BBC, THE GUARDIAN (UK)
MANCHESTER – Sir Alex Ferguson announced Wednesday that he will step down as coach of English powerhouse Manchester United after a career that rivals the best in the history of the sport.
Ferguson, 71, has just clinched his 13th Premier League title in his 27-year reign of Man U.
The British press, including The Guardian, reported Tuesday that Manchester players were expecting some news about their manager after a golf session.
Ferguson eventually held a press conference Wednesday morning to confirm the news: “The decision to retire is one that I have thought a great deal about. It is the right time,” he said, as reported by BBC News. He added that he wanted to “leave an organization in the strongest possible shape and I believe I have done so.”
Indeed, in the “Ferguson era,” beyond the 13 Premier titles, the club collected two Champions League cups, five FA cups, and four League cups.
(photo: Gordon Flood)
The Scottish-born Ferguson thanked his family, staff, current and past team players including his great inspiration, Sir Bobby Charlton, reports BBC News while remaining unclear about his future endeavors:
“I certainly don’t have any plans to walk away from what I believe will be something special,” he said
Here’s a tribute when he marked 25 years as coach:
