When Sir Alex Ferguson confirmed that he would be retiring as Manchester United boss in 2013, it was a momentous day for the club.
After leading the club to 13 Premier League titles, five FA Cups and two Champions League titles, the Scot had succeeded in re-establishing the Red Devils as one of the biggest and most successful clubs in the world.
But the only issue when dealing with such a period of sustained success under one manager is what comes next?
Javier Hernandez on Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement
Mexican striker Javier Hernandez was at the club when Ferguson - who was ranked at no.1 in FourFourTwo’s list of the best Premier League managers ever - called it a day, having been signed by him in 2010.
“For me, he was the best because in 27 years at that club, he changed not only players but the coaching staff and still delivered results,” the Mexican tells FourFourTwo. “He helped players develop in amazing ways. He was way more of a manager than a coach. If you don’t get the best out of players, then tactics don’t mean s**t.
“In my view, Sir Alex was the greatest of all. He helped me become the best version of myself, that’s why I still call him the boss.”
Hernandez admits he was surprised when the news that Ferguson was retiring came in May, 2013.
“It was a shock,” he continues. “There had been rumours the day before in our group chat, but we found out when we arrived at Carrington the next morning. He explained that his wife’s sister had passed away and he