Sir Alex Ferguson has posed for pictures with Eintracht Frankfurt that look suspiciously like a manager unveiling, but all is not what it seems.
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Iconic Scottish coach retired in 2013Enjoys watching former clubsAlways had a soft spot for EintrachtWHAT HAPPENED?
The legendary former Manchester United boss has been enjoying retirement since walking away from the stresses of life in the dugout back in 2013. He stepped down at Old Trafford with 13 Premier League titles to his name and a historic Treble triumph from 1999.
AdvertisementEintracht Frankfurt (@Eintracht)THE EXPLANATION
Ferguson also enjoyed considerable coaching success at Aberdeen, having been a prolific forward in his playing days, and a surprising bond with German outfit Eintracht has been struck up down the years. He is now a lifelong member of the Bundesliga side, having accepted their invitation to fill such a role, and has explained an emotional link that was put in place between Glasgow and Frankfurt.
WHAT FERGUSON SAID
After posing for pictures that appear on Eintracht’s , with a club scarf and shirt in hand, Ferguson has said of first experiencing the German outfit in 1960 when they faced Rangers in the European Cup: “It was unbelievable. In the away game, Frankfurt beat Rangers six to one. I was at the home game, when they came to Ibrox, with 70,000 people in attendance. Rangers scored first and of course you then get hopeful, saying that Rangers could come back. They ended up losing by six again. I was a Rangers fan, living only some 200 metres away from Ibrox. I went to the final in 1960 as well, hoping that Frankfurt would win, since they knocked out Rangers. I was 17 years old at the time, playing for FC Queens Park. It was an amazing game. Kress scored the first goal. We said: ‘Wow! A great German team’. But then there was Puskas, Di Stefano, Gento. I don’t think there will ever be another team as charismatic as that Real Madrid team at the time. Puskas scored four goals and Stefano scored three. They were fantastic players. And the 7:3 was an amazing game. It was no disgrace to lose that game. They proved themselves in the semi-final against Rangers. It was unfortunate because it was the fifth final in a row that Real Madrid won.”
Eintracht Frankfurt (@Eintracht)DID YOU KNOW?
Ferguson added on keeping an eye out for Eintracht despite never facing them during his time in charge of Manchester United: “Frankfurt’s most successful time was during my career at Aberdeen in the 70s and 80s, when they won the UEFA Cup in 1980. Recently, they beat Barcelona, right? I saw that. I always hope to see the underdog win. Bayern fans may not agree with that, but like all the neutral fans in Germany, I really hope to see someone else win the league again.”