Legendary football manager Sir Alex Ferguson has sent shockwaves through the football world with his unexpected announcement of a return to the Premier League Club
Manchester United fans are perplexed as to how one of Sir Alex Ferguson’s criminally underappreciated purchases has “still” not been admitted into the Premier League Hall of Fame.
Sir Alex Ferguson left Old Trafford in 2013 after guiding Manchester United to their final Premier League title at the end of the 2012-13 season.
The 82-year-old Scot oversaw a roster of top players at Old Trafford, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Eric Cantona, Ryan Giggs, and Paul Scholes.
Ferguson, widely regarded as one of the best managers of all time, was inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame as an inaugural manager in 2023.
The Scot was inducted into the Hall of Fame alongside famed former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who had a famous feud with Ferguson during the Premier League.
David Beckham, Wayne Rooney, Rio Ferdinand, Roy Keane, and Eric Cantona are among the United icons who have been inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Despite bringing the finest in class to Old Trafford, Ferguson reportedly said that he only managed four world-class players during his storied career.
Despite his appreciation for only four world-class players, Ferguson stated that only one former footballer would be a “certainty” in his all-time team.
Manchester United legend shunned by Hall of Fame
The Premier League’s official website revealed on Monday that Chelsea icon Ashley Cole has been inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Ashley Cole, who played for Arsenal and Chelsea, is one of three entrants into the Premier League Hall of Fame’s class of 2024.
Members of the public will vote for the two other inductees into the Hall of Fame, and fans can do so on the Premier League’s official website.
The voting for the two other inductees will stop on April 8th at 12pm UK time, with the Premier League announcing the poll winners on April 22nd.
Five Manchester United luminaries are among those nominated in the public poll, including former England player Michael Carrick and treble winner Andy Cole.
Gary Neville, a Sky Sports analyst, was also on the shortlist, as were fellow great Edwin van der Sar and Nemanja Vidic, who appeared alongside their old Manchester United teammate.
Former Liverpool striker Michael Owen, who Sir Alex Ferguson signed to Old Trafford, was also named to the Hall of Fame shortlist.
However, outraged fans were perplexed as to how United veteran Denis Irwin was passed over for the Hall of Fame in favour of Cole.
Denis Irwin’s omission from the Premier League Hall of Fame has sparked outrage among Manchester United fans on social media platform X (previously Twitter).
The 58-year-old Irishman had a successful career at United under Ferguson, excelling on either flank as a full-back and from free kicks and penalties.
“Denis Irwin has more than twice as many Premier League titles as Cole. “It’s ridiculous that he still hasn’t been inducted,” one X account remarked.
Another tweet read: “Denis Irwin [is] still getting snubbed.”
A third member of the audience commented: “Was worried when I [saw] Denis Irwin was trending but it’s just to remind everyone who the greatest left-back to ever play professional football was.”
Someone else remarked, “I have no objections about Cole’s induction into the [Premier League Hall of Fame]. However, putting him before Denis Irwin is a complete farce, and someone must be held accountable for the choice.
A fifth questioned, “When will Denis Irwin be inducted?”
Someone else commented: “Denis Irwin. The fact that he is not even shortlisted is a tragedy for the finest left-back in Premier League history.
“Denis Irwin [over] Ashley Cole, and it’s not even a debate,” one admirer wrote.
An eighth wrote, “Denis Irwin should be ahead of him [Cole], though, in my opinion.”
