SAF's retirement came as a real shock to me last Wednesday after my physiotherapy session at AH. He was the soul of MUFC and as a ManU fan, I will terribly miss all the football action that he brought. The countless Fergie times, the rants at the referee, the chewing gum moments and not forgetting the last minute goal celebrations. Watching a man u game never fails to trigger an adrenaline rush for me. I used to think that Beckham's departure from United was a heartache that could not be matched until CRonaldo left in 2009. I was devastated that we lost one of our best players. I thought the disappointment and upset of losing CRonaldo could never be matched again until I hear of news of SAF retiring. As I watched him present his farewell speech on TV last Sunday, I too, was as emotional as he was and I believe all ManUnited fans around the world or even football fans would share my sentiments.
SAF has been such an inspiration, legend, history-maker whatever you call it. His persistent hunger for success, his determination to elevate the club's status to not just being the biggest and richest in the world, but also with billions of fans and not forgetting being the best in England by knocking off Liverpool off their perch deserve my respect truly. With great power comes great responsibility, this cannot be more true for SAF. Gaffer as everyone in the United family calls it, he is also the dear grandfather figure for many of us who watched him since young.
Subsequently, came the announcement of David Beckham's retirement, who was the first global football icon. When DB first left Man United, I stopped following the club's news for a while and for a moment, lost interest in football. He was the reason why I supported Man United as a young girl, vividly remembering how my brother and I used to have Man United's players' stickers pasted on erasers and played rubber wrestling. Nevertheless, I came to my senses that my heart lies with the club and not the player so I lost track of DB's achievements outside of Man United. He had not much of success on the pitch after leaving Man U, had he? But the thing I love about him is: He was a Man United fan like I do. Man U was his boyhood club and he would never play against Man U in another EPL team's shirt. His loyalty and love for the club never waver even after his departure. For that, I salute him.
And lastly, not forgetting Paul Scholes, the last of the few one-club heroes. :) This time round, he will not put on his boots again for sure. But his achievements will be applauded worldwide by footballers and fans.
As the Chinese saying goes, Time waits for no Man. The young boys of the miracle class of 92 of MUFC have all aged and is time for them to leave the football scene. A short 20 years it has been but it has definitely been one that is extremely fulfilling. And they all have their mentor accompanying them. Goodbye to a league of legends. Even though we will be welcoming a new crop of football icons, you will continue to live in my heart for as long as I live. For the contributions that you have made to football as a sport and the colours that you have brought to my life, I thank you for that!
Once a Red Devil, forever a Red Devil. Old Trafford would not be the same without SAF even though we have his statute right outside the stadium. But like what he said, every book has a beginning and an ending. If you do not allow a good story to end, you will not move on to discover other good new stories that are being written.
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