Manchester United had concerns about Sir Alex Ferguson ahead of 1998/99 treble winning season
On 26 May, 1999 Manchester United were crowned kings of Europe in dramatic fashion.In doing so they did what no English side had ever done – win the Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup in one season.
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4Manchester United completed the Treble by defeating Bayern Munich 2-1 in the 1999 Champions League finalThe Queen then recognised manager Alex Fergusons greatness by making him a knight of the realm, however, the men in charge at Old Trafford had their reservations about him ahead of the 1998/99 season.They wondered if he’d taken his eye off the ball – maybe he was more interested in horse racing than taking United to the next level?At the time we felt wed slipped a little bit, having won the double two years before, the former chief executive Martin Edwards told talkSPORT as part of a special documentary called ‘Football, Bloody Hell! How United won the Treble’, adding that Ferguson was even asked to return from his holiday early for crisis talks.Arsene Wenger had arrived at Arsenal in October 1996 and, by 1998, had won the league and cup double in his first full season at the club.Only one team could halt their quest for total domination and that was the Gunners. The threat was very real, though Fergie was outraged at the mere suggestion he had lost his drive.And it would take more than that to rattle the determined Scot. He was made of the type of steel that would put any White Walker to sleep.That was shown by the way he responded, Edwards added, explaining the club was right behind their manager and pointed to the significant backing in the transfer market that saw Jaap Stam, Dwight Yorke and Jesper Blomqvist arrive for a combined figure just shy of 30m.At the end of the day, these things happen in businesses and in football clubs, but as long as you come out on the right side its justifiable, Edwards said.
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4Martin Edwards told talkSPORT there were concerns Ferguson had taken his eye off the ball in 1998, but the club backed the manager, who then led Man United to the TrebleFergie also happened to possess a group of players who demanded nothing less than the best, as Steve McClaren found out when he left Derby to become Fergies assistant midway through the 1998/99 season following Brian Kidds departure.Speaking to talkSPORT, he explained nothing could have prepared him for life on the training pitch with Roy Keane, Gary Neville and Peter Schmeichel among others.
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4Dwight Yorke arrived from Aston Villa in 1998 for just over 12mThe first five months between January and May were the toughest five months of my life, he recalled.The environment was tough, the players were tough if a cone was out of place, if a decision was wrong, if a drill wasnt right or training wasnt going well, theyd let you know.They wanted the best. They wanted teaching, they wanted training, they wanted toughness, they wanted discipline, they wanted competitiveness the players demanded that, it didnt come from the manager.
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4McClaren became Ferguson’s assistant during the 1998/99 season and said the first five months were the toughest of his careerIn the end Manchester United and Arsenal two of the Premier Leagues greatest rivals fought a breathtaking battle for domestic superiority, which United won by a point on the final day of the season.They kept Alan Shearer quiet to wrap up the FA Cup final and saw off both Inter and a very strong Juventus team en route to the Champions League final the first time an English side had reached European footballs most prestigious match in 14 years – before staging a dramatic stoppage time comeback to beat Bayern at the Camp Nou.The message was clear: nobody puts Fergie in the corner.
You can listen to a special talkSPORT documentary called ‘Football, Bloody Hell! How United won the Treble’ featuring contributions from Teddy Sheringham, Andy Cole, Steve McClaren and Martin Edwards here.How United won the treble
Under Sir Alex, Man United ruled at home and abroad
PREMIER LEAGUE – WINNERSPlayed: 38Won: 22Drawn: 13Lost: 3Points: 79
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE – WINNERSGroup D: Runners-up to Bayern MunichQuarter-finals: InterSemi-finals: JuventusFinal: Bayern Munich
FA CUP – WINNERSThird round: MiddlesbroughFourth round: LiverpoolFifth round: FulhamQuarter-final: Chelsea via replaySemi-final: Arsenal via replayFinal: Newcastle
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