Failing Fergie’s toughest test yet

WRITING as I am on Monday, en route to Lisbon, I don’t know how we did last night but surely to God it could not have been any worse than last December’s horrorfest?

United’s 05/06 European campaign will, of course, remain one of the most humiliating suffered by any so called European giant, and deservedly so. Seldom has so much investment in wages and transfer fees produced so poor a result. At most other clubs, this abject failure combined with three successive league shortcomings and years of continental underachievement would have resulted in wholesale managerial and playing staff changes.

United, as ever, remains a special case. According to Fergie’s recent statements, indeed, success or lack thereof has nothing to do with how long he will stay in charge. Apparently, as long as he has his “good health” and his “desire”, he will stay on. This is clearly absurd, and one would imagine also not a view necessarily shared by his new owners.