NESN

Sir Alex Ferguson Not Leaving Manchester United at End of Season, Enjoys Challenge Too Much (Video)

The end of Sir Alex Ferguson’s illustrious managerial career is nigh, but it isn’t as nigh as many think.

The Manchester United manager is enjoying the challenge of maintaining United’s status at the top of the English game and among’s Europe’s elite. He told Abu Dhabi Sports Channel that he will not retire at the end of the season.

“‘In terms of football management, I have achieved everything I always wished for,” Ferguson said. “It’s been a great journey for me.

“But being manager of Manchester United, you have to kick on. You can’t look back. The drive is always on to do better, although it’s not easy in the Barclays Premier League. It’s a difficult league. And European football is getting stronger and stronger.”

The 71-year-old touched on the speculation regarding his potential successor before refuting reports of his imminent retirement.

“There is no-one on the agenda, but somebody will have to replace me,” he said. “I’m hoping to stay on for a bit of time, anyway.”

It’s widely assumed that Ferguson was planning to retire after the 2013-14 season, but rumors saying he would step down before then have recently gathered steam. His latest comments create speculation that he will continue for another two or three seasons after this one.

Ferguson is currently in his 26th year as United manager, and his team leads the Premier League by seven points over second-placed Manchester City. Should United reclaim the Premier League title from City, it will be the 13th time Ferguson delivered the league trophy to Old Trafford.

The soccer world acknowledges Ferguson as a master of the managerial arts, and even Harvard Business School concurs with that assessment. His departure from United will be a blow to the club, but fans don’t have tp flinch in anticipation — not yet at least.

Watch Ferguson’s interview with Abu Dhabi Sports Channel in the video below.

Have a question for Marcus Kwesi O’Mard? Send it to him via Twitter at @NESNsoccer, NESN Soccer’s Facebook page or send it here. He will pick a few questions to answer every week for his mailbag.