Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed his commitment to building a legacy at Manchester United that will last long after he has left Old Trafford.
As Fergie enters his 25th season in charge of United, the most successful manager in the history of British football admits he still has no idea himself when he will step down.
But when he does eventually retire, Fergie insisted he is determined to leave his successor a vibrant, thriving young set of players, unlike the situation he inherited back in 1986 when he had to completely rebuild an ageing, fragmented squad.
“What you have to do is maintain the success of the club and make sure that, no matter when I quit, the club is always in good hands,” said Fergie.
“I come back to the point of having young players, that there’s no need for a complete overhaul of the playing squad.
“The squad I’ve got at the moment, I’ve got probably 12 players all under 21, which is a fantastic average age and the future should be pretty secure with them.
“Whenever I do go, and I don’t see it being tomorrow, because if I have my health then I can carry on. But there will be a point obviously when I do quit, but I have absolutely no idea when that is.
“I tried that a few years ago and it was an absolute disaster - agony. My wife made me change my mind and she was dead right. I think she was soon fed up with me in the house.
“Now when the times comes I think the club should be okay.”
Fergie is desperate to avoid a repeat of the debacle that ensued when Matt Busby stepped down after 24 years at the United helm. After unparalleled success under Sir Matt, United were relegated within three years of his departure, an unthinkable scenario now, but Fergie wants to ensure there is no hint of decline when he quits.
With no intention of calling it a day, 68-year-old Fergie looks set to surpass Sir Matt Busby’s record 25-year reign at United, and repeated his mantra that he will carry on at Old Trafford as long as he is in good health.
And for a man who shows no signs of slowing down - Fergie has been using the gym regularly alongside his players during the club’s pre-season tour of the US - his rivals look to be stuck with him for several more years.
“A lot of factors come into it but the most important thing is that I’m at the right club,” said Fergie. “It’s a fantastic club which demands a challenge all the time. Every day of every year we have the challenge of being at the top. That helps me.
“The second thing that you need is good, natural energy, which I’ve been blessed with. I’m fortunate with that. The third thing is that I can keep going as long as my health keeps going, and the same applies to every person. I’m 68 and so far my health has been standing up. So these are important factors.
“I also have the opportunity of working with very good footballers, with good desire and a good purpose about themselves. We don’t build a footballer just in terms of ability, we try to build their character to make them better human beings and to understand their responsibilities.”
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