United prep for Fergie's long goodbye

The next manager of Manchester United looks increasingly likely to be someone with a track record of success and experience at a big club.

While no date has been set for the impending retirement of manager Sir Alex Ferguson, the club remain acutely aware of the mammoth task that lies ahead in replacing a man that has ruled over the club for 25 years and who has brought unparalleled success with him along the way.
"It's obviously crucial that the main person at any football club, or an NFL team I suppose, is the coach," Manchester United chief executive David Gill said during an American radio interview with Sirius XM.

"What happens on the pitch is crucial to all of our off-the-field aspirations and we have to understand that.
"So someone coming in to take over Manchester United will have to have that pedigree, will have to have that logical success and achievement as it's such a big club."
Gill's comments shed some light into just who United are considering for the job - and they appear to rule out Everton's David Moyes and ex-players Steve Bruce, Roy Keane and Mark Hughes. All four men have been touted as a potential successor to Ferguson but none of them have landed any notable silverware during their managerial careers so far.
The favourite to land the job according to some newspapers remains to be Barcelona's highly successful Pep Guardiola. His training methods and overall management style - as seen with Barcelona's fine passing game - appeals greatly to United's principles. The Daily Mail in the UK has even claimed that Ferguson has recommended to the club's hierachy that the Spaniard be given the role.
Still, Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho cannot be ruled out of the equation completely. The Portuguese is no stranger to English football and Manchester United from his winning times at Chelsea. Gill notes in his interview with the American radio station that a "key requirement for someone coming in, is to understand the history and heritage of the club."
"They need to understand how we work commercially, what we aim to achieve to get the right balance there and make sure we can continue as seamlessly as possible as we have under Sir Alex," Gill said.
"Those are the things, but identifying that person is not easy.
"I'm sure we'll get it right when that time comes, but I stress we don't know when that is."
Ferguson turns 69 next month and Gill knows that the clock is ticking.
"Obviously at some stage Alex will retire," he said.
"What we're doing with him, with his coaches and scouts, is getting a great squad with the right age profile so a new manager coming in - yes, he will probably want to change one or two players - but won't need wholesale changes.
"There will be a sensible transition to the new manager. So that's where we're at.
"As I say, it's not something we worry about. He is on a rolling contract for a year - but seriously I've not discussed this issue with him for quite a while.
"He works and enjoys it. He talks about his health, he looks after himself in terms of the gym and exercise and all of that, he delegates well and so long as that desire and enthusiasm is still there, it sort of becomes a non-issue."
All United and Ferguson remain focus on for now is bringing back the Premier League title to Old Trafford - and another European Cup would certainly cap things off nicely for the Scot.

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