Breathing down your neck!! ;-)

When I was appointed to my very first job as a teacher in Surrey, I took over from a lady
who was expecting her first baby. I had to spend the first two weeks in the classroom
with her, before she left. I hated every minute because I wanted to get stuck in,
make the class my own, stamp my own authority, mould them to my ways etc.
Pleasant as she was, to have her breathing over my shoulder, be it only for two weeks,
didn't help me one little bit. I was glad to see the back of her! (In the nicest possible way ;-)

So, on a much much larger scale, there you have a similar situation at Old Trafford!  Sir Alex Ferguson is sitting in the stands, every match, looking down; no doubt judging his successor,
David Moyes, on his every move. Sir Alex has a massive presence at Old Trafford...
and always will.
In my honest opinion I think that David Moyes was crackers to go there!
Perhaps he had a death wish?!

But did you know that this is history repeating itself?!

In June 1971, a very talented manager by the name of Frank O Farrell, stepped into the shoes of Sir Matt Busby at Manchester United. Frank, having  played for West Ham and Preston, took over the reins at Weymouth and then at Torquay United before moving to Leicester City. And very successful he was too. In my opinion, he was one of the best managers that Torquay have had and my memories of matches at Plainmoor in the 1960s, still live on. Wonderful, attacking football...old fashioned,with wingers and big centre forwards ...oh bring back those days where the game isn't coached to death and anyone could have a crack at goal. Flair,  creativity, individuality ; things that I love ...oh dear, I digress! I loved my visits to watch my team in action.
It was where 'I plied my trade' as a supporter! LOL!!!

Anyway, sad to say that moving to Old Trafford was Frank's downfall. Poor chap didn't stand a chance. Why? Because there was Sir Matt Busby, still there, always present,
breathing down his neck. Not good.
Had he gone in a 5 year holiday, things might have been different for Frank!

As Frank says, in this excellent article, below,' I felt his presence everywhere!' And later, ' Busby's power at the club was absolute.'

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/manchester-united/8875138/Frank-OFarrell-I-felt-Matt-Busbys-presence-everywhere-at-Manchester-United.html

Poor Frank. I remember how we all felt for him, at Torquay. In fact, Frank returned to Torquay later on, mainly in the role as general manager and he now lives in Torquay.

But it's a bit like the situation at Old Trafford, today, don't you think? History repeating itself?

I think this article says it all:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/manchester-united/10509165/If-Sir-Alex-Ferguson-truly-loves-Manchester-United-he-should-walk-away-now.html


I don't know what prompted me to write this blog, really!!
I am not an admirer of Manchester United, their philosophy, their fans ( or should I say 'sheep?!') that's for sure! I also think that Man Utd fans have had it too good for too long and they deserve a dose of reality 'to wipe the smug look off their faces!' ( words of someone to whom I was talking, recently) LOL!;-)

However, Torquay United ( I don't think I will ever shake off my Torquay United addiction, even through 45 years of doom, gloom, dejection and more lows than highs!)
have, this week, appointed a new manager. Chris Hargreaves. Greavsie!  Good luck to him! He needs all the luck he can get at Torquay!  At least he won't have the previous, successful manager breathing down his neck. (Well, we haven't really had many of those at Torquay! )
But I reckon that somewhere in Torquay, Frank will be taking an interest.

As will I! ;-)