Is this the day every Manchester United fan dreaded? Will this be the day that changes Manchester United and English football? The future of the most illustrious manager in the history of football, Sir Alex Ferguson is in major doubt after reports revealed that the Manchester United manager may end his 26-year association with the club this week.
He has won 13 Premier League titles, five FA Cups and two Champions League trophies during his tenure at Old Trafford. In the past he has always stressed on the fact that his health would be the primary factor whenever he decides to hang up his boots. Earlier this week, Ferguson has stated that he will be undergoing hip surgery this summer and that might be the reason he calls it a day.
With a 20th EPL title in the bag, Ferguson will sign off on a high note - if he decides to walk out. There were even rumors that he would have retired last season had United not lost the league to Manchester City in the dying seconds of the last season. But still, is it the right time for him to retire?
This current Manchester United team is not by a long shot the best we have seen under Ferguson. But surely they have enough in them to maintain their domestic dominance in the coming few years. The team has a perfect balance of experience and youth in the squad. Young players such as David de Gea, Rafael, Phil Jones, Shinji Kagawa and Javier Hernandez are potentially world class, while Michael Carrick, Nemanja Vidic and Robin van Persie are currently at their peak.
And so if the gathering rumors are true and Ferguson is about to announce his departure, United will be a far weaker lot next season. Without Fergie, this current United squad would lose their X-factor and need significant investment in the summer. A new manager - whether it is David Moyes, Jose Mourinho or Eric Cantona - will find it very difficult to maintain the standards Ferguson has set. The biggest factor that puts Ferguson a cut above the rest is the winning mentality and the backing he provides to his players.
The way Manchester United is run at the moment will also change following the Scotsman's departure. United's board would need to give their new manager a big welcoming gift in the form of two or three big signings as he would try to build his own team. The current players may get insecure about their position in the club and there will be new manager favourites. We also might see the end of Nani, Anderson, Ashley Young and Antonio Valencia. These four players were heavily backed by Ferguson despite their poor form last season.
Manchester United would experience a big change they have not seen since November 1986. Everyone knew that one day this will eventually happen, but without Ferguson, the EPL will never be the same. We all will miss his famous rants in the United pressers, his quotes and for sure the mind games. But one thing is for sure; his name will always be chanted in the Old Trafford stands like none other.
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