The Question: What Happens to Manchester United When Alex Ferguson Retires?

22 years is a long time. Over two decades spent in football is commendable. That many years managing just one club is incredible. Alex Ferguson has turned Man United in to the best football team in the world. But what happens when he retires?

In 1986, on the back of a successful spell at Aberdeen, a young scottish manager took over at Manchester United with the hope of turning their fortunes around.

In is first full season in charge, he took his newly accquired squad to second place in the league and 11 points behind title rivals, Liverpool.

Despite great expectations for Alex Ferguson in his second season in charge, the team stumbled to an 11th place finish and was knocked out of the FA Cup by Nottingham Forest.

The following season, Ferguson tried to rectify the problem by signing several new players and breaking the national transfer record to bring Gary Pallister to Old Trafford.

However, poor league form meant United completely disapeared from the title race and this incited supporters to call for his resignation. This was said to be Alex Ferguson's darkest period in football.

That same season, United were drawn against Nottingham Forest in the third round of the FA Cup and with Forest flying high in the league, many expected United to lose and Ferguson to be sacked.

United beat Forest and went on to beat Crystal Palace 1-0 in the final.

Many consider that FA Cup match against Forest as the turning point in Alex Ferguson's career and the game that saved his Manchester United job.

He went on to manage over 22 years with United achieving 10 League titles, five FA Cups, two League Cups, two Champions League titles, one UEFA Cup, one Super Cup, one Intercontinental Cup, one World Club Cup trophy, and eight Community Shields.

He has built and dismantled many world class squads over the years and he is currently in the process of shaping the latest Man United team full of youngsters ready to dominate for another five or six seasons.

Ferguson claimed he would be retiring from football management at the end of the 2002 season but later changed his mind and vowed to stay for at least another three seasons.

After claiming the Premier League and Champions League double in 2008, Ferguson stated he would leave the club within three seasons because he wanted to leave United as a more successful club than long standing rivals, Liverpool.

But what happens when the veteran manager leaves the Manchester United hotseat?

The board may want to install a new manager who will take over the reigns without too much of a change being implemented. Someone that will not want to bring in too many players to quickly and maintain the current form of the up-and-coming team built by Ferguson.

There is the possibility they will hire someone who will want to bring in their own type of players and introduce a completely different style of football.

They may want to sell off key players like Wayne Rooney or Cristiano Ronaldo to generate the money to rebuild the squad.

There will certainly be a new system and different tactics introduced to the players, which will take time for the team to get used to.

What happens to Manchester United in this new transitional period?

Will the emergence of Liverpool as genuine title contenders lead to the Merseyside club maintaining the mantle of England's most successful club?

Will the addition of a financially backed Manchester City to the big spenders in the league see them sustain a challenge in the next few years that will make them the best club in Manchester?

Or will Manchester United seamlessly transcend from one manager to the next and maintain their dominance of England during their rebuilding period. 

What ever happens, Alex Ferguson will certainly have a say on who will take over as Manchester United manager.

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