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Sir Alex Ferguson: Why Man Utd didn't get Mourinho, Klopp or Guardiola… but Moyes
MANCHESTER UNITED were interested in signing Jose Mourinho when Sir Alex Ferguson retired - but had to move for David Moyes instead.
Jose Mourinho Manager Profile
That is according to Sir Alex himself, who claims it was not his sole decision to appoint his fellow Scot.
United endured a disappointing 10 months under Moyes - the club eventually sacking the former Everton boss in 2014 when his team crashed out of the Champions League.
Jose Mourinho (right) was considered as a man to take over from Sir Alex Ferguson
They finished seventh in the Premier League that season, with Manchester City winning the title and Mourinho a year into his second stint at Chelsea.
And Sir Alex, speaking in a new BBC documentary 'Sir Alex Ferguson: Secrets of Success', revealed Mourinho wasn't the only man Old Trafford officials were keen on appointing.
Manchester United were also keen on appointing Jurgen Klopp
Carlo Ancelotti was unavailable as he joined Real Madrid
Pep Guardiola never called Sir Alex Ferguson back after they had a meeting in New York
"We did the best under the circumstances we were in," Ferguson said of Moyes' appointment.
"When I announced my retirement, do you honestly believe that one man could decide the future of Manchester United?"
"That's absolute nonsense. There was a good process… Jose was going back to Chelsea, Carlo Ancelotti was going to Real Madrid, Jurgen Klopp had signed a contract with (Borussia) Dortmund, Louis van Gaal was staying with Holland for the World Cup.
"The other thing was I took Pep Guardiola for dinner in New York in September and I had no idea I was ever going to retire and I said to him give me a call and tell me what you're going to do. No answer.
"I don't think we made a mistake at all… we picked the right man. Unfortunately it didn't work for David."
Van Gaal eventually took over at United after the 2014 World Cup, with caretaker manager Ryan Giggs becoming his assistant.
On Giggs' credibility as a possible future boss at Old Trafford, Sir Alex said: "If (he) had retired six, seven years ago… at, say, 35, quite likely I would have made him my assistant and quite likely he could have moved straight into the job with the experience of being an assistant manager to me as he is doing with Louis van Gaal at the moment."
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