It’s not unusual for the fans of a struggling team to sometimes dislike or even hate the owner of their favorite club. This becomes a certainty, if the perception is that the owner holds the team back from succeeding, either because of financial reasons, or due to incompetence. Manchester United has been one of the most successful sports franchises anywhere in the world, especially under the leadership of their manager since 1986, Sir Alex Ferguson. Historically, the Red Devils have won a total of 18 league titles, 4 League Cups, and 11 FA Cups. In 1998-99, they became the first to win the “Treble”, in capturing the Premiership, The FA Cup and the UEFA Champions League.
The fans of the Manchester United Football Club, have been hoping to find other ownership, especially local people in England, and it seems they want almost anybody other than the Glazer family, who purchased the team in 2005. They are also the owners of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League. Some of the fans are so angered with them, that they encourage other fans not to by the new team jerseys, hoping a boycott of sorts by the fans, will weaken them sufficiently, causing the Glazers to sell the team. The Glazers have made it clear on several occasions, that they have no intention of doing that.
It would be hard to imagine that their is a club manager anywhere in the world, who is more universally respected, than is Sir Alex Ferguson. So when a man of his stature decides to defend the owners of the team, it might be difficult for those who want the Glazers out of the picture, to continue with their vociferous protestation.
The focal point of fan anger that is directed towards the Glazers, has to do with the team’s finances. As detailed in the ESPNsoccernet story, it suggests that even though the team is at the top of Forbes list, as the world’s wealthiest soccer team, with an estimated value of U.S. $1.84 billion, the debt is over 700 million English pounds.
Ferguson shared his perspective on the issue of fan discontentment with the Glazers, in an interview with CNN. “ The debt has come through by the club being bought out by an owner. You know full well that when a business is bought it’s usually bought with debt.Because it’s a football club it seems to attract a more negative reporting from the media and from the fans………So when a particular family like the Glazers have bought it, it’s unfair they come in for criticism because anybody could have bought it. I have to say they’ve done their job well. They support myself, the manager, they’ve supported the players. I’ve never been refused when I’ve asked for money for a player. So what can I do other than carry on the way we’re doing it and the way I’m allowed to carry on. I’ve got no complaints.”
It’s no surprise that an exceptionally bright man like Ferguson, is able to sort out the dynamics of the what the owners are dealing with financially. So why is it that the Manchester United fans can’t seem to understand, that the financial realities of business and sports sometimes dictate, just like they do in the “real” world, that you can’t always get what you want ? I am now looking forward to seeing, after having read and heard Sir Alex Ferguson strongly backing the Glazers, with a well thought out explanation as to the dynamics of owning a team like this one,if the fans start questioning Ferguson, and calling for his replacement as well. They can’t be that out of touch with reality, can they ?