Munich-Sixty-Eight Years On ⚽ What Would The Babes Have Made Of This?

Caoimhin O’Muraile 🏴 Tomorrow, Friday the sixth of February, marks the sixty-eighth anniversary of the Munich Air Disaster.

On that fateful day twenty-three people lost their lives including eight of Manchester United’s finest who were returning from Belgrade after a European Cup Quarter Final Tie against Red Star Belgrade.

United had qualified for the Semi Final of the competition and were fancied to win the cup, toppling the Mighty Real Madrid. Due to playing a makeshift side United lost 5-2 on aggregate to Milan in the semi-final. With a full side having won 2-1 at Old Trafford that score would in all probability been much higher to the Reds putting Milan out of sight to the rear. Without the following players it was hopeless but a brave effort was put up by United.

The players who died at Munich were; Geoff Bent aged 25, Full Back making his first trip to European Football, Roger Byrne, Club Captain aged twenty-eight and England left back, Eddie Colman aged twenty-one the youngest to perish, Duncan Edwards aged twenty-one renowned England international who died 15 days later from his injuries, Mark Jones aged twenty-four, Centre Half, David Pegg, aged twenty-two, Outside-left, Tommy Taylor aged twenty-six Centre Forward, and Irelands Liam Whelan aged twenty two, Inside Forward. In addition to these eight players, three members of the coaching staff, trainer Tom Curry, Coach Bert Whalley, and Secretary and former temporary Manager, Walter Crickmer also perished. Several other people tragically lost their lives including journalists, one being the former Manchester City Goalkeeper, Frank Swift, then a journalist for the News of the World, Crew member and Co-Pilot, Kenneth Rayment, Bela Miklos, Travel Agent, Willie Satinoff, supporter and friend of Matt Busby’s.

Other journalists who lost their lives were Alf Clarke of the Manchester Evening News, Don Davies, Manchester Guardian, George Follows, Daily Herald, Tom Jackson, Manchester Evening News, Henry Rose, Daily Express, Eric Thompson, Daily Sketch, Archie Ledbroook, Daily Mirror. Cabin Steward, Tom Cable, also lost his life that day.

Other crew members who survived were George Rogers, Radio Officer, and stewardesses Rosemary Cheverton and Margaret Bellis. Manager Matt Busby received the last rites of the Roman Catholic Church twice while in the Rechts der Isar Hospital so critical were his injuries. The last words uttered by Duncan Edwards were; “come on mum, get me home, I can’t miss Wolves on Saturday,” so much was his enthusiasm for the game.

United goalkeeper, Harry Gregg, and defender Bill Foulkes both re-entered the dangerous fuselage for survivors. Bobby Charlton, who along with Foulkes, would play in the European Cup Final ten years later when United destroyed Benfica was saved by Gregg and Foulkes. Manchester United was the first English team to enter the competition defying the Football League and without whose exploits who knows, the achievements of Nottingham Forrest, Liverpool, Aston Villa, Chelsea and Man City might never have happened!!! United were the first English team to win the European Cup, the first to win the treble in fact the first at everything. The question I ask is what would the ‘Babes’ have made of today’s exploits both at Manchester United and the game in general?

Firstly Matt Busby:

expressed strong concerns regarding the commercialisation of football famously warning against prioritising financial gain over the sports core principles. His emphasis that football should be about passion, fans, and entertainment, rather than purely profit-driven business interests.

The Altar of Big Business Warning.

Matt Busby warned back in 1970 “I hope we shall never sacrifice our sporting principles on the altar of big business.” Football is Nothing Without Fans. Busby believed “the games true value lies with its supporters, rather that purely economic, commercial, or television interests”. As can be gleaned at Old Trafford today supporters, who Matt believed, rightly, so much in, are called “customers” at the insistence of the club owners, the hated Glazers. The interests of big business today much to the disgust of many do take preference over the game of football. Kick off times are altered to suit television companies irrespective of any consideration given to the supporters. The traditional 3pm on Saturday is no longer the case as TV companies demand ridiculous times like 12 noon on Sundays to fit in with their programme. The modern game could be described as a game of Monopoly involving football teams and players.

Busby’s approach to the game and management was fundamentally based on “youth development, community, and making players rather than simply buying them to chase commercial success”. Most of these principles laid down by their greatest manager ever – sorry Sir Alex – have long been forgotten by the bastards who run Man Utd today. Could Busby have worked with these people, the Glazers and Ratcliffe? I doubt that very much. The Babes must be turning in their graves at what is happening at Old Trafford. Since Sir Alex Ferguson, United’s most successful manager, retired back in 2013 United have struggled to find a replacement manager. David Moyes came from Everton and, in my view, was not given time by the clueless Glazers to do the job. They sacked him after nine months, had nobody told them it took Ferguson four years to win a trophy!

