Alex Ferguson has admitted for the first time that he misses Steve McClaren, but insists that his departure is not a factor in Manchester United's recent decline. Ferguson allowed McClaren to leave Old Trafford earlier this year, and chose not to directly replace him, preferring instead to take on a greater workload himself.
The United manager said: "Steve was a great servant to us and he's been missed, but that's had nothing to do with the results. Everyone is subject to criticism here when the team is not doing well, but that doesn't detract from the fact that we have a great staff here."
"When Steve first came to Old Trafford, I hoped he'd be here for a long time, but it was a fact of life that he would eventually accept the challenge of management," Ferguson said. "I always knew it would be his forte anyway. I endorsed him leaving because he did a good job for me and I wanted him to get on. Steve felt he might be a bit young for the United job and I believe it was the correct decision for him to join Middlesbrough."
The United boss also praised McLaren's management skills for turning Middlesbrough's season around. He said: "He's doing well at Middlesbrough and I'm really pleased for him. I think he's proved he's a good manager. He had a rocky start, but I think his results have been terrific since then."
Filed by John Raftery
