Ferguson amazed by Premier League transfer spending
Sir Alex Ferguson believes the unprecedented sums of money clubs are spending in the transfer window increases the pressure on Premier League managers.
Premier League clubs look set to take their spending this summer beyond the £1.5bn mark and former Manchester United boss Ferguson is concerned by the transfer fees that some clubs are prepared to pay in this window.
“It’s amazing. I must say, I’m glad I’m not a coach, having to spend that money,” he said.
World Cup Europe Qualifiers, Today, 19:45pm
France v Netherlands “I think the responsibility and the pressure on a coach to buy a player for, say, £100m must be huge. But that seems to be the pattern of football today that they’re using money up that was never heard of 10 years ago.
“It’s there [but] it doesn’t mean that the game is in the healthiest state when clubs are spending that kind of money.”
Ferguson was speaking in Zurich where he was chairing the UEFA Elite Coaches Forum. Current United boss Jose Mourinho was also present, and Ferguson was full of praise for the Portuguese who led United to a spot in the Champions League after winning the Europa League last season.
“I think that the Europa Cup has taken on arms and legs since they made the decision to allow the winners to get into the Champions League,” Ferguson said.
“And Jose [Mourinho] seized on that and made sure that he was playing his best teams every round, right from the very start. They deserved to win it because his attitude was first-class in terms of wanting to win this tournament and obviously getting to the Champions League.
“Once Jose realised he wasn’t going to win the league back home in England, his intent to win the Europa Cup became greater and greater as each round came along. So that was the great achievement Jose had in winning the Europa Cup.”