Fergie drops three-year hint
07 Mar 2008 - 08:25:09
Sir Alex Ferguson has suggested he will finally walk away from Manchester United in three years' time.
Ferguson, 66, has been in charge at Old Trafford since 1986 and believes the time might be right to step down in 2011 when he would celebrate his 25th anniversary.
"I'm getting beyond the future now. I still have a lot of passion. I'm still happy," he told the Daily Mirror.
"But I'm 66 now - maybe three years more, then I'll finish."
However, Ferguson has refused to identify a potential successor when he finally decides to step down.
Current number two Carlos Queiroz is believed to be his favoured successor, but several former United players including Mark Hughes, Steve Bruce and Roy Keane have all been mentioned as potential candidates.
"I have a great assistant in Carlos Queiroz. He will come into the reckoning," admitted the veteran Scot.
"But we have owners and a chief executive who will choose the new man in three years' time.
"The thing about football is we have some potential young managers but, because of the dangers, the hazards of management, they may not be there in three years.
"The change in football is so much so quickly. If you're not successful in three games you could be away.
"All these young managers we've seen over the years are not there now."