How Dein came so close to changing English game…
A TANTALISING thought. Speaking with David Dein this week — his excellent book, Calling The Shots, will be serialised in the Mail — he revealed an early idea that could have changed the narrative of English football entirely. After Don Howe left Arsenal in 1986, it was Dein’s plan to offer the job to Alex Ferguson — with George Graham as his assistant. This is before Ferguson left Aberdeen for Manchester United, which happened later that year. Graham was an early front-runner for the Arsenal post but, as Dein said, was inexperienced having only managed at Millwall. Ferguson, by then, had won the Scottish Premier Division three times with Aberdeen, the
European Cup Winners’ Cup, UEFA Super Cup and five domestic cups in Scotland. While the rest of the board were mulling over Graham — who eventually took the job, with great success — Dein suggested Ferguson with Graham as his No 2. He wasn’t supported.
What might English football look like now if Ferguson had gone to Arsenal? He remains the only Manchester United manager to win the title in 55 years. Another sliding doors moment? Arsenal were the first club to be offered David Ginola by Paris SaintGermain, due to Dein’s friendship with technical director Jean-Francois Domergue. Graham rejected the deal on the grounds
Ginola ‘was too goodlooking’. Ginola signed for Newcastle for £2.5million, came close to winning the league, then joined Tottenham where he was voted Footballer of the Year in 1999. ‘To this day I don’t know whether George was serious, or just didn’t fancy the competition,’ says Dein. More revelations tomorrow.