Despite losing the 2011 UEFA Champions League Final, Manchester United had a very successful season, but one would never think that following the reaction of a small portion of their fans.
As noted before, there is stark difference between a fan and a supporter of a football club, and the way the two expressed their contrasting feelings showed the clear divide.
A barrage of blame was aimed at this player or that player, but some, amazingly, shelled fault at Sir Alex Ferguson – even after all he has done for Manchester United in the last quarter of a century.
Entitlement is the selected word that can only describe these fans – if you can even call them that – having an ungrateful gratitude towards the club. How you can really tell if someone supports a club to the fullest extent is not when they win, but when they lose.
Thankfully, the majority of the supporters, who often get a raw deal from rival fans for being plastics, Manchester United only lost seven of their 60 games – including the FA Community Shield – this season. The Reds captured what can only be classified as the jinx 19th title – because Liverpool has been trying to win it for 21 years – yet that is still not good enough for some!
Against Barcelona, you have to step back and congratulate them for the way they played the game beautifully and, to be honest, any team on this planet would have been second-class to them on that day. Yes, it was the last game of the season, but as disappointing as that result was, it was not the game that defined the season – even though some considered it to be.
Let’s see how terrible of a season United has had: FA Community Shield Champions, Quarterfinalists in the Carling Cup, Semifinalists in the FA Cup, Runners-Up in the UEFA Champions League and champions of the Barclays Premier League. This CV / Resume is something that most clubs would kill for, yet some, to be a disappointing season for Manchester United, considers this.
Difference
Sir Alex Ferguson has certainly raised the level of expectation to an unprecedented mark, but while it is always good to have the highest of standards, people also need to remain realistic at the same time. Sustainable success is something that no club has ever been able to do for more than two decades at a time, but yet our manager is bringing the club to those unparalleled heights. We, as an integral part of the club, need to fully trust and support the manager to make sure that this success continues.
This theory contradicts the one the Gaffer tries to instill into his players, because without that trademarked winning mentality, the club will become as stagnant as some of United’s bitter rivals have become. Sir Alex is, without question, the greatest supporter that this club has and he demands highest of performance levels, but even he is realistic enough to know these expectations sometime exceed absoluteness.
What is great about a club like Manchester United is that distance or age does not determine the level of commitment a supporter may, or may not be. The words we choose and the sensations that we feel are what dictate our level of dedication to the club, so choose your words wisely and, most importantly, respect the club in the process.
Submitted by The United Religion
