Ferguson congratulates Wenger on managerial milestone
Former Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson spoke of his admiration for Arsenal on Friday as he congratulated old foe Arsene Wenger for reaching his 1,000th game in charge.
|Last Updated: Mar 21, 2014, 07:19 PM IST|Source: Reuters
London: Former Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson spoke of his admiration for Arsenal on Friday as he congratulated old foe Arsene Wenger for reaching his 1,000th game in charge.
The pair, now friends, had an intense rivalry as managers and did not speak to each other for five years after a match at Old Trafford in October 2004 ended a record 49 match unbeaten run by Arsenal.
"I congratulate Arsene in reaching this momentous landmark," the Scot said in a statement issued on Friday by the League Managers Association ahead of Arsenal`s Premier League match at leaders Chelsea on Saturday.
"Having also reached the same milestone at one club, I cannot emphasise enough the level of dedication, resilience as well as sacrifice required and for that I have for the utmost admiration.
"Over the years we enjoyed some fantastic battles and you could say we had survived together and respected each other`s efforts to play good football. I always enjoy watching Arsene`s sides - Arsenal play the right way," added Ferguson.
Ferguson, who retired last year after 26 years at United, said playing against Arsenal always presented special challenges "that I burned many hours over the years thinking about.
"Perhaps the biggest compliment I could give Arsene is that I could never be anything other than competitive with my rival for 17 years," added the Scot.
"Overall this achievement once again shows what stability can bring to a football club and without doubt he has created a permanent legacy during his 1,000 matches with the club."
Wenger, who was presented with a golden cannon by the Gunners on Friday, joins Ferguson as one of just four managers to reach 1,000 games with the same club in English football.
The Frenchman is the North London club`s most successful manager as well as the longest serving current boss in England.
Ferguson`s comments will also be welcomed by his successor and fellow-Scot David Moyes, who has come under fire for United`s poor showing in his first season in charge at Old Trafford.
Champions United are currently languishing seventh in the league, 18 points behind Chelsea. Arsenal are third, four points off the lead.
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.