What would the Babes have made of the game in general today? An outfield player cannot pass back to the Goalkeeper and if such a back pass is made the Keeper cannot pick the ball up. Referees, once the trusted timekeeper of any game, has had this responsibility taken away from him and the result is ridiculous numbers of minutes are added on to the end of the game by the so-called fourth official. Sometimes games are played for over 100 minutes due to time added on.

Another addition to the modern game is Video Assisted Refereeing (VAR) which in reality is probably the first step to getting rid of referees? VAR is in reality nine times out of ten ‘Video Overruling Refereeing’ as most referees do not have the backbone to say No. there are rare exceptions and one such referee was Farai Hallam who refereed ,his first top flight game, the match against Manchester City and Wolves. City claimed they had a penalty due to a Wolves player handballing which the Referee disagreed with. He looked at the VAR and ignored its advice much to the fury of Man City who threw tantrums with their Manager, Pep Guardiola, making all kinds of accusations about the referee! I admire the young official telling VAR to fuck off and stuck to his guns. How long before the rules change making VAR decisions compulsory? Duncan Edwards was a very skilful talented player with a certain amount of aggression. How would he react to this ridiculous VAR? Duncan has been hailed by many, including Bobby Charlton, as the ‘finest player to grace a football pitch’. Tommy Taylor, United’s Centre Forward who perished at Munich, how would he react to being ruled offside because his laces on his boots are in front of the defender? Defender Roger Byrne, team captain, was an aggressive though fair player, a wall to get passed. Eddie Colman flying down the wing only to be called up by the referee over an incident which occurred five minutes ago. Players like Roger Byrne would be blown up every five minutes in todays ‘Monty Pythons’ game which passes for football.

What would have been the reaction to the managerial fiasco still engulfing Old Trafford since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013? What a joke. Firstly they employed David Moyes then, after just nine months, sacked him. Moyes got a raw deal and was treated very shoddily. Then in came Ryan Giggs as a caretaker manager until the appointment of Louis Van Gall who, despite winning the FA Cup, was sacked. Enter Jose Mourinho, who won the League Cup and UEFA Cup, and was sacked for his troubles. He was followed by Ole Gunnar Solksaer. Despite promising starts when he was in charge temporarily, once he was given the job permanently things fell apart and he was sacked. Michael Carrick took the reins on a temporary basis to be replaced by unknown Ralf Rangnick who was replaced by Erik Ten Hag who, again despite winning the League Cup and FA Cup was sacked. In came on a temporary basis Ruud Van Nistelrooy who was succeeded by Ruben Amorim who was sacked by the Glazers, whom he had criticised along with others above him and not before time in my view. He was succeeded temporarily, for two games, by Darren Fletcher. Now we have Michael Carrick back at the helm for the second time and things look promising with victories over Man City and league leaders Arsenal. On Sunday 1st February United had a tricky game at home to Fulham which we won 3-2 giving interim manager Michael Carrick three games from three. If this success continues, he should get the job but remember, this is the Glazers we are talking of!

What would the Babes have made of the managerial turmoil at Old Trafford since Sir Alex Fergusons retirement? They played in an atmosphere of stability, excellent management in Matt Busby, who all had faith in. They never had to worry who would be in charge the following week. The people at Man United back then including Harold Hardman who was Chairman and had the club at heart. He oversaw the club both on and off the field post Munich and was a stable influence who supported Busby in all managerial matters. All the babes had to worry about was going out and playing football while enjoying themselves at the same time. It is not the fact Alex Ferguson retired, this happens, but the turmoil which followed. Man United have had at the helm eleven managers, including Michael Carrick this time round, and it is this instability and uncertainty which would no doubt have bothered the ‘Busby Babes’ and why wouldn’t it? If United have any sense in appointing a new permanent manager and if Carrick’s record continues in this successful vein then it is a no brainer. Don’t’ believe it, these wankers, the Glazers and Ratcliffe, are no Harold Hardman or even Louis Edwards. These people stand for everything Sir Matt Busby opposed to the point of hating.

It would not be fair to finish on the Munich theme without mentioning the sterling work carried out by Matt Busby’s assistant, Jimmy Murphy. Jimmy took the reins in Matts absence and led United out that day against Bolton Wanderers in the 1958 FA Cup Final. A depleted United side were, according to reports, the better team showing more ‘imagination’ but still lost to two goals from Nat Lofthouse. The team was makeshift with only four Munich survivors playing, the rest were reserves and players loaned out by other sympathetic clubs. Nevertheless Jimmy Murphy instilled a belief in this makeshift team which, after Munich, may have been thought impossible. RIP Jimmy Murphy who died on 14th November 1989.

In memory of all those players, supporters, ground staff and airline crews who have died in various football tragedies around the globe. RIP.

Caoimhin O’Muraile is Independent Socialist Republican and Marxist.