Before i start this post, I just want you to know i am not a Man Utd supporter. Watching my team lose 2-0 in the hands of Man Utd just 4 days after a poor 3-1 lost against Barcelona was one of those weeks you never want hapenning. Nevertheless there was one thing that really caught my attention after this match.
For Alex Ferguson to pick such a young side for an all important FA Cup quarter final against their title rival Arsenal just seemed crazy before kick off. 7 defenders in the team out of 11 players. To play Fabio and Rafael who usually play as defenders as wingers was another huge gamble which eventually paid off. Another big risk was to field Gibson and O Shea against the likes of the more experience Wilshere and Diaby in the engine room. Alex Ferguson knew the risk he was taking and the wrath of the loyal supporters he was facing if they lost their 3rd game in a row. He knew what a lost would have done not just to his team's hope but also their mental strength after previously losing to both Chelsea and Liverpool. Comments in facebook crictisising Alex Fergie was flooding in my page as so was the media and pundits on the TV.
Looking at the squad on paper, many predicted an Arsenal win. Even all three TV pundits went for a 'comfortable Arsenal win'. Not many expected a United win as Arsenal fielded their strongest possible squad except for Gael Clichy missing in left back. But what i wanted to highlight here was not the game. It was what happen after the game. In short whatever everybody predicted didnt happened, Arsenal didnt win comfortable, instead they were torn apart from the energetic twins and the vision of Rooney.
What i really wanted to highlight was the joy and pride of Alex Ferguson at the final whistle. Even watching from the comfort of my home, I could actually feel the pride and joy of one proud manager. Eventhough being a strong Arsenal fan i actually felt happy for Sir Alex Ferguson because before the game all odds were against his line up. Nobody trusted it, people crictised it some even said he was crazy. From the moment he shook Arsene Wenger's hand to the time he walked that 60 meters walk to the tunnel he was a man beaming with confidence and he had this "in ur face" look which was actually a good thing because everybody doubted him.
And trust me, this is one of the greatest feeling and pleasure a manager or coach can get beside winning a trophy. I'm saying that because i felt this first hand when I was the head coach for the 2nd team of Ztec Floorball during Penang Floorball League 2010. Odds were against my team when we were againt Frontliners Spartans. Against the likes of a few national players and a handful of state regulars, everybody expected us to lose or even some predicted a trashing. The final score 6-6. What made it better was we were losing 6-3 with less than a period to go, and to see my team fought back against all odds to make it 6-6 was a feeling I will never forget.
I may not have felt the same joy as Sir Alex after that night but i surely know how it feels when the odds are against you and to beat the odds when nobody expects you to is one of the greatest joy in the sporting world. Maybe Reading can start to think bout this when the play Man City tonight? =)
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