Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger has been inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame.
Across their managerial stints at Manchester United and Arsenal respectively which both expanded over two decades, Ferguson and Wenger amassed a total of 16 Premier League titles between them amidst a fierce rivalry between their clubs.
13 of those 16 titles in total were won by Utd under Ferguson who said that he felt “truly delighted” to be inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame,” which feels like a huge honour to be recognised in this manner.
Ferguson though credited his honour to Man Utd where he spent 27 years in charge until May 2013, as he commented: “However, it’s not just about me as a person. It’s about the job at Manchester United and the bond we had over many years, so I’m also proud for the club, the staff and my players.
“My job was to send the fans home happy. United’s history and my own expectations were the things that drove me, and I then had to try to develop all my players with the same expectations and make sure we could go out and achieve them.”
Ferguson also paid tribute to Wenger who he hailed as “a very worthy inductee as he transformed Arsenal Football Club fantastically.”
Reflecting on how Wenger and Arsenal helped propel himself and Utd forward over the years, Ferguson added: “They became a tough team to compete with and we both wanted to win, which motivated us further.”
Ferguson also joked about spending time with Wenger away from the game, as he concluded: “Through the years since retirement, we’d go for dinner together in a little restaurant he knows well in Switzerland. He is a really interesting man and I enjoy his company, but it is still my job to pick the wine!”
Wenger meanwhile spent 22 years at Arsenal during which he led the Gunners to their first Premier League at end of his first full season as manager in 1997-98 season, before he went on to help the club to two further league titles – including the unbeaten 2003-04 season.
“I am very grateful to have been selected for the Premier League Hall of Fame,” commented Wenger as he iterated that he just “always wanted to give something special to the supporters and when you have players capable of remarkable things, the most important thing for me is the obligation of perfection.”
On his legacy in English Football, Wenger quipped: “I’d like to be known as someone who loved Arsenal, who respected the values of the club and left it in a position where it can grow and become even bigger.”
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