Why has Manchester United produced only two successful managers?
Most of Manchester United's league titles were won under Matt Busby and Alex Ferguson. The club faces a problem overshadowed by these two names: the debate is less about who will succeed Ferguson and more about whether success was possible without these two men.
Ernest Mangnall won Manchester United's first two league titles. Today, when the club's greatest managers are discussed, these achievements are often overlooked. Busby brought five league titles, and Ferguson brought 13.
The club won its 20 league titles under just three managers. Liverpool also won 20, but those were shared among six managers. Busby and Ferguson brought in 18 of United's 20 titles. Their influence was not limited to trophies: they shaped teams, set standards and defined the club's identity.
When Busby arrived at the club in 1945, United was far from what it is today. Old Trafford had been badly damaged during the Second World War and was unusable. The team played at Manchester City's stadium, Maine Road. Busby aimed to bring young players into the first team, have the side compete with Europe's best, and develop the club's own players.
The Munich air disaster in 1958 derailed United's plans. Eight players lost their lives in the crash, and Busby was seriously injured. The club was rebuilt. George Best, Denis Law and Bobby Charlton brought the team back to the top. In 1968, they beat Benfica 4-1 at Wembley to win the European Cup, becoming the first English club to lift that trophy.
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