“When we started the process of looking for my replacement, we established that several very desirable candidates were unavailable“, he explained.
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He is an iconic figure at Manchester United for a reason, and still the poster boy for a generation of middle-aged supporters who had all but given up hope the league championship ever returning to Old Trafford prior to Cantona’s arrival from Leeds in November 1992.
His successor David Moyes was sacked just 10 months into a six-year contract and United ended the campaign seventh in the table.
Despite building sides capable of winning two Champions League titles and thirteen Premier League titles during his reign at Old Trafford, he says midfielder Paul Scholes and attacking trio Eric Cantona, Cristiano Ronaldo and Ryan Giggs were the only four that were true world footballing greats.
Moyes, Ferguson writes, was “very tense” during his interview with him following Brian Kidd’s departure from United to Blackburn.
To maintain his authority over the team, Ferguson says that when Wayne Rooney’s salary was increased in 2010 he told the Glazers that it was not fair the striker earned twice as much as the manager. ‘He had an office in the stadium and was the president of the club, ‘ said Ferguson of Busby.
Knox, then assistant manager, argued he should take training, leaving Ferguson to observe from the sidelines.
Rooney fell out with Ferguson, now 73, prior to the Scot’s retirement in 2013, but was appointed United captain by current manager Louis van Gaal past year . Players sometimes don’t realise how hard it is to play at our level as every game is a Cup Final for our opponents so I just hope he can do it for us.
Writing in his book Leading, which came out today, Sir Alex sounded out Guardiola about succeeding him, but he was unable to make a concrete offer as he had not yet decided to retire.
Manchester United FC manager Louis Van Gaal has what it takes to succeed according to Sir Alex Ferguson.
He writes about transfer business with Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy and claims the signing of Dimitar Berbatov was “more painful than my hip replacement”.
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We gooners won’t exactly appreciate the bit about Adams being a United player, as he was Arsenal through and through, but on a lighter note it is great to hear such compliments from a football icon.
