Manchester United chief executive David Gill has underlined the requirement for Sir Alex Ferguson's replacement to be completely in tune with the values so prevalent at Old Trafford.
Ferguson celebrated 25 years in the United hotseat on Sunday and, while he has shown no inclination to surrender his position just yet, Gill knows what he is looking for when the time comes.
"It will be difficult to replace him - it's naive to say anything other than that," Gill told MUTV. "But we are a great club whose values go back in history to our heritage to the '50s and '60s and the last 25 years with Alex. To continue with that, the new manager needs to understand those values and the vision for the club and must buy into that."
As he approaches his 70th birthday on New Year's Eve, no-one could accuse Ferguson of concentrating on his immediate priority of withstanding the challenge posed by Manchester City at the expense of United's future.
In Phil Jones, Chris Smalling, Danny Welbeck and Tom Cleverley, Ferguson has integrated a quartet of young English players to his squad this season that could provide a platform for United over the next decade.
"The important point to make is the new manager, whenever that may be and whomever that may be, will be taking over a great, great club, in a great, great sport and Alex, in particular, will want to make sure he inherits a great squad," said Gill.
"That's our goal - to make sure when the new manager comes in he does have a great squad to work with in terms of age and profile."
Source: PA
