Liverpool legend Graeme Souness has spotlighted one of former manager Sir Alex Ferguson’s biggest “achievements” at Manchester United before his departure from Old Trafford.
Sir Alex Ferguson had an incredible long-lasting impact at Manchester United – and English football as a whole – during his illustrious reign at Old Trafford.
The 82-year-old legendary Scotsman lifted a whopping 13 Premier League titles at the Red Devils, including leading United to an iconic continental treble in 1999.
Widely revered for his accomplishments in both Scotland and England, Ferguson is considered one of the best managers in the longstanding history of the sport.
Ferguson, who first arrived at Old Trafford in 1986, bowed out of United for the last time as a manager in 2013 after leading the Red Devils to the Premier League title.
United have struggled to return to the top of English football in the aftermath of the Ferguson era, with the club’s last league title triumph coming in the 2012-13 season.
Souness on Ferguson and Man Utd
Speaking on the Three Up Front podcast, Graeme Souness was asked about Manchester United’s struggles in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era at the club.
The 71-year-old Liverpool legend pointed to the change in football direction at Old Trafford after Ferguson and former United chief executive David Gill left the club.
Souness insisted that one of Ferguson’s biggest achievements at United was lifting the Premier League title in his final season at Old Trafford.
United finished 11 points ahead of Manchester City in the title race in the 2012-13 season, with Robin van Persie’s prolific form firing Ferguson’s men to the trophy.
“Where I would start with it, I think one of Fergie’s greatest achievements at Man United was to win the league the last year that he did, the year he left with that group of players,” Souness said.
“Now, I think when him and David Gill left, I think all of the big football decisions, they’ve given a masterclass on how not to do it.”
Souness hits out at one Man Utd player
Souness believes that United have made categorical errors in several departments, including recruitment and their failure to ship off certain players from the club.
The former Sky Sports pundit spotlighted Anthony Martial as a key example of United’s problems in the post-Ferguson era at Old Trafford.
Anthony Martial is finally expected to leave Old Trafford in the summer after his contract expires, with Souness insisting that he should have been sold years ago.
“I think they’ve got more or less all of them wrong, from recruitment, from people they should be selling and I’m thinking one name springs to mind – I used to do a column in the Sunday Times – and I wrote five years ago this has to be Martial’s last-chance saloon moment and I think he’s had a couple of contracts since then,” Souness said.
Former Watford striker Troy Deeney agreed with Souness and believes Martial had “more than enough chances” to prove his worth at Old Trafford.
“If you’re looking at someone like Martial, let’s use him as a case study, I would look back and go who are the great strikers we’ve had?” Deeney asked.
“Who do the fans think this person needs to now emulate moving forward? He’s had more than enough chances.
“What’s it, nine years he’s been there now? And he’s never going to score you goals.”
Souness injected and added: “I can understand why he’s still there because every manager in training coming in would look at him in training and go, ‘Cor, if he can get that on to matchday, then what a player I’ve got.’ But he’s not capable of that.”