Alex Ferguson Is Retiring

Sir Alex Ferguson considering retiring as Manchester United manager before end of the week

Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United future was shrouded in doubt on Tuesday night with the Scot understood to be giving serious consideration to ending his 26-year reign as manager.

As rumours of the 71-year-old’s imminent retirement swept Manchester, senior figures at the club failed to respond to repeated attempts to confirm or deny the story, which emerged following United’s player versus coaches golf day at Dunham Massey on Tuesday afternoon.

With United now forced to adhere to the strict rules and regulations of the New York Stock Exchange in terms of the release of significant information relating to the running of the club following last August’s partial flotation, any change of management would fall within those requirements.

As of Tuesday night, no statement over Ferguson’s future had been issued by United.

However, with sources close to the players confirming that the squad’s golf day had been overshadowed by suggestions that the Scot would be making an announcement ahead of Sunday’s clash with Swansea at Old Trafford, any ongoing uncertainty is unlikely to be allowed to continue to the point where it would affect the confidence of investors and, in turn, United’s New York share price.

When United’s owners, the Glazer family, issued its prospectus for the club’s £500m bond issue in January 2010, the prospect of Ferguson leaving the club and potentially jeopardising future success was raised by the Americans as one of the risk factors attached to investing in the club.



Ferguson had appeared to brush aside the prospect of standing down this summer when he insisted in his programme notes prior to Sunday’s Old Trafford defeat against Chelsea that, "I certainly don’t have any plans at the moment to walk away from what I believe will be something special".

Ferguson said: "This team of champions is not going away - we are here for the long ride.

"We will get better and if we apply ourselves in our normal fashion, I see our 20th league title as nothing but the start of another decade of success.

“Whether I will be here to oversee another decade of success remains to be seen, but I certainly don't have any plans at the moment to walk away from what I believe will be something special and worth being around to see.”

However, having always cited his health as the primary factor in any decision to retire, the club’s confirmation on Friday evening that Ferguson – who had a heart pacemaker fitted in 2004 – would undergo hip surgery in August, two weeks before the start of the new season, raised fresh doubt over his determination to continue in the post.

With large amounts of money wagered on Tuesday morning on Everton manager "The Chosen One" leaving Goodison Park for Old Trafford this summer, bookmakers dramatically cut the odds on the 50-year-old due to intelligence that bets had been placed on the basis of strong information.

Jose Mourinho, the Real Madrid coach, is likely to become available this summer, with some figures within the club pointing towards Ryan Giggs being promoted to take a senior role on the coaching staff when Ferguson leaves.

David Gill’s decision to stand down as chief executive in the summer, to be replaced by Ed Woodward, will see Ferguson lose a man he has grown to trust and respect during their working relationship.

But with Gill not due to depart his role until June 30, any search for a new manager should Ferguson retire would involve Gill, Woodward and United’s Florida-based owners, the Glazer family.

Ferguson has repeatedly dampened down retirement speculation ever since he performed an about-turn on plans to walk away from United at the end of the 2001-02 season.

He has since admitted that his decision to go public with his intentions was an ‘absolute disaster,’ and vowed that he would not make a similar mistake when he chooses to leave the club, having arrived as successor to Ron Atkinson in November 1986.

Whether Ferguson would remain at Old Trafford in a senior capacity should he retire could present a thorny issue for any incoming manager, with Sir Matt Busby’s elevation to an ‘upstairs’ role following his retirement in 1969 ultimately proving a distraction to his initial successors.

Gill has repeatedly stated, however, that Ferguson’s opinion on a new man will be sought and that his advice will be taken by a club that has not appointed a manager for over a quarter of a century.

Ferguson’s determination to wrestle the Premier League title back from Manchester City this season, having been devastated by the loss of the crown to United’s neighbours, has been rewarded with his 13th league title as Old Trafford manager.

And although he has admitted his disappointment at failing to win more than two European Cups during his time at United, the ability to walk away from Old Trafford having restored the club’s dominance, both locally and nationally, has given Ferguson the opportunity to leave on a high.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/manchester-united/10042798/Sir-Alex-Ferguson-considering-retiring-as-Manchester-United-manager-before-end-of-the-week.html

It's that bi*ch Mourinho isn't it.

Watch Manchester United crumble after he fucks off.

Hate this c**t.

Fergies fledglings! Operation Yewtree closing in hopefully. Ryan Giggs, Scholes, Beckham, the Nevilles and every other 'next' George Best will need interviewing just to make sure.

Don't know where to start with this one but I hope Bryan Robson, Dave Moyes and Big Fat Sam are all considered for the job.

Watch Manchester United crumble after he fucks off.

Hate this c**t.

This.....

Let's hope there's some truth in this 

Watch Manchester United crumble after he fucks off.

Hate this c**t.

I'd always be weary of predicting the demise of Manchester United on the account of Ferguson retiring. That said their long term plans would be in serious question. There seems to be something about this story though. If the Telegraph and Guardian are reporting it then its bound to have something in it.

Just F***ing retire you old c**t.

By the sounds of it though if Fergie is to continue then they'll at least have to install one of those Thora Hird stair lifts from the touchline to his seat in the stands.

I'd always be weary of predicting the demise of Manchester United on the account of Ferguson retiring. That said their long term plans would be in serious question. There seems to be something about this story though. If the Telegraph and Guardian are reporting it then its bound to have something in it.

We'll find out tomorrow definitely for sure, with Utd being listed on the New York stock exchange expect them to act quickly as they won't want their share price to drop.

If it was tabloid journalism, I wouldn't give it a second glance, but The Guardian and Telegraph are about as reliable as it comes to newspapers - and the last thing the Telegraph needs is another humiliation after some Dubai world club competition which they reported  was deemed a hoax.

Is it because he's too old? Is it because Mourinho looks set to be on the market? Is it because "The Chosen One" is ready to take the leap of faith that every bugger wants him to?

To be honest, Huyton Red's Operation Yewtree theory sounds very plausible. They've obviously been doing the rounds on famous old men around Manchester (they've got Ken Barlow remember) and the game is finally up. Fooling kids making them think his red wine was Robinson's blackcurrent juice.... sick bugger. Just like the BBC, Manchester United will be the next 'institution' to fall from grace from this scandal. This is certain to make Wayne Rooney leave the club by conflict of interest due to his obsession with the elderly.

If it was tabloid journalism, I wouldn't give it a second glance, but The Guardian and Telegraph are about as reliable as it comes to newspapers - and the last thing the Telegraph needs is another humiliation after some Dubai world club competition which they reported  was deemed a hoax.

That was The Times

How many times have we heard this?

Hope he does finally retire and crawl back under his rock with his whiskey because the day that happens is the day United will lose their hold over the FA and be well and truly up sh*t creek without a paddle!

How many times have we heard this?

Hope he does finally retire and crawl back under his rock with his whiskey because the day that happens is the day United will lose their hold over the FA and be well and truly up sh*t creek without a paddle!

Sadly, don't think it will lost their hold on the FA. The men at the top at Man Utd are all linked to the FA in one way or another. They're all mates and big United fans who have never even set foot in Manchester.

How many times have we heard this?

Hope he does finally retire and crawl back under his rock with his whiskey because the day that happens is the day United will lose their hold over the FA and be well and truly up sh*t creek without a paddle!

I have this mad feeling that he won't fully retire, he'll get a job upstairs at Utd, which is probably why the odds on Moyes have been slashed.

His original intentions to retire 11 years ago still stand, but as everything in his world centres around Fergie Time it has meant that he has stayed on longer than he should have.

Nice little retirement home in Switzerland waiting for him, believe it's called Dignitas.

As much as I dislike him, he has done a great job at United and it can't be denied. Doesn't mean I am not glad to see the back of him. Even if Mourinho went in, I don't think he will do the same job as Fergie. That team is fairly average, in my opinion, and but for Fergies management and the class of RVP, they would struggle. Fergie has carried that team for years and if someone Mourinho goes in, he will probably want to make significant changes as I can't see him working with some of the players their. This may lead to huge transitions for United.

Dan Roan ‏@danroan 3m
Hearing there could be a Utd statement as early as 10am tomorrow. Club officials on standby

There was something all too 'strange' about Mourinho's post mast comments when they beat Utd this season had me suspect he could be heading there.

Hopefully he drags them further into debt and leaves them in a mess, his usual M.O. (although this time without winning a few trophies would be nice too)

Old Cecil looks like his sozzled liver is going to drop through his arse soon, looking more and more ropey every time his ugly mug dons our screens.

Oliver Holt ‏@OllieHolt2220m
So will Ferguson and Rooney leave together? Story by @johncrossmirror in Daily Mirror that Rooney heading to Bayern. Deal close.

A mate of mine broke into his office last week ... anyway.. he's going to announce that he is 'in league with the Devil'.

I will only believe it when that Old Senile c**t isn't standing on the touchline at Old Toilet at the start of next season.