No retirement date for boss

Sir Alex Ferguson is refusing to put a timescale on any potential retirement, despite reports in the press that he will quit in three years.

The manager was quoted in the UK press as saying “maybe three more years, then I’ll finish”. But he was less committed to a specific date when asked about his intentions at his Friday press briefing at Carrington.

“I’m not putting a time limit on it, it’s impossible,” he told reporters. "You never know what happens in life.

“It’s something I have said for quite a while. If you are fit and healthy and enjoying your job, then who knows? Two, three, maybe four years, it’s difficult to pigeon-hole myself on that one.”

Sir Alex, of course, did plan to retire in 2002, but went back on his decision. The boss admitted that pre-announcing his retirement had an affect on the team, and in February 2002 agreed to stay in charge for at least another three years.

He is currently on a rolling one-year contract, and shows no sign of retiring soon.