Sir Alex Ferguson is regarded as one of the greatest managers in Premier League history. He spent his entire career in the competition at the helm of Manchester United, transforming them into the most successful club in the league during his tenure.
Since his departure, United has not won the Premier League, and it may take another generation for a manager to replicate his achievements at Old Trafford.
Interestingly, Ferguson could have accomplished all his success at Arsenal, as the Scottish manager recently revealed that he turned down an opportunity to join the Gunners before accepting the Manchester United job.
He disclosed that both Arsenal and Tottenham had approached him prior to United, but he ultimately chose the Red Devils when they expressed interest.
He said on TNT Sports’ YouTube channel: “I turned down Arsenal and I turned down Wolverhampton Wanderers and I turned down Tottenham.
“I said [to Aberdeen chairman Dick Donald] that maybe it was time for me to leave, blah, blah, blah, and he said to me ‘don’t talk like that’.
“You should go only to one club – Manchester United. I never budged until that came long. When it came along, I couldn’t get there quick enough.”
Just Arsenal Opinion
Fergie is one of the best managers ever in the game and it would have been great to have him on our bench, but we had Arsene Wenger who also attained legendary status.
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“Entire career”? Don’t his achievements at Aberdeen count?
🤣
We might never have had those wonderful French players: Anelka, Vieira, Henry, Pires, Petit, Wiltord, Sagna, Diaby etc.
I still prefer the Frenchman over the Man United legend
I always thought that the board wanted Fergie and he agreed to join after the world cup, buy The Arsenal wasn’t prepared to wait and, instead, signed George Graham.
Over to you Herr Drier!! 😂😂
Ken, Terry Venables was the first choice. When the club started talks with TV he asked that Don Howe be kept informed. The club didn’t, and when Don found out after we beat, I think it was Coventry, he quit straight after the game. Needless to say, TV turned us down.
I must say, I had a sneaky feeling it would be GG taking over, as he, like the previous managers going back to Bertie Mee, had a strong connection to The Arsenal. If only I was a betting man…
So Fergie was never aooriacges before GG took the job then?
I need to investigate further 🤔👍
never approached!!
Gone back in time and finally realised where I had got this idea from!!
David Dein, as a board member in 1986, put forward the idea of getting Fergy as our MANAGER.
However, another unnamed board member pushed for GG.
David tried to get a compromise by suggesting Fergy became manager and GG his No. 2.
The rest of the board wanted GG because he was younger and, they thought, more ambitious to succeed.
Dein decided to go along with the board, despite George wanting more money than the club wanted to pay him…. and the rest is history!!
One of the great “what ifs”. After all, had Ferguson gone to Arsenal then it’s entirely possible that Wenger would never have joined any English club, although he may well have gone to a European one after his spell in Japan.
That said, there’s no guarantee that Ferguson would have had the same incredible level of success at Arsenal as he achieved at Utd over his years there, but we’ll never know one way or the other.