Fergie is the best manager we have

Says former Don GEORGE BUCHAN

Published:

SILVER SUCCESS: Alex Ferguson holds aloft the Champions League trophy.

SIR Alex Ferguson was today hailed as the greatest manager in world football – ever.

Former Manchester United and Aberdeen winger George Buchan reckons Fergie towers over every other manager.

No-one, not even Sir Matt Busby, Jock Stein, Brian Clough or Alfredo di Stefano can touch the Old Trafford legend.

And the Red Army will have a final chance to see Fergie, who may step down in the near future, on Saturday.

George said: “Sir Alex Ferguson is the greatest manager ever.

“He has consistently won trophies at the highest level for nearly 30 years, that is proof enough.

“But his personality really stands him apart, as Sir Alex is such a strong person.

“He inspires people, and his man-management skills bring out the best in his players.

“To win the European Cup Winners’ Cup with Aberdeen was a phenomenal achievement.

“But he went on from that success to make Manchester United a dominant force again.”

Sir Alex will bring a strong squad to the Granite City for the friendly to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Gothenburg Greats.

Tickets sold out within hours of going on general sale for the glamour friendly.

But for Buchan, who won the Scottish Cup with the Dons, the real stars of United are not Rooney and Ronaldo.

“Aberdeen fans are in for a real treat because Manchester United are so exciting going forward,” he said.

“However, for me the players who stand out are not the ones who grab all the headlines like Ronaldo and Rooney. It is the centre-back partnership of Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand.

“They were absolutely outstanding last year and were the foundation for United’s Premier League and Champions League double success.

“As a partnership they are so solid and have a real understanding.

“Manchester United do not take any game lightly, so it should be a fantastic spectacle for the fans.”

Signed on a free by Tommy Docherty the former Banks o’ Dee youth player spent just 18 months there before moving to Bury.

“Just being involved in a club as big as Manchester United was a fantastic experience,” he said.

“When I was at Old Trafford they were in decline with a lot of players coming to the end of their careers.

“But they still had players like Alex Stepney and Arthur Graham, although they were a shadow of the side they once were.

“I found the difference between Aberdeen and Manchester United was the management.

“I felt was that the management at Aberdeen were more caring.

“That was down to the nature of Eddie Turnbull my gaffer at Aberdeen.

“Eddie was like a father figure to me and a man I admired, as was Teddy Scott who was wonderful to me.

“The bond between that Aberdeen team I left to go to Old Trafford was summed up when we had a reunion a couple of years ago.

“Only two of the players,

Jim Hermiston and Bobby Clark, were missing

“Even Derek ‘Cup-Tie’ Mackay came over from Australia and thankfully I managed to see him before he died.

“It was a very sad day when Derek passed away, he was a real character and one of a kind.”

Now a PE teacher at The Grange in Oldham, George reckons Aberdeen will miss midfielder Barry Nicholson, who has decamped to Preston, just a few miles down the road from him.

“Barry Nicholson will be a fantastic signing for Preston,” he said.

“Unfortunately for Aberdeen his loss will be Preston’s gain.

“He is obviously an ambitious player who wants to try his luck down south which is understandable.

“I am convinced he will be a success in England.”