Why is Fergie quitting Man Utd?

The revelation that there will be no Alex Ferguson at Man Utd after 2002 has shocked fans and the football world alike.

Why is Fergie quitting Man Utd?

Money and the looming debate over United's next manager are two possible reasons for Ferguson's departure.

Perhaps you think the board has not allowed him to buy big his quest to go out in a blaze of glory next season?

Or maybe Fergie does not agree with the club's choice for his successor?

What do you think the reason is?

Play the speculation game and tell us what you think.

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I wouldn't doubt if we hear within the next week or two that Fergie's gone. The real question then becomes will there be a mass exodus of players?
Gregory Cooke, USA

Alex should head back to Scotland and either manage the Scotland team or a Scottish Premier Team.
Scott C, Aberdeen, Scotland

Very foolish to upset the applecart at this point in time- Ferguson has "made" united- He's the m most successful manager ever & the PLC couldn't honour their commitment to him- he's not in it for the money- why treat him shabbily?. I fear it may have a very unsettling effect on the players for next season & the sooner they appoint a successor the better- Offer O'Neill or McLaren the job now- DON'T consider a foreign coach unless Sven Goran Eriksson is available(how could he be?)-
robert seifman, australia

My first reaction to hearing this news was horror. On refelction though it would make sense for Fergie to go now. He should never have said when he was going to retire. In announcing his retirement 2 years ago, we all knew that come the start of his final year there would be all sorts of speculation and look were we are now.

Can you blame the board for not issuing any more money? A new manager will want to buy his own players and if all the money is spent by Fergie, what right minded manager would want to come to Utd. I think what we see here is the new 'as of yet anonymous' manager pulling in the purse in the background for their own arrival.

As Fergie has always said, not one individual is bigger than the club, and that includes you Mr. Ferguson. Thanks for all the honours, now leave it your successor to build even further!
Nick, UK

I was born in Old Trafford. I had the honor of knowing Matt Busby and his family from an early age. And I have supported Manchester United, the team, through the great times, of which there have been many, and the bad times, which, thankfully, there have been few. But as a corporate entity I think Manchester United have always been "on the nose".

I remember when "the club" would spread rumours via the media that Busby faced the axe if the team suffered another loss. But then the same directors basked in his glory when he turned things around.

I ask one question of the directors and administrators of Man United. How many championships, how many cups, how many great victories have been orchestrated in the boardroom. I would estimate the answer is a big zero.

My advice to the Manchester United board is to concentrate on selling the merchanise and the commercial rights and leave on-field management to the professionals. When you are lucky enough to have had men of such greatts such as Sir Matt Busby, like Sir Bobby Charlton and Sir Alex Furguson, then you should treat them with respect during and after their term of office.
Mike Duffy, Australia

I think that it is right that Sir Alex severs all links with Manchester United for the time being. How can a new manager be possibly expected to manage the team when he knows that the whenever he has an argument with one of his players there is the possibility that they will goto Sir Alex and talk it over with him. Sir Alex will always have a special relationship with the players at Manchester United, he gave them their footballing careers, and that is why he should go, he is too close to them. However, he should wait 5 or so years to let the dust settle on his career at Manchester United before he goes back to take up an ambasadorial role with them.
Ben Jenkins, UK

For the club to act in a way which sours the relationship with such a man is churlish in the extreme.

  David Quane, UK

Sir Alec has been the most successful manager the club has ever had, presiding over a period of unparalleled success, dominating English football. For the club to act in a way which sours the relationship with such a man is churlish in the extreme. Sir Alec wants to rebuild and to leave a team which will remain competative in Europe for the forseeable future - that means spending a few million. For the potential rewards that is a reasonable price. The board appear to have become penny wise, pound foolish.
David Quane, UK

I think both the board and Ferguson must share the blame for this situation. Maybe a clean break is best but they could have done it in a more professional manner. Ferguson should get rid of some players this summer - Irwin, Sheringham and Yorke. He persists with sub-standard players like Cole, the Nevilles and Butt and it may be easy to blame only the board for the problems but I don't think Ferguson has what it takes to be successful in Europe. Loyalty is admirable but he has beeen too loyal to some players, just like Busby was loyal to players who were clearly past their best.
Tony McCuaig, USA

He is quite simply already a legend, he has nothing to prove elsewhere. Why not let him continue being a legend at MUFC? After all that is what Sir Matt did and who was Sir Alexs' mentor? Surely Sir Alex would be an icon for his successor - Keep him at the club and let him spend the cash he needs to in order to build a squad capable of dominating after his departure from the managers role!
Alfie White, UK

I believe Steve McClaren has stated a strong desire to become the next manager of Man Utd. I believe Sir Alex endorsed his No. 2's wishes and has become very upset that the board haven't recognised this. The board DO NOT listen to a great man who fully understands football and has the interests of Manchester United at heart!
Damien Druce, England

