Football Sir Alex Ferguson to retire at the end of this season

Brogan

Legend
Staff Member
It was obviously going to happen at some point but this is huge news regardless.

He's been the manager of Manchester United for so long it's going to be very surreal seeing someone else in charge next season.

Good on him for going out on a high.
He has had a damn good run.
 
Has it formally been confirmed? Until I hear the words falling from the old buggers lips I won't believe it.
 
I will believe it at the end of next season when he hasn't shown up in any "advisory" or "executive" capacity. This is the second time he has announced his retirement and look what happened the last time....
 
Thank you Mr B - I suppose at 71, and about to have a hip replaced, he deserves a rest. Astonishing career, especially as he was nearly sacked very early on in his tenure but won the FA cup so they thought they would give him another chance. Now all the gossip and speculation will be about who will replace him - tough job for whoever takes it.
 
From an Arsenal fan to Sir Alex: why didn't you retire 11 years ago? Six more leagues since then was a bit greedy, don't you think? Well done, you old so and so. Be gone and never darken my door again!:goodday:
 
Arséne Wenger has been in situ at Arsenal for 16 years and David Moyes has been manager of Everton for 11 years. Modern football is such that these are two of three managers to be manager to last more than a decade.

Sir Alex Ferguson is the third, and he has won more leagues at United than any other manager save Wenger has entered at their current club. He has made Manchester United a team that hasn't finished lower than 3rd in the league for two decades. His greatest disappointment is that he "only" won the European Cup twice. Only Bob Paisley has won it more often than that.

He is still the last manager to win the Scottish League from outside Glasgow. He has built a juggernaut of a football club out of one that hadn't won the league in a generation. He crafted then replaced at least four great teams. He is responsible for Nicky Butt having double the league title wins of Patrick Vieira.

I can't say I'll miss him, because football may well become far more interesting now he's gone. But you can't sniff at his achievements. I do believe there is only one man who can replace him effectively.
 
Not a fan of SAF but there is no getting away from the fact that he is one of the greatest football managers of all time.
 
The last time Man Utd had a handover form a great manager Sir Matt Busby, the next guy in almost had a nervous breakdown so I don't envy the guy whose going to come into this job. Like Sir Matt, Sir Alex will also be a fixture of the club after he steps away from then dugout. That will cast a long shadow over everything the new man does.

I'm not sure who they will get in but to my mind, I think Moyes must be the front runner. Just about every top manager in football will be wondering if they can do it though.
 
jez101 - It has to be Mourinho, I'm afraid. No-one else has the sheer ego to not be crushed by the inevitable comparisons, before we even get into the question of whether they'll be able to do it.
 
To quote Keegan, I'd love it if they did! Just because of what it would do to Chelsea ;)

Don't you think though that Mourinho at Man United also has the ingredients for a tragic comedy? I agree it could also go horribly right for them. Whichever, it would be pure box office!
 
jez101 - I think Mourinho provides all types of melodrama at all his clubs, but even with his troubles in Madrid, even while falling out with senior players, blaming UNICEF for his defeats, poking opponents in the eye, refusing press conferences or sending Karanka out as a lame duck, buying a keeper to infuriate his captain and all the other stuff, a few trophies turned up in a time they needed to beat Barca for all of them.
 
A "sensible" choice and the one that most Man U (and Chelsea) fans I have spoken to think is right. Something that has obviously been planned for some time, perhaps years on reflection. To be fair to Moyes, he could not have done much more to earn the chance and it is a credit to the club that they are still prepared to play the long game. No wonder they didn't want Jose. A big, star shaped peg in a round hole.

A bit boring though... :bored:
 
My fellow Spurs fans have a lot to thank Sir Alex for...a lot of silverware would have ended up in entirely the wrong parts of London otherwise.

Comparisons are pointless but for what little it's worth I think he's the greatest manager of all time. The ability to adapt to the sweeping changes that there have been in English football since 1986, to build and rebuild team after team without ever falling victim to a transition phase. Absolutely extraordinary.

Moyes is the obvious continuation candidate - he's clearly hard-nosed enough for the job, now we'll see whether he's talented enough. He can't possibly match Fergie, but his record at Everton makes him a deserving successor.
 
It was a very emotional day last weekend, and not only is Ferguson retiring but Scholes and Beckham as well. Only Giggs remains and I'll be amazed if he continues past next season. It really is the end of an era and it leaves me feeling quite glum really, these are the players I grew up with.

Hopefully Moyes will do a good job. He does deserve a big opportunity like this and I think you have to praise Man Utd. for giving it to him ahead of someone like Mourinho.
 
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