Although not exclusive to Fergie, we are often treated – especially on Twitter – to the mildly threatening, popular refrain amongst some United fans of, ‘In SAF we trust’. The implication is clear: SAF = God; omnipotent and (since 1986) omnipresent. It’s not literal: it’s a football ‘one liner’, in a similar vein to, ‘United, Kids, Wife … in that order’. You don’t need me to explain the construct behind it, or the sentiment. However, some fans definitely do take it literally and because The Universe is a wonderfully balanced place, some fans couldn’t take a more opposing view, even if their love for the club depended on it.
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Implicit in trust is a close relationship between the truster and the to be trusted and unless you’re one of SAF’s friends or family members reading this (Hi Cathy!), we can assume that none of us here are on SAF’s Christmas card list this year and therefore not closely related to him in the more conventional way. However, arguably the same can be said of religious faith. I think it’s safe to assume that Muslims don’t pop round Allah’s house for tea every Tuesday (which is a shame cos he/she does a mean Halal chicken and chips). The ‘relationship’ formed is born through worship. Through the fans worship of Fergie, the trust in his judgement abounds and for the most part he is often afforded by some supporters a blind faith similar to that bestowed on religious deities.
Questions were raised when SAF began accessorising with some cherubs…
We know because we are told in almost every article ever written about him that he knows this club inside out. This reinforces our trust in him, because although not football managers ourselves we understand that that is an intrinsically important and good thing (plus we’ve all played ‘Football Manager’ and we all know that after the initial thrill of the hyper-realistic functionality that the backroom stuff is really boring).
We also know that he has a very high success rate compared with other managers. This without doubt strengthens our trust in him, because we all like to win lots and lots.
He puts faith in youth. He publicly protects his players. He’s respected by his peers. (He turns (down) water in (favour of) t(w)o (bottles of )wine). All things that provide evidence, that in respect of Manchester United, he is worthy of our trust. He is trustworthy.
Trust?!…I thought you said ‘thrust’.
How deep though does the trust go? Do we trust every team selection he makes? Every player he’s bought? Every word? Every decision? Every promise? Although admittedly slightly loaded, I think most people would probably subscribe to the idea that how much you trust to invest in someone or something is personal to you; it’s a reflection of the ethos you live your life by. I guess one of the points I want to make is that you don’t have to endlessly repeat cliched rhetoric to prove yourself to be the bestestest supporter ever. Also, I’m presuming that your support of your club, United or other, is unconditional and so to that end although Fergie is an integral part of our successful history, we aren’t endlessly beholden to him specifically. That’s not to say the success of the club isn’t dependent on the manager’s influence and because we can only rely on what has actually happened during his tenure, we can safely say he has been the main influence on our’s. I personally feel that trusting in him unconditionally – and in effect suggesting Fergie equals Manchester United – is a little unhealthy.
Still got it!
Over the past couple of years a section of fans have distanced themselves from the club and Fergie over his relationship with the Glazer family – they have lost their faith. He is no longer trusted by some and others have forsaken their support of United in light of his very apparent duplicitous actions; with no trust, their can be no relationship. The decision to publicly back the Glazers may possibly be one of Fergie’s biggest mistakes and possibly one of his biggest regrets(?), but, having said that, I trust his intention wasn’t to harm the reputation of the club. Unfortunately it has, and his own.
“We’re right behind you boss”
For me, Fergie’s ultimate aim has always been success, which, without encompassing every facet of being a fan, is the same of the supporters (of course success is all relative). His motivations though don’t come from the same place as a fans. He may well have ‘fallen in love’ with the club and undoubtedly will always regard United as a ‘part of him’, but without labouring the point, he could have had that at another club – had someone else come knocking. Fans tend not to choose a club, the club chooses you; for Fergie, United was a career choice. It was a choice made to provide a home for his family, something he has shown us on numerous occasions that he puts before the club. This for me is no more apparent than in his support of the Glazers: in protecting his own status within the club – by ‘dancing with The Devil’ -, Fergie is ensuring he can still provide for his own (although perhaps sounding like it, this is not a criticism).
Despite the fact he isn’t a fan (in the true sense) and his very real connection with the club initially comes from a very different place, this doesn’t mean he loves the club any less than fans, it’s just ‘different’. Still born of necessity, still impassioned, still love.
“Isn’t it past your bed time?”
He is a person (not a God) who puts his loved ones first – this is where I trust him. He is a proud person with unwavering determination – this is where I trust him. He manages to instill a self-belief in his players that is frightening – this is where I trust him. He is a real human being, who makes mistakes and learns from them (and sometimes doesn’t learn from them), who admits defeat and who takes responsibility – this is where I trust him. I can see the enthusiasm in his face, the emotion and although his motivations may come from an alternate place, I trust that he is absolutely, where he feels it is possible, and where he feels he can, trying to do the best for this club. Can’t you see it in his face?