Although I don't support Man Utd, I do feel that the board should have recognised the honours he has given them throughout his managership with them and at least had the decency to honour him for what he has acheived. The trouble is he doesn't run the club, the board do and thats a shame.
Brian Booth, United Kingdom

I've been a Man Utd supporter for 30 years. For the first time I am totally disgusted with the club. How can the most successful manager of the team be let go like this? If this is what being a PLC is about then I think I'll look for another team to support.
Kerry Winter, UK

I think that Alex Ferguson has definitely been treated in such a way as to engineer the events of yesterday whereby he announced his decision to sever all links.For months now it has been obvious that the team as a unit has become stale and that there was a need for at least 3 if not 4 new players. But as usual the board refuse to sanction money. . Manchester Utd FC thinks it's a big club. Well now it's time to spend big just like the other big club's. Look at Real Madrid, when they won Champions league last year they consolidated by buying new players, what did United do when they won- nothing. Something has to give.
Mark McCutcheon, Ireland

Fergie has done more for Manchester United than anyone in their history, United need to keep Fergie at all costs.
Pat , Australia

As a Leeds fan I'm looking forward to the prospect of Manchester United without Fergie, I think it will open up the League a little and make things more interesting. But it has to be admitted that he is a superb manager, undoubtably one of the best of all time, and it would be unfortunate if all of his achievements were overshadowed by a spat with the board. That would be a tragic and unsavoury end to a fantastic dynasty of football at Old Trafford.
Nick, Bournemouth, England

Nobody will ever to emulate Ferguson, whether he's there or not.

  Alex Allen, England

Perhaps the best thing to do is leave with the fans wanting more. Schmeichel and Cantona both proved that this is the best way, and nobody will ever to emulate Ferguson, whether he's there or not.
Alex Allen, England

Ferguson's decision to leave United at the end of next season is probably the wisest thing for him and the club. It will help the new manager settle in with a lot more breathing space unlike what happened after Busby's retirement. Fergie's must return to Old Trafford (on the board) but after a few years just as Charlton did.
Arup Das, India

I think he feels let down because the money apparently is not being made available to buy new players and Man Utd desperately need someone like Thuram. I would not be totally surprised if sooner or later he ended up managing Barcelona.
Richard Woolley, UK

Sir Alex has proven himself to be the top manager in Britain & probably Europe. He is leaving Man Utd in terrific shape & should be applauded for this. However, any other manager coming in would be forever in his shadow & it is best for everyone at Utd that he leave.
Alan Pengelly, England

Looks like another case of an old-school football man being pushed out by faceless accountants. George Graham, Harry Redknapp, and now Alex Ferguson.
Graham, UK

After a decade of relatively unchallenged success, Fergie must have been looking forward to one more year of glory and a triumphant march into the sunset. The awesome return of Liverpool has terrfied him into looking for a quick exit whilst his reputation remains intact.
Chris McDermott, England

Maybe he is just fed up with the rain in Manchester and wants to end his career in the sun !

  Brian Cornes, Spain

This is classic Ferguson, its simple brinksmanship on his part. He hasn't got what he wants, he goes public, by saying he'll quit knowing supporters & shareholders fury will be directed at the board thereby pushing them into a corner with two options i) give the man what he wants 0r ii) risk supporter, shareholder (not to mention share price) & player backlash that will threaten the hedgemony of United in the Premireship...all this with the spectre of a resurgant Liverpool. Clever man Sir Alex, don't be surprised if he's a board member by September.
Glenn O'Neill, Hong Kong

Sir Alex is 'obviously' clearing the way for a return to Aberdeen! Perhaps he's fed up of winning and could do with a real challenge again?!
Grant Harris, Australia (ex-Scotland)

Yes it's a raw deal for Fergie but great for England. Perhaps the league will open up now and become competitive. You could see the cracks appearing all season and their time is almost up. Fergie should go to Europe and steer a team to Champions league success to spite the board. He should let go - he wouldn't enjoy watching from above anyway! All in all, United have paid his wages and have the right to persue their future how they see fit - even if it lacks wisdom.
Dani, USA

Maybe he is just fed up with the rain in Manchester and wants to end his career in the sun !
Brian Cornes, Spain

I have been a Manchester United fan since before the Munich Air Crash, and I believe that Sir Alex Ferguson is the best asset the club has ever had. He is the most succesful club manager in history, and the only reason I can think of for his not staying on in some kind of support role after next season is that his face doesn't fit with the suits upstairs. I hope they don't end up regretting their arrogance in a few years time.
John, Finland

What message does this fiasco send to the players, disloyalty breeds disloyalty. The exodus from Old Trafford will be bitter and soon.
Peter, Manchester

Fergie should leave with honour intact.. Wasn't the Busby experience enough to teach United a lesson?

