LONDON, England, May 8- A choked up Sir Alex Ferguson announced he was retiring in front of his Manchester United players during emotional scenes in the first-team changing room at the club’s Carrington training centre this morning.
The 71-year-old arrived at the club as normal at 6.50am, before hastily arranging three separate meetings with his first-team squad, his technical and coaching staff, and finally the rest of the staff at Carrington.
Shortly after the players arrived, he gathered the team together in the changing rooms and, in a short but heartfelt speech, announced he was to step down at the end of the season after landing his 13th Premier League trophy.
He told the players that he was sorry he had to break the news to them now and that he had been hoping to delay the announcement and do it under his own steam.
He then took his technical and coaching staff into a briefing room and spoke to them, before finally addressing all the rest of the staff in the canteen.
An emotional Ferguson told of how proud he was of the whole staff’s dedication and the work they had put in during his 26-and-a-half years at the club. He also praised his wife Cathy for her dedication.
Some members of staff, particularly those who have been at United for 30 years, were in tears while Ferguson spoke and the manager himself was choked up.
He admitted there might be some changes at the club after his departure but did not address whether any staff at the training ground would be losing their jobs.
He was due to join the players at their racing day out in Chester, but did not travel on the team coach at lunchtime.
United have already chosen the great Scot’s replacement, and it is understood that David Moyes is set to be unveiled and the link with Jose Mourinho has been dismissed despite the Portuguese’s talks with Chelsea stalling.
– Daily Mail
