Over the last few months Sir Alex Ferguson has discussed possible successors putting Ryan Giggs as a possible manager of the future but Sunday’s game against QPR may well provide a safer bet.
Mark Hughes is in a long line of the Ferguson’s management legacy to the game but his experience at International level as well as at Blackburn, Manchester City, Fulham and QPR offer a strong CV especially if he gets a result at Old Trafford.
There is a huge list of experienced managers who would leap at the chance to succeed Ferguson when his reign finally comes to an end, with Jose Mourinho, Pep Guardiola, David Moyes and Martin O’Neill among those who would love be considered for the post.
Other former players, including Ole Gunnar Solskjaer who won the Norwegian league in his first year in charge of Molde last October, would also appear to be ahead of Giggs in most lists for the job.
The strength of the Reds has been continuity of management and while Ferguson will support the eventual successor you have to feel that an “Old Boy” would get the nod over the “Special One” Jose Mourinho.
But one current player looking at a career after football is Michael Owen. His career has never been easy. He has played for some of the best clubs in the world, was voted European Footballer of the Year in 2001 and lies fourth in the list of England’s top goal scorers with 40, nine behind Sir Bobby Charlton.
Owen feels that he can play on for a few more years but who knows both boss and player have a love of the racing game and with the maestro as mentor during this period it may not be as long a shot as might be considered now.
