31/12/2007 10:02, Report by Steve Bartram
Gaffer happy to see McLeish
Sir Alex Ferguson will once again pit his managerial wits against one of his former players on Tuesday, but rather than an ex-Red, it's a former Don who will be aiming to put one over the United manager.
Alex McLeish, an integral part of Sir Alex's successful spell at the helm of Aberdeen, brings Birmingham to Old Trafford on New Year's Day in only his seventh match in charge of the Midlanders. For Sir Alex, McLeish was always a nailed-on certainty to make it in management.
"Alec was one of my great stalwarts at Aberdeen," admitted Sir Alex. "He and Willie Miller were without doubt the mainstay of that great Aberdeen team. I always felt Alec was going to be a manager, because he was always a great student of the game.
"Even in his early years as a manager at Motherwell and Hibs, he was always phoning me and asking me why I made certain changes, asking about training programmes and he would come down to games here all the time. He was always a certainty to become a good manager, a very intelligent boy and I'm pleased for him."
McLeish took the St Andrew's post at the end of November after taking Scotland to the brink of Euro 2008 qualification, only to miss out with a dramatic defeat to Italy. The 48-year-old's subsequent move south of the border was, according to Sir Alex, as inevitable as his foray into management.
"He was onto me all the time about it, saying that he wanted to have a go (in the Premier League)," said Sir Alex. "I think the Scotland situation only gave him the bug more than ever. I think the euphoria and success of Scotland in that campaign just gave him the bug to try England." |