the net like a rocket!

The Red Devils lead their opponents 1-0!

This was the first goal scored by the Red Devils since Ferguson took over as coach, and also the first time the team took the lead since Ferguson took over as coach. This goal excited all the Red Devils fans, who had been waiting for the team's victory for too long! The fans cheered more enthusiastically to encourage the players to continue attacking, and the roars resounded throughout the Theatre of Dreams. Sevebek's free kick was like a sharp blade, cutting through the haze that had been covering the Red Devils' heads. After scoring the goal, the Red Devils did not shrink their defense, but continued to attack and oppress their opponents.

The Red Devils maintained their advantage until the end of the game. Although the Queens Park Rangers were unwilling to admit defeat and launched a lot of attacks in the second half, they did not pose much threat to the Red Devils' goal. Due to lack of physical strength in the second half, the Red Devils mainly controlled the ball for most of the time and failed to create more scoring opportunities. In the end, the Red Devils defeated their opponents 1-0 at home.

This was Ferguson's first victory in the Red Devils' history, a victory of great significance. Not only did the team escape the relegation zone in one fell swoop, but the players' self-confidence was also restored, and their mental outlook changed significantly for the better.

Ferguson was very excited. He said at the post-match press conference, "Our team showed dominance and I think it is natural for the team to win. We could have scored three or four goals. The encouragement of the fans is very important, which makes our victory more glorious."

Ferguson said: "The media has been saying that we are likely to go three games without winning. They have never believed in our strength and don't understand how we won the game. We don't need criticism, and defeating the opponent is not a counterattack against doubts. Our players showed stronger fighting power and enough fighting spirit in difficult times. This is a good result."

Ferguson was very grateful for the support of the fans: "I want to thank the fans for their support and encouragement. The Red Devils will have infinite power with the cheers of the fans and will overcome all difficulties. The fans did a very good job today. They gave the team great support and gave the players great confidence. We play on the court to give the fans the best return, and this time we did it."

Sevebek, who scored the key goal, was a major contributor to the victory. He later won the 1992 European Cup with Schmeichel. Sevebek moved to the Red Devils last season and did not get a stable starting position under Atkinson. After Ferguson coached the Red Devils, he did not become a regular starter, but he scored a key goal in this game, helping the Red Devils win the first victory of the Ferguson era.

Sevebek left soon after the end of the season, and this was his only goal in his Red Devils career.

Severbek said: "As a part of history, I was fortunate to be the first player to score a goal during Ferguson's time as Manchester United coach. I only remember that it was a free kick 20 yards away from the goal. I didn't care about the opponent's goalkeeper's position, I just used my consciousness to volley a powerful shot with all my strength. I'm actually not good at volleying this kind of curved ball, and that goal was a bit lucky. The free kick I kicked scored, and this goal brought Ferguson's first victory. It was very, very crucial, and I have always been very proud of it."

Ferguson said much later: "I always remember the first victory. We played against Queens Park Rangers at home. We had the upper hand, but the players were nervous and the scene was a bit chaotic. We kept attacking the opponent, but in the end it was Sevebek's free kick that won the game. Sevebek's free kick was a powerful long shot, and the ball went directly into the goal. No one expected it."

Ferguson still remembers the moment of scoring. "I remember everyone was very excited. We hugged each other and then jumped up and down to celebrate, as if we had won the championship. Sevebek was our right back and usually didn't take free kicks, but he arranged everything himself that day. I even remember his shooting posture and the whole process. He first steadied his breath, then stepped forward and swung the ball. The trajectory of the ball was also very strange, with great power and speed. It flew straight into the blind corner and we didn't even see it clearly before the ball went in. This was a wonderful goal for Sevebek and I am very grateful to him."

Ferguson won the game in just his third league game in charge of the Red Devils. It was not an easy result, but it came.