Former Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson continues to have a significant impact behind the scenes at Old Trafford, according to Wayne Rooney.
Sir Alex Ferguson’s lingering presence at Manchester United, according to Wayne Rooney, has put added pressure on those who have succeeded him.
After 26 years as manager, the iconic Scot stepped down at the end of the 2012/13 season, bowing out in style with his 13th and final Premier League title. United, on the other hand, has failed to win the title since Ferguson’s departure, employing and firing a succession of managers who have battled to fill the gap Ferguson left behind.
David Moyes was only in charge for ten months, while Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer have all come and gone. The Red Devils’ board of directors will be hoping for a more successful choice this summer when they name their next permanent manager to succeed interim manager Ralf Rangnick.
Moyes’ flawless takeover of Ferguson was a “difficult feat,” according to Rooney, because the dressing room’s morale had plummeted following Ferguson’s departure. The former England captain is also concerned about the 80-year-continued old’s influence behind the scenes, which he believes is making the job of managing even more difficult for current managers.
“I believed David Moyes had an enormous assignment in taking over Sir Alex Ferguson, and you could tell that everyone was down because they knew he was gone, even if we won the Premier League that season,” Rooney stated.
“I think it puts pressure on any new managers coming in, and if you want to manage Manchester United, you have to do it your way and make your own judgments.”
Mauricio Pochettino of PSG and Erik ten Hag of Ajax are the frontrunners for the position of permanent United manager, with Rooney favoring the former. Regardless of who is named, the United legend urged with the club’s leadership to give the new boss enough time to establish himself.
Rooney continued, ” “Someone with that time frame needs to come in and get the club back to where it belongs. If you keep changing managers every two years, it won’t happen. Ferguson was like the club’s godfather, overseeing not only the players but also the staff and the academy. When someone like that leaves the club, someone else enters, and the club undergoes a significant transformation.”