The Rise of Millwal

Chapter 382: Ferguson vs. Aldrich: Clash of Titans

The opening match of '99 saw Millwall set off to Cambridge United for the FA Cup. With a squad made up entirely of substitutes, Millwall delivered a stunning 5-0 win on the road. Despite facing a weaker opponent, Aldrich felt satisfaction in the team's effective transitions and their fluid attacking play.

Klose partnered with Van Nistelrooy, while Duff and Gronkjaer on the wings created a seamless offensive flow.

After defeating Cambridge and advancing to the next round, Andrew invited Aldrich for dinner.

As they dined together, Andrew said seriously, "Recently, Leeds United has been eyeing a few of our players."

Aldrich shrugged it off. With the winter transfer window open, Millwall had received countless offers, but he had no habit of conducting business mid-season.

"Leeds United? Ha!" Aldrich scoffed.

Seeing his nonchalant attitude, Andrew quickly added, "Their offers aren't low."

Aldrich grabbed a napkin and wiped his mouth. "The players' youth is very valuable; without solid honors, those generous salaries can't hold up. I'm not here to be a nanny or guide their lives. If someone naively believes that Leeds United will provide a brighter future, what else can I say?"

Andrew sighed, "Aldrich, don't underestimate the lure of money."

"I'm not denying its appeal, but smart people do the math. A five-year contract for Larsson; even if he makes ￡100,000 a week at Leeds, that's ￡3 million a year, totalling ￡15 million over five years. But then what? After five years with nothing to show, what will his next contract be? How much will his market value drop? Meanwhile, in Millwall, even if I only offer him ￡60,000 a week, he can win trophies and individual honors, which will help his sponsorship income. In five years, that'll definitely exceed ￡15 million. Would he really be silly enough to run to Leeds?"

Aldrich had no worries about poaching from non-top-tier clubs; he believed it posed no threat.

After a moment of silence, Andrew pointed out, "You're talking about absolute key players, but what if it's Ferdinand?"

Aldrich rolled his eyes, shaking his head. "What difference does it make? As long as he develops steadily at Millwall, he'll be a mainstay and a key player for the England national team. His chances of winning honors here are certainly higher than at Leeds."

Andrew knew Aldrich was correct, but not everyone had that kind of patience.

This weekend, Aldrich would lead his team to Manchester. In the pre-match press conference, he emphasized that this was just another league game; he wouldn't pressure the players, as there were still five months left in the season, and this match against Manchester United wouldn't determine the title.

Ferguson, on the other hand, took the match very seriously, publicly stating: "Millwall is our biggest rival for the title. Since '96, we've failed to win the league in two seasons, which is unacceptable. Considering we lost the championship at the last moment last season, right to Millwall, we need to beat them to prove we have what it takes to claim the title! Especially after losing 1-2 to them in the first match, this time we cannot afford to falter. I will not accept anything less than victory!"

Ferguson is ambitious and motivated. Manchester United is strong, and the Class of 92 players are in control of the overall situation, showing mature tactical skills and player abilities. The new offensive combination of Yorke and Cole is quite strong, and Manchester United needs to win the championship to consolidate its position and further enhance the team's temperament.

This was crucial for the long-term development of a team. When a squad has no weaknesses in ability, psychological factors become extremely important. Winning titles enhances confidence and spreads maturity within the team; the transformation that comes after winning can elevate a squad to another level.

Indeed, Manchester United needed the championship even more than Millwall. Ferguson understood this—if they continued to miss out on major titles, even the most talented players would begin to doubt themselves, and their drive would wane.

Ferguson's comments reminded Aldrich of Arsenal's eight trophyless years. Sometimes, winning required a touch of luck, but the aura of a team that has won titles is undeniably different. Teams that fail to win seem to be held back by an invisible weight, often faltering at key moments.

Playing at Old Trafford wasn't an opportune moment for Millwall, which Aldrich recognized put them at a disadvantage.

He had no issues with his personnel selection, but the real challenge lay in forming a new attacking combination. Coming up against a team like Manchester United would inevitably reduce their offensive effectiveness.

Yet, just like his approach against Arsenal, he understood that the league is a marathon, not a sprint. There was no need to battle for short-term glory. Millwall had managed to beat Manchester United earlier in the season; as long as they didn't lose away, a respectable performance in this strong matchup would suffice.

At Old Trafford, Millwall's latest attacking combination made its debut: Ronaldinho, Henry, and Larsson, with Nedved supporting and Makélélé and Pirlo anchoring.

Ferguson and Aldrich stood on the sidelines, exchanging nothing more than pleasantries before the match.

The title race in the Premier League had quickly intensified this season, with Millwall, Manchester United, Arsenal, and Chelsea battling for supremacy. Chelsea faced recent struggles due to their Christmas slump—a phenomenon often plaguing teams with multiple foreign players. Resolving this issue wasn't something that could be fixed overnight.

Millwall's display at Old Trafford was mediocre.

Solid defensively, but their attacking play fell short.

Playing against a team of Manchester United's stature means that every offensive opportunity has to be maximized. A single miscalculation could result in being completely frozen out by the opposition.

Aldrich's new attacking unit required synergy among players. If someone fell out of sync, the overall attack quality would dramatically decrease.

Henry's movements in the center-forward position were still unsatisfactory, but Aldrich didn't get angry. Henry hadn't played alongside Larsson, Ronaldinho, and Pirlo for long, and Aldrich decided to give him two months to see the outcome. If there wasn't significant improvement, he would consider replacing him with another forward.

Yet, under the new tactical system, the defense had stabilized significantly. Full-backs moved up to participate in the attack, which reduced the risk of being caught out of position. Today, Manchester United's wings were flying, attacking Millwall's overall defense with each foray, but the effectiveness was still lacking.

After watching the game for 30 minutes, Ferguson felt depressed.

Millwall's attack and defense combination seemed to be very balanced. The situation where the defender rushed forward to assist was gone. Manchester United's orderly attack could not break through Millwall's defense.

Ferguson walked over to Aldrich, still exchanging smiles despite the ongoing match.

"Is Millwall becoming more cautious? Afraid of losing?"

"Psychological warfare? Ha! That won't work on me!"

"No, no, no. Do you remember the first time you came here?"

"That 5-5 match?"

"Exactly! Millwall's gameplay was incisive, pressing both flanks against Manchester United. Now why have you retreated?"

Aldrich chuckled lightly, knowing Ferguson was trying to provoke him.

"Times have changed. Millwall had superior fitness back then. You wouldn't deny that, would you?"

Ferguson chuckled, and honestly, he couldn't deny it.

However, it didn't seem obvious at the time. By the second season, after a 0-5 thrashing at Old Trafford, Ferguson unleashed his infamous hair-dryer treatment in the dressing room, realizing how significantly Manchester United's fitness lagged behind Millwall, which prompted him to reinforce the team's fitness and steadily improve over the next two seasons.

"We no longer have the fitness advantage, and Manchester United's wing play has improved significantly. Beckham and Giggs must be among the top three wingers in Europe, right? As long as my full-backs can defend effectively, I'm satisfied. Honestly."

Ferguson nudged Aldrich with his elbow, laughing, "I would've believed you, but when you stressed that you were being honest, I started to doubt it. Millwall's attacking players are all strong individually! Do you intend to rely solely on their individual abilities moving forward?"

At that moment, Ronaldinho was dispossessed by Keane, and Aldrich shrugged, "Can individual ability solve all problems?"

"If he manages to break through ten times, even if he only succeeds once or twice, a goal could follow."

"But after being intercepted three times in a row, does he still believe he can break through?"

"Hahaha, if he can't do it, Larson can continue to break through."

Ferguson hoped Millwall's attackers would each lean into individual heroics; he was more wary of their quick transitions, where seamless passing and positioning could rapidly close in on the goal in mere seconds. The speed of such teamwork was terrifying, while excessive individual dribbling would inevitably slow the pace. With Manchester United's established defensive line, he doubted anyone could take on their entire defense single-handedly.

At Aldrich and Ferguson's level, especially regarding the mastery of their teams, they didn't need to micromanage on the pitch anymore.

Ferguson didn't need to give more guidance to players like Beckham, Giggs, and Scholes, just as Oddridge didn't need to demand more from Larsson, Nedved, and Pirlo, unless there were significant tactical changes.

So, both managers had the leisure to chat and laugh on the sidelines.

Both teams were wary of each other's quick transitions, and direct attacks often produced little, with few chances arising in dangerous areas. The match tempo was slow; Manchester United couldn't dictate the rhythm, and Millwall's control was similarly absent. The first half ended goalless, and the second half mirrored the first, with action only in the final ten minutes. Manchester United launched wave after wave of attacks, while Millwall seized limited counterattacking opportunities, leading to top-tier performances from both defenses as each side made remarkable saves.

Millwall fought hard for 90 minutes at Old Trafford, ending the match with a 0-0 draw.

After the match, Ferguson changed his tone, completely distancing himself from his pre-match comments about pursuing a win. Instead, he criticized Millwall for playing too conservatively, no longer resembling previous league champions.

Aldrich, in turn, jeered at Manchester United, pointing out that in their encounters this season, Millwall had secured a victory and a draw. Even if Manchester United ultimately won the league, they wouldn't have the right to feel superior against Millwall.

The relationship between the two managers, which shifted from friendly banter before the match to outright rivalry post-match, became a focal point in the Premier League. Fleet Street remarked: "Ferguson and Aldrich, a perfect matchup!"