- Shock retirement sparks health fears
- Programme notes said he was staying
SIR Alex Ferguson pulled off the biggest shock in world football yesterday — and then sparked serious fears for his health.
The 71-year-old announced he was retiring as Manchester United manager just days after insisting he had no intention of leaving.
The fiery Scot — famed for his “hairdryer” dressing downs — only told United’s directors of his bombshell decision on Tuesday night.
Fergie had revealed last week that he was undergoing a hip op in the summer but ex-players and fellow managers were left staggered at his shock U-turn.
Former United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel said: “He’s always said the day would come when something in his life wasn’t right. Is it his hip operation? I can’t see him retiring over that.
“Until he explains why, we can guess and guess. There is something there we don’t know about.
“He won’t retire for the sake of retiring — it is difficult to make sense of it. I’m shocked — I just can’t make sense of the timing.
“It has come as a bombshell. I’m disappointed and very sad.”
Manchester United won this season’s Premier League at a canter and Sir Alex’s programme notes last Sunday suggested he would be STAYING after 26 years at the club. He told supporters: “I 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.
“It’s always difficult in football to be absolutely sure of the future because the game has a habit of tripping you up, but I don’t live in a fantasy world and believe we have every reason to feel confident about the future of Manchester United.”
But, in the space of just three days, Manchester United’ s world has been turned upside down.
Sir Alex — known for meticulous planning and attention to detail — went public after rumours of him leaving on Tuesday night sent the net into meltdown.
He arrived as usual at the club’s Carrington training ground yesterday morning. But at 9.15am came the extraordinary Twitter message from United: “Sir Alex Ferguson retires. #thankyousir-alex.” In a statement 45 minutes later, the man himself said: “The decision to retire is one I’ve thought a great deal about and one I have not taken lightly. It is the right time.”
Fellow Scot Moyes was immediately installed as bookies’ favourite to take over, with Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho second.
However, we can reveal Mourinho and ex-Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola had both been told by Sir Alex he was definitely staying on. Sir Alex met Guardiola in New York at Christmas and also led Mourinho to believe he’d be in charge until at least 2015.
His reassurances prompted Guardiola to accept the post as Bayern Munich’s new boss for next season while Mourinho began making moves to return to Chelsea.
A source close to Guardiola and Mourinho said: “This just doesn’t make sense. Alex Ferguson was really clear to Pep and Jose that he would be staying at United for at least a couple of years. It is a job he knew both wanted and he thought it best to let them know what was happening.”
In an interview just three months ago, Sir Alex had claimed his health was “hunky dory”.
He said: “As you get older, you are not guaranteed your health, no one is when they get into their 70s. I just touch wood my health remains for a long time yet. At the moment, it remains hunky dory. You never know. We are all vulnerable to age. That is the question. How will I be in a year, two years, three, whatever.” Sir Alex had a pacemaker fitted in 2004 to regulate his heartbeat. But after his side sealed the Premier League title with a 3-0 thumping of Aston Villa on April 23, he said: “Look at me — it’s taken ten years off me. It’s these tablets, they’re great!”
United legend and club director Sir Bobby Charlton revealed he was told only the night before the decision was made public.
He said: “I heard the news on Tuesday evening. Maybe with him having a little bit of ill health, maybe that on top of not seeing the family as well, he’s decided maybe this is the time to do it.”
Sir Alex even kept the news from his family. His brother Martin, 69, was only told on Tuesday night. Martin — who is also retiring as chief scout at Old Trafford — said: “It came right out of the blue. It wasn’t anything he’d discussed with family or friends.”
Shock ... The Sun's story
Our exclusive picture shows Sir Alex arriving at Carrington at 6.50am yesterday.
He then made a heartfelt speech to the players in the changing rooms which left him “choked up”, according to club insiders.
Sir Alex — who won a staggering 49 trophies in management, including 13 Premier League titles — then spoke to the rest of his staff, with many in tears.
United will be presented with the Premier League trophy at their final home game of the season on Sunday against Swansea.
The match will be the last time Sir Alex takes charge at Old Trafford — and it promises to be an emotional occasion.
He will also address tens of thousands of supporters on Monday evening as United stage their victory parade in Manchester.
Their final match of the season — at West Bromwich Albion on May 19 — will be Sir Alex’s 1,500TH as United manager.
In his statement, he paid tribute to Cathy, his wife of 47 years. He said: “She has been the key figure throughout my career, providing a bedrock of both stability and encouragement. Words are not enough to express what this has meant to me.
“As for my players and staff, past and present, I would like to thank them all for a staggering level of professional conduct and dedication that has helped to deliver so many memorable triumphs. Without their contribution the history of this great club would not be as rich.
“To the fans, thank you. The support you’ve provided over the years has been truly humbling.”
- BOOKIES Paddy Power took more than £100,000 worth of bets in a matter of hours yesterday on Sir Alex’s replacement.
Second chance for Moyes
DAVID Moyes missed out on the chance to become Sir Alex Ferguson’s assistant at Man United 15 years ago — because he reckoned his fellow Glaswegian found him “too intense”.
Future England boss Steve McClaren was appointed instead while Moyes remained manager of Preston.
Moyes, 50, said last year: “When I went to speak to him about becoming his assistant years ago he thought me a little too intense. But I remember sitting on the bench at Celtic and watching him at Aberdeen with his veins bulging out of his neck!”
However, when Moyes arrived at Everton in 2002 he really caught Sir Alex’s eye. His fierce personality and ability to get the best out of his players marked him down long ago as a potential successor.
His first full season saw Everton finish seventh, an achievement that earned him the first of three manager-of-the-year accolades.
He also had an eye for raw talent — and his decision to unleash a 16-year-old Wayne Rooney on to the Premier League stage proved a masterstroke.
It looks like he may finally follow the teenage wonderkid to Old Trafford.
The greatest
SIR Alex’s glittering triumphs with Manchester United include:
13 Premier League titles: 1992-93, 1993-94, 1995-96, 1996-97, 1998-99, 1999-2000, 2000-01, 2002-03, 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09, 2010-11, 2012-13;
Five FA Cup wins: 1989-90, 1993-94, 1995-96, 1998-99, 2003-04;
Four League Cups: 1991-92, 2005-06, 2008-09, 2009-10;
Ten Charity/Community Shield titles: 1990 (shared), 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011;
Two Champions League wins: 1998-99, 2007-08;
One European Cup Winners’ Cup: 1990-91;
One European Super Cup: 1991;
One Intercontinental Cup: 1999;
One FIFA Club World Cup: 2008
