The legendary Red Devils coach: The road to success

Chapter 39 Captain Returns

"In that era, a large part of the Red Devils' bloodiness and fighting spirit was provided and supported by captain Robson. In the eyes of all the media and teammates, Robson's role in the Red Devils is unparalleled. In other words, Robson represents the upper limit of the Red Devils and represents the strongest fighting power of the Red Devils. The championship achievements that the Red Devils have been able to achieve in recent years are also due to Robson's strong and outstanding performance; on the contrary, the Red Devils have encountered so many setbacks and difficulties this season, and even Atkinson's dismissal, the core reason is Robson's long-term injury absence."

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After losing to Wimbledon, a newly promoted team from the Second Division, Ferguson was very passive throughout the game and was once again criticized by the media.

从11月6日接手到29日，弗格森执教红魔交出的战绩为1胜1平2负。

Even if Ferguson was appointed in a hurry, this result is not enough.

Ferguson said: "I can accept the Red Devils losing, and it's not surprising to lose to Wimbledon. The core problem of this game is the referee's penalty. We were fouled so roughly, and the referee turned a blind eye to various actions that were intended to buy lives. What's even more puzzling is that we were whistled for any action that was slightly bigger. This is a completely different standard."

The BBC also made a rare comment on the game process after the game: "This is obviously not a proper refereeing process. One side is shielded and the other side is demanded. In this case, it is almost inevitable that the Red Devils will lose. We hope that the game will be fairer and the referee needs to explain multiple conflicts and key penalties."

The Daily Mail paid attention to the conflict between Ferguson and the referee and quickly interviewed the English Football Association after the game. Martin, who is in charge of the referee committee, said: "We paid attention to the match between Manchester United and Wimbledon. Ferguson obviously did not respect the referee, which was an act of crossing the red line. The referee of this match provided a post-match report, and we will conduct a follow-up evaluation of his enforcement. But here we have to condemn Ferguson. This is a warning that he should know where the boundaries are."

Ferguson understood the meaning of the FA's words and knew that the Red Devils' loss in this game could not be changed, but he had to criticize the unfairness on the court and put pressure on the referee.

This is also one of the reasons why Ferguson desperately encouraged his players to fight back against Wimbledon players during the game. When the referee played blind or called a foul, Ferguson knew what the result would be, but he would never accept it without complaint, but would make the opponent pay the price. Wimbledon's foul and the accompanying actions caught the Red Devils off guard, but the Red Devils' subsequent counterattack was also strong and timely enough.

Even though the Red Devils failed to equalize the score until the end and the referee's interference was particularly annoying, the Red Devils' tough attitude still made others feel intimidated.

Ferguson felt that losing to Wimbledon was the same as losing to some weak teams in Scotland. There are always wins and losses in the game, and Ferguson did not hold a grudge against it.

Ferguson assigned his assistants new tasks to observe and analyze the players' latest situations.

It's an ongoing task, one that Ferguson himself has taken personally.

Ferguson's observations were very detailed, and he would even go deep into daily training. Which players were strict with themselves, which players were just doing it, which players were striving for perfection, which players were really weak... Which players liked to drink, which players loved gambling, which players had special habits...

Ferguson established some unique cognitions of his own. He began to gradually understand which players really loved the team, which players could serve as the pillars of the team, which players were extremely talented but needed careful care, which players were deeply affected by alcohol and lacked sufficient competitive state, which players were emotionally sensitive and could not stand setbacks, which players were full of fighting spirit but limited in level, which guys were just idling around and working without effort, and which players were troublemakers and caused trouble everywhere...

Ferguson's unique working method began when he coached St. Mirren. He believed that it was very useful to have a detailed understanding of the characteristics of the players, only in this way could he better train and use these players.

The day after losing to Wimbledon, good news came that Red Devils captain Bryan Robson was back.

Robson, who returned from injury, began to participate in team training and competitions, and was ready to play.

For Ferguson, this is a great joy.

He knows the significance of Robson's return to the Red Devils and his key role in restoring the team's fighting spirit.

He immediately welcomed Robson's return and personally discussed his training arrangements with Robson.

The media started a new round of stirring up trouble, they guessed that Robson was Atkinson's direct descendant and would no longer be favored by Ferguson. Moreover, Robson claimed to be absent due to injury when Ferguson needed him the most, which would definitely make Ferguson feel resentful.

Ferguson's public performance disappointed reporters. Ferguson had a clear understanding of Robson's position in the club and in the hearts of the fans.

Ferguson is also full of expectations for Robson's ability on the court. Ferguson and Edwards said: "I believe Brian will support me because I understand his desire for victory and his responsibility to the team. He is a British gentleman and a brave warrior. I have always had deep respect for him. I believe that the two of us can reach a consensus, trust each other, and work together to push the team to success."

Edwards said: "I am very pleased with your evaluation of Brian. I have nothing else to say. The team can't afford a second turmoil and blow at this time. Our board of directors trusts and supports you very much, and we hope that you can unite the captain and players as the head coach."

Ferguson certainly understood that in order to control the locker room and build the team into a united fighting fortress, he must establish authority in the locker room. And to do this in the Red Devils locker room, he must accurately find the fulcrum of the lever.

That was Bryan Robson.

Ferguson said: "Bryan Robson was the club's most famous star at the time and one of the best players in England. He had a lofty status in the Red Devils locker room and was the backbone of everyone. I knew this when I came to Old Trafford in 1986. Everyone in the club felt that the team's victory or failure depended largely on whether he played. He was the backbone of the team and an irreplaceable spiritual leader."

After Ferguson took office, the first person he met was Bryan Robson.

Ferguson and Robson did not exchange many pleasantries after the meeting, but communicated and communicated frankly. They quickly reached a consensus on the core issue, that is, the Red Devils must now change, which may require drastic measures to reform the team.

Both Ferguson and Robson were extremely straightforward and “not political at all,” so their conversation was less suspicious and less concealed.

Ferguson got straight to the point and talked very frankly about the club's current predicament. He then elaborated on his own observations and the information he had collected, and began to analyze why the Red Devils had become like this and what serious problems existed.

Ferguson said: "I was chatting with Brian very easily at the time, and we were very frank. I said that the current Red Devils have failed in the entire model, and the team's overall state is low, which is a huge problem."

Ferguson believes that the Red Devils now have huge problems. "As a coach, Atkinson has unique charm and a good record, but Atkinson's ideas are not acceptable to the Red Devils. A club like the Red Devils should establish strict standards, have an efficient system, and long-term effective plans, rather than being satisfied with a cup championship."

Robson agreed with this very much. Ferguson then explained his next plan for the Red Devils, shared some team building ideas, explained the standards to be implemented in the future, and also looked forward to the vision of a better Red Devils.

Ferguson hopes Robson will continue to serve as captain and lead the team out of difficulties and meet new challenges.

Robson also elaborated on some characteristics of the Red Devils dressing room and explained the cause of his injury. He also had an in-depth discussion with Ferguson about the composition of the Red Devils' main lineup, the general situation of each player, and their respective technical characteristics. Robson introduced to Ferguson the team's journey over the past four years and explained the plight of some key injured players.

Bryan Robson is deeply anxious about the current situation of the Red Devils. He also knows that the Red Devils' performance over the past few seasons, the ups and downs of results, and the competition for championships all depend on him. He is about to make a comeback, but has never encountered the confusion of the current points count. He is very interested in some of the ideas proposed by Ferguson.

Robson is a simple and straightforward person. He has a sense of honor for football, has more sustenance on the Red Devils than Ferguson, and consciously believes that he shoulders a great responsibility. Basically, Robson is the kind of person who is always willing to give more for the team, even if it means sacrifice, and hopes that everything will become better for the team.

Robson quickly trusted Ferguson, the Scotsman, and a rare trust was established between them.

Robson later said in an interview, "We didn't know what Ferguson's level was, what his personal style was like, we didn't know anything. He just came to the Red Devils and started to make a big move. I needed to get to know him in person, understand him, and then decide whether to support him. He had a formal conversation with me as soon as he came, even though I was still a wounded player and couldn't help with anything. I want to emphasize that it was a very straightforward communication. He was so serious and persistent, and so confident. Ferguson has a strong aura, and I feel something completely different from Atkinson."

"Ferguson trusted me very much. He wanted to rebuild a new Red Devils team with me as the core. I was convinced by him without any obstacles. He talked to me in detail about the problems of the Red Devils and his countermeasures. He asked the whole team not to drink excessively and asked me to set an example by not drinking with teammates in the locker room or getting drunk for any reason. I couldn't refuse - he said that only in this way could the Red Devils be truly saved. I promised him that I would be a good captain. I knew my abilities and my responsibilities. The most rare thing was that Ferguson and I hit it off right away, and he communicated with me very frankly, giving me full trust and respect."

This conversation determined the relationship between Robson and Ferguson, and also determined the level that Robson would eventually achieve at the Red Devils.

Robson announced his return from injury, and soon after, he did something that shocked all the media: He personally accompanied Ferguson to call all the players to a meeting in the locker room. Robson said: "Now we are all together as a team, and we must act according to the requirements of the head coach and meet the standards set by the head coach."

Robson's declaration shocked everyone. "We are a team. If we can unite together, we can show our true fighting power. Championship? Now we are still a long way from this great goal. We still need to make solid progress. In daily training and management, I now hope that everyone can follow the requirements of the new coach."

"I fully support the manager and that's my stance."

When Ferguson began to introduce the new management rules in detail and started to implement the new internal regulations, all the Red Devils players in the locker room found in astonishment that captain Robson's eyes were shining.