Manchester United: Comparing performance with and without Sir Alex Ferguson - Can they return to their former glory?

Manchester United is one of the biggest clubs in England, if not the biggest, and one of the most illustrious teams in Europe. With 20 English League titles, three Champions League crowns, 13 FA Cups, and numerous other trophies.

The Red Devils' most successful time was under renowned Scottish manager Alex Ferguson, who is still regarded as one of the greatest football managers of all time.

Despite signing numerous managers throughout the years, United struggled greatly after Sir Alex's retirement in 2013 and is still unable to relive their glory days with the legendary Scotsman.

The Sir Alex Ferguson Era: A Legacy of Success

In 1986 Man Utd were in danger of relegation, and Sir Alex Ferguson took over as manager. In his first season, he led his team to a mid-table position from second to bottom.

After achieving little in his first few years, the renowned manager began to win trophy after trophy as Manchester United won 13 Premier League titles under his leadership, along with three Champions League titles, five FA Cups, and numerous more trophies.

He was regarded as a tactical genius who could rebuild teams, enforce discipline, and get players to perform much above their capabilities.

The most prominent players on the list are Wayne Rooney, Paul Scholes, Cristiano Ronaldo, Ryan Giggs, Eric Cantona, and many others who excelled under his tutelage.

The Red Devils under Sir Alex Ferguson were the dominant team in the Premier League and one of the best teams in Europe throughout his tenure as a Manchester United manager.

Post-Ferguson Era: The Struggles Begin

On the 8th of May 2013, legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson announced his retirement from football, in what was one of the saddest days in the club’s history. Many managers took over after him, but none had any sort of long-term success.

David Moyes (2013 - 2014)

Everton’s manager back then, David Moyes, was hired as the successor of Sir Alex as the manager of United on the 19th of May 2013, and it was reported that Sir Alex advised the Manchester United board to sign him.

David Moyes underperformed massively in his first season and was sacked on the 22nd of April 2014, managing Man United for less than a year, with Ryan Giggs taking over for the rest of the season. Below are David Moyes’s stats as a Man United manager:

• Played 51: Won 27, Drew 9, Lost 15.
• Win Rate: 53%.
• Trophies: Community Shield 2013.

Louis Van Gaal (2014-2016)

After the sacking of David Moyes, Man United hired Dutch manager Louis Van Gaal, with the hopes of turning things around at Old Trafford.

Van Gaal's tenure was an average one, as he didn’t make any notable progress, however, he managed to win an F.A. Cup before leaving, winning the club their first major trophy in the Post-Fergie era. Below are Louis Van Gaal’s stats as a Man United manager:

• Played 103: Won 54, Drew 25, Lost 24.
• Win rate: 52%.
• Trophies: F.A. Cup 2016.

Jose Mourinho (2016-2018)

The special one, Jose Mourinho, was hired as the manager of Manchester United on the 27th of May 2016.

Jose Mourinho's managerial stint is arguably considered the most successful one for Manchester United in the Post-Fergie era, as he finished 2nd in the table, the highest finish since Fergie’s departure, and won the Europa League and Carabao Cup.

Mourinho was sacked in his third season with the club after a series of poor performances. Below are Jose Mourinho’s stats as Manchester United manager:

• Played 144: Won 84, Drew 32, Lost 28.
• Win Rate: 58%.
• Trophies: Europa League 2017, Carabao Cup 2017 and Community Shield 2016.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (2018-2021)

Manchester United announced the appointment of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as their manager on the 19th of December 2021, in what became a permanent position. Despite not being able to add a trophy, Man United played attacking fluid football, and his tenure was mediocre. Below are Ole Gunnar Solskjaer stats:

• Played 167: Won 91, Drew 37, lost 39.
• Win Rate: 54%.
• Trophies: None.

Ralf Rangnick (2021-2022)

Michael Carrick took over as caretaker manager for three games before the club hired Ralf Rangnick as an interim manager until the end of the season.

The club didn’t perform well under the Austrian manager and he became one of the few Man United managers that didn’t win at least half of their games. Below are Ralf Rangnick stats:

• Played 29: Won 11, Drew 10, Lost 8.
• Win Rate: 38%.
• Trophies: None.

Erik Ten Hag (2022-2024)

The former Ajax manager was hired as the Red Devils manager on the first of July 2022, after an amazing season with Ajax.

Erik Ten Hag’s tenure as a Man United manager was a failure, as the club didn’t move forward during his time, however he won two trophies for the club.

The Dutch manager was sacked this season after the poorest start in the history of the club. Below are Erik Ten Hag stats as a Man United manager:

• Played 128: Won 72, Drew 20, Lost 36.
• Win Rate: 56%.
• Trophies: F.A. Cup, Carabao Cup.

Ruben Amirom (2025)

Ruben Amirom became the Man United manager this season after leaving Sporting. His team performed below expectations so far this season, but they will be hoping to turn their form around.

Why Did Manchester United Struggle Since Sir Alex’s Retirement?

There are many reasons why Manchester United struggled since Sir Alex’s retirement, and below are the key ones:

Poor Transfer Strategy

Manchester United recruitment was abysmal since the retirement of Sir Alex, as they signed many players for huge fees and wages and those players either weren’t good enough for that kind of money or didn’t perform as expected, and signed based on reputation more than the fit of the player.

Owner’s Issues

Man United fans consider the owners as one of the main reasons for the club’s regression as they treated the team as a money-making machine instead of a competitive football team.

Not Setting a Consistent Philosophy

Manchester United didn’t hire their manager based on a philosophy set by a club, but by reputation, and that might be one of the factors that made the club always have to rebuild squads every season after the coming of a new manager.

Can Manchester United Return to Their Glory Days?

Manchester United are in a tough situation right now. However, as one of the biggest clubs in the world, they can bounce back if they take some of the following steps:

Focus on Youth

One of the most important things to get Man United back on track is focusing on integrating the youth in the first team to build a young team that can grow together.

Fix the Transfer Strategy

Manchester United's financial struggles got worse because of some overpriced transfers that weren’t successful, and the team should hire a team that specialises in transfers instead of buying players that fit a particular style of play.

Building a New Stadium or Renovating Old Trafford

Building a new stadium or renovating Old Trafford is one of the most important things to do if the team wants to get back to its glory days, as Old Trafford has been struggling recently with a lot of issues.

Will Manchester United Ever Get Back to Glory Days?

The question on the lip of every Manchester United is if his club can get back to the glory days of Alex Ferguson.

The answer is that Man United is one of the biggest clubs in the world, and if they start doing smart recruitment and rely on youth, they will eventually bounce back and challenge for the major trophies again.

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