Alex Ferguson shelves retirement plans

29 November 08 by Bill

Alex Ferguson has twice announced his road map to retirement and once again, he’s changed his mind. Fantastic news. Fergie has now revealed that he’ll manage United until his health prohibits it or his passion for the game dwindles. Judging by the passion the Scot expels whenever he talks about his squad, one can expect that to be a few years at least.

When asked about retirement, Ferguson said: “I don’t even think about it any more. It’s all out of my mind. I am not even going to put myself in that situation where I am saying to myself, ‘Should I [retire] this year, should I next year?’ I have completely forgotten about it.

“If you are going to retire, I think the time would be at the end of the summer. I used to say to players, ‘Don’t retire at the end of the season’. I remember Billy McNeill did that. He retired at the end of the season and he got to the summer and he was ready to go again.

“You get a summer break, you are freshened up again. And you want to go again. But if you have your holiday and you come back into training, and you’re thinking, ‘Not another training session’. I think that will be the time, you know what I mean? When you’re fed up with actually going to training. I love coming into training.”

Ferguson, 66, has always imagined retirement by age 70 but now admits he could be managing into his 70s, breaking Sir Matt Busby’s record as the longest-serving post-war manager in English football.

“It is not against the law now. You are not forced to retire. Having said that, only if your health is alright. I think that is important. If my health deteriorated, then that would solve the problem for everyone; you’d get rid of me for good. And also, there’s my team. If they are doing well there is no pressure on me.”