Just hearing Sir Alex’s voice again was inspirational Fergie’s long-time No.2 Mike Phelan tells of relief and joy that legend is back on his feet.. and talking football
Mike Phelan feared the worst, the same as everyone else did.
But one phone call with his old boss told him Scotland’s national treasure was back.
Sir Alex Ferguson’s former No. 2 at Manchester United spent the day in his legendary gaffer’s homeland last week, putting on a class coaching clinic with award-winning community club Blantyre Soccer Academy.
And he admitted hearing the familiar growl down the phone wanting to compare notes on the World Cup brought a wave of relief.
The same as the video of Sir Alex thanking the NHS for the brain surgery and care that saved his life did a few days later for the rest of the country.
Phelan – who spent 14 years by Fergie’s side at Old Trafford – said: “It was fabulous to see and hear him.
“People forget sometimes, because football ’s so all- encompassing, that people within it are human beings, same as everyone else.
“Then something like this happens every now and then to make you realise you need to take care of yourself. As much as it was a shock, it was great to see how much progress he has made in such a short space of time because what he suffered, it could have been catastrophic.
“I kept in touch with the family all through it, speaking to his sons, and kept my fingers crossed.
“But then I spoke to him just before that interview came out and it was strange, like hearing a voice again for the first time – but it was so reassuring and inspirational.
“And it fel t normal. He was talking about the World Cup, talking about football, so he ha s obv ious l y been keeping his finger on t he pu l s e , despite everything.
“You fear s omet imes , consider ing what he went through, that it would diminish him. But no. He’s resting , recuperating and chi l l ing out – although I’m not sure he finds the chilling out bit very easy. “I could never see him being the greatest patient in the world but for the f irst time in his life hopefully he’s actual ly done as he’s been told. Contrary to what he believes, there are some things he can’t control.” Phelan is heading Down Under for a new role as sporting director of Aussie club Central Coast Mariners. But he came north to honour a commitment he made with his firm sensiblesoccer. co.uk. He said: “They invited us to do a coa ching session, which is wha t we’re all about, putting something back into the grassroots. We had a hell of a day there with a couple of hundred kids and the coaches and mums and dads, it was terrific.”
Blantyre were the winners of the Sunday Mai l and McDonald ’ s Community of the Year honour in the 2016 Grassroots Awards. Just 15 miles up the M74, Giffnock Soccer Centre won the same award three years earlier and was the home of one of Phelan’s favourite success stories.
He said: “Andy Robertson was a young kid when I was at Hul l as assistant manager with Steve Bruce, and he was full of potential – maybe was going to make it, maybe not. But he blossomed because he listened, learned and had a great work ethic.
“He took his game on, didn’t stagnate and made a big call when he went to Liverpool.
“He has done exceptionally well there and it’s not easy. When you haven’t come from a top club and you go to one, it’s a formidable task. You can go there and it can swallow you up.
“You have to earn the right to be there and it took him a little while, probably because of where he’d come from. But I remember watching a European night when he was the best player on the field and I texted him the morning after and said, ‘NOW you’ve arrived…’
“He broke down that barrier.”