18 November 2001

FERGIES EMPIRE AS SOLID AS EVER

Source - SoccerNet

Sir Alex Ferguson yesterday launched a fierce onslaught at the army of critics he accused of 'making the most' out of Manchester United's recent setbacks.

The United manager, who saw his team beat Leicester 2-0 to go fourth in the Premiership, insisted any problems at Old Trafford have been magnified out of all proportion.

'They say the empire is crumbling,' said Sir Alex in his programme notes. 'Empires crumble from within but our foundations are rock solid. There are no cracks and, of this I am sure, we will come out of this stronger than ever.'

Ferguson says he regards much of the abuse as having been personal.

'I think some people have been quietly queuing up, waiting for an opportunity to have a go, and one or two have decided that this is the moment to let fly with both barrels,' he added.

'So let me make it quite clear that, while I don't deny I have a problem or two to overcome here, there is no question of anyone at Old Trafford feeling we have reached the end of the line.'

The 59-year-old Scot claimed he had been misrepresented in recent widely quoted comments taken from an interview he did for an Italian magazine.

'The remarks were made some time ago when I was attempting to explain why I had set the end of this season for my retirement,' he wrote.

'It's a distortion to throw these comments back at me as if they were my reaction to our current difficulties.

'I was particularly addressing the fact that in Italy it is rare to find a coach at the same club for more than three years, and I was trying to answer the question as to how I have managed to cope with 15 years at Old Trafford.

'Well, there is a price to pay. Expectations and demands get fiercer all the time and it's certainly true that the Manchester United of today is a colossal enterprise compared with what I found on my arrival all those seasons ago.

'So you have to pick a moment to retire and I made my decision in fairness to the club, with plenty of time to prepare for my successor. Until that moment comes, though, I will be working as hard as ever to make this a successful season.

'I assure you there is no weakening in the management department. I am full of strength as I go for that finishing line and there will be no slackening by me or by anyone else either.

'One thing I won't do is let the criticism I have received personally blinker me in my efforts to get the show back on the road.

'That's my job as manager and I intend to make it abundantly clear the empire is nowhere near crumbling.'