Sir Alex Ferguson has praised Ruben Amorim and his 'good personality' but also reckons Manchester United may need to wait another decade before winning the Premier League title.
11:50, 19 Dec 2025Updated 12:05, 19 Dec 2025
Sir Alex Ferguson speaks to the BBC.
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Sir Alex Ferguson has warned Manchester United of another long title wait.(Image: BBC)
Sir Alex Ferguson has warned it might take another decade for Manchester United to reclaim the Premier League crown.
However, the iconic former Red Devils manager has backed current boss Ruben Amorim to lead the revival. United have endured a torrid time since the legendary Scot stepped down in 2013, with their most recent Premier League triumph coming under his stewardship at the end of that year.
The Old Trafford giants have cycled through six permanent managers since Ferguson departed, collecting just five major honours during that period. Neither David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer nor Erik ten Hag managed to replicate the consistent success Ferguson delivered.
Ruben Amorim shouts on the touchline.
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Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has been backed by Sir Alex Ferguson.(Image: Getty Images)
United slumped to 15th last season, their worst-ever Premier League campaign, and they were also denied European football after suffering defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League final.
Ferguson, who lifted 38 major trophies during his Old Trafford reign, believes his former side face a lengthy wait to become English champions once more. Yet he endorsed Amorim, declaring: "He [Amorim] is a good personality. It is not easy.
"I remember looking back on my own time there, starting off when Liverpool were the bee's knees. They were a fantastic club winning the European Cup four times and all that, but then it took them 31 years to win the league again.
Sir Alex Ferguson walks on the pitch.
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Sir Alex Ferguson has given his verdict on Manchester United under Ruben Amorim(Image: Offside via Getty Images)
"We are now in the same situation. So it could be ten years, could be 11 years, because of that cycle. It has to be thought out carefully and we have to make sure the recruitment is going to be better than what it was."
Despite enduring over ten years of hardship with his former team, Ferguson says that United's summer transfer window was a success. The additions of Senne Lammens, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha have all positively influenced Amorim's squad.
"I think the appointment of the goalkeeper [Lammens] has made a difference," he shared with Press Box. "He's young at 23, he's quick, a big lad, good feet and hands, and I think that helps.
"I think they have needed that player. United have always had inspirational players over the years. I think that has helped. The other two, Mbeumo and Cunha, they look as if they will contribute to the recovery of our form."
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Amorim is embarking on a significant rebuild project, and Ferguson - having built several successful teams during his nearly three-decade tenure at Old Trafford - knows about that process better than most.
He added: "I think my appetite was for young people and players. When I went to St Mirren, they had no money. The best thing I could do was sit at the coaching schools on Tuesdays and Thursdays with the young players, and then five ended up becoming internationals.
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"Then I went to Aberdeen and continued that ethic; we won the European Cup without our own training ground and eight players were produced by the club. It was fantastic.
"When I went to United, Bobby Charlton was in the meeting and I said; 'I don't know why you've appointed me unless you give me the reign to produce the young players.' Bobby said; 'That's done, you've got the job'. Bobby Charlton was a fantastic man."