Manchester United: Why the 2012-13 Season Will Be Fergie's Last

Yes, it’s a controversial statement, but it’s something that has to be realistically considered come the end of this year’s campaign.

Sir Alex Ferguson has spent nearly 26 years in charge of Manchester United Football Club, and in that time he has become generally accepted as the greatest manager that the game has ever seen. Fergie has beaten off the likes of Guardiola, Mourinho, Clough and even the great Sir Matt Busby himself, to reach the pinnacle of football management.

As the most decorated coach in the history of English Football, Ferguson boasts a whopping 12 Premier League, five FA Cup, four League Cup and two Champions League trophies—not to mention 10 Community Shields and a spluttering of other “lesser” honours.

However, with the great Scott now reaching the lofty height of 70 years of age, it will only be a matter of time before he steps down from football all together. It seemed like initially Sir Alex was to leave United in the far flung days of 2002. His contract was coming to an end and many expected the 60-year-old— who had already spent 16 years at the club—to step down and let someone else take up the reigns. Fergie defied the odds and made a lot of people very happy, by staying on for what has currently been a further 10 years.

So why will Ferguson more than likely step down at the end of the 2012-13 season?

Sir Alex built a team at United effectively from scratch. The Golden Generation of United’s academy— which included the likes of David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs – were the first players that Ferguson really started to properly integrate into the team from the youth system. Since then, they have all had a critical part to play in the success of United and can very much be seen as “Fergie’s Boys”.

With the vast majority of this elite crop having now either retired or been transferred away from Old Trafford, the only two players left that really epitomise Sir Alex’s time in charge are Giggs and Scholes. Both of these men are very much at the twilight of their careers. In fact, it would be quite a shock to most people if either of them—particularly Paul Scholes—were to continue playing for United come the 2013-14 season.

With the last of his old guard gone, Fergie will perhaps feel that his time with the club should also quietly draw to an end.

This summer’s sudden indulgence in the transfer market may also point to a Fergie exit sooner rather than later. Sir Alex has never been one to splash the cash around to get the players he wants. Usually if someone’s asking price is too high, Fergie will be more than happy to abandon any plans to buy the player and look for a different option.

However, with the recent news that United are willing to make a £30m bid for 19-year-old Lucas Moura, who is completely unproven in England, it suggests that perhaps Sir Alex is looking to bring in the best possible selection of youth talent for his apparent heir . Shinji Kagawa—aged just 23— and possible future signing Joao Moutinho—aged 25—are perhaps not spring chickens in comparison to the likes of Moura (or even new addition Nick Powell), but they still have a good five or six years at the very least before their footballing clock begins to tick down.

Ferguson may well be looking ahead to the team he is going to leave behind. Understandably with such a strong connection to the club, Fergie will do everything within his power to ensure that Manchester United remains one of the most dominant teams in European and World football. As such, these drastic and very un-Fergie-like transfer bids, may relate heavily to that very desire.

Perhaps what is most telling of all was the retirement and hiatus from football of the former Barcelona coach, Pep Guardiola. Fergie and Pep are notoriously good friends off the pitch, with both of them sharing a profound respect for how the other one leads and organises a team. With Guardiola likely to be away from the game for an entire year, it hints that he is effectively waiting for the United job to become open with the departure of Sir Alex.  

Of course, we are now stepping into the world of the extreme forward thinker. It would be foolish to say that Pep is definitely waiting for the United job. It’s just that its hard to imagine what other club in world football you can go to, having managed the current Barcelona side. The Italian giants are not quite what they once were, and with Mancini signing a new contract with Manchester City this week, which extends his time there until 2017, one cannot see what club Guardiola could possibly take over, other than United.

If this really is Fergie’s last year, than for his sake let's hope its a great one. Of course, there’s no guarantee that this will finally be the season where Sir Alex packs up for good, but it’s certainly worth bracing yourself for that sad news should it come, if you are a Manchester United supporter.