Eleven years on from his retirement from the game, Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted he still misses being a football manager.
The former Manchester United boss, 82, stepped down at the end of the 2012-13 season after 27 years at Old Trafford, leaving behind a legacy of 13 Premier League titles.
Since his departure, United have struggled to recapture their former glory, with their last Premier League title coming in Ferguson’s final season.
In a rare extended interview with BBC Breakfast, Ferguson, who also managed Scottish side Aberdeen, reflected on his time away from the game.
“I have been retired 11 years now so you find a way of adjusting,” he said.
‘She was the leader of the band’
Former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson spoke exclusively to Nina on #BBCBreakfast about his Playlist for Life – a dementia project to help families – and memories of his late wife Cathy https://t.co/mWBD7CjBu1 pic.twitter.com/tdAhW4S7S4
— BBC Breakfast (@BBCBreakfast) September 20, 2024
However, when asked if he missed being in charge, Ferguson confessed: “Yeah, I miss it sometimes.
“I think the first year after retirement, I went to the European final and I said to Cathy ‘this is what I miss’ — big games, the European games.
“So then I went to most of the European finals because I find something I can relate to, something I would liked to have done every day.
“Because these are the big events that United should always be involved in.”
During his time at United, Ferguson led the club to two Champions League titles, including their historic treble in 1999. Although they reached two more European finals in 2009 and 2011, they were beaten by Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona on both occasions.
Despite stepping away from the dugout, Ferguson is a regular attendee at United, where the club named a stand in his honour in 2011. He also has a statue outside the stadium.
United, meanwhile, travel to Crystal Palace this Saturday in the Premier League.
(Naomi Baker/Getty Images)