 
Peter Cameron,

Ferguson has clearly done a wonderful job at Old Trafford for United, but the thought of him being there in the background whilst a new manager tries to set his own standards for the club is a non-starter. Leave with honour intact and avoid the inevitable chaos of a muddled replacement. Wasn't the Busby experience enough to teach United a lesson?
Peter Cameron, Hong Kong

I find it difficult to believe that Alex Ferguson does not have an agenda in all of this. I guarantee that within 2 years from now he will be managing another club. I think it is also fairly clear that the Man. Utd. board have made him a poor offer which has done little more than force the club into chaos for potentially a year.
John Carmichael, United Kingdom

Ferguson has done a excellent job at Man U. He should leave Man U completely, so he will always be remembered as the greatest, whatever happens afterwards.
Kamal Singh, UK

Sir Alex should go to Spain or Italy and prove what a great manager he is. After that he could retire and re-write his biography - to tell us what really happened in the boardroom.
Vadi, Singapore

I think Ferguson's strengths are in football management and not business management. At the end of the day it won't end up being the wrong move for either Ferguson or Man Utd. I think they need some fresh blood in there. If Ferguson is smart he will take a managers job with a middle of the table club and prove he is the greatest manager football has ever known.
Tom Crossan, USA

I believe Sir Alex knows what is best for the club. He has been saying all along that they need new faces with talent in order to win games. If the Board is complacent about spending money on new players, then his decision to leave the club will be exonerated by the fans when they find the club behind Arsenal or Liverpool after their manager's request for their new players in the 2002 season was unsuccessful.
Bruce Etheridge, U.S.A.

I think it is disgraceful that the Board have not made every effort to find Ferguson a role at the club. Having said that, as a non-United fan I am really looking forward to the coming season to see what happens. Will Ferguson even see out the season? Will the players who are soon to be out of contract sign up if they don't know the new manager is? Who will the new manager be? I am sick of seeing Man Utd dominate the Premiership, as are most non-United fans, and believe that this can only be a good thing for teams like Liverpool, Arsenal and Leeds who are waiting in the wings. The fact that fans of other teams will be glad to see that Ferguson is leaving for good should be a sign to the board of just how highly Ferguson is regarded.
Scott Robinson, Brit in US

Any new manager will struggle to stamp their authority on the club

  Colin Lambert

If this is the way he's been treated after over a decade of inspirational leadership, obviously they are not prepared to give him a piece of the pie.
Steve James, Australia

Perhaps Sir Alex ought to go into politics now - straight talkers are what's needed
Bill Swan, England

Any new manager will struggle to stamp their authority on the club - a task that would be exacerbated with the shadow of Ferguson looming over them. How many of the players would be tempted to run to Fergie as soon as the new manager dropped or disciplined them? I'm sure Sir Alex realises this hinself.

It is unfortunate that the man who has done so much to build Man U into the money machine it is today will be forced to walk away, but change at the top is inevitable is any large corporation. I just hope that the board properly recognise his success without allowing it to become a burden to his successors.
Colin Lambert, USA

I feel sick, it shouldn't end like this. God bless you and good luck Fergie, we can never thank you enough. But I do remember the disaster of the Busby succession, and maybe a clean break is best.
Rod Butcher, Australia (ex-Stretford)

I think he would find it too frustrating to be on the sidelines, he likes to be in total control

  Rob Thomas

Much as I hate Man Utd. they are one of the best teams in the world. The only way from the top is down, and Sir Alex will know this. He is going out at the top and will always be remembered as the manager that made them the best team. If they stay at the top it will be because of the foundations he laid. If they begin to falter it will be because he is no longer there. He can't lose.
Sammy Wright

I think he would find it too frustrating to be on the sidelines, he likes to be in total control. When Kenny Dalglish went upstairs that didn't work, maybe Fergie wants to keep his options open and manage another club ?
Rob Thomas, Wales

After all that Sir Alex has done for the club proving a truly worthy successor to the great Sir Matt, I cannot believe that he is now being treated so badly. Financially the club is a success, one of the wealthiest in the world, but at the end of the day that financial success can only follow from success on the field.

I hope that the pressure from true fans is sufficient to make those in power realise that as a club United will almost certainly be the losers in the long run if they fail to find a role for Sir Alex.
John Stead, Czech Republic

The board of directors at MUFC should be regarded with utter contempt. They would not be walking around with their pockets full of cash if it wasn't for Sir Alex. Their unwillingness to offer him a role after his retirement shows the utter disregard they have for him, the fans and the team. I can't wait until the share price plummets and they're left penniless!!
Pratik Patel, USA (originally from the UK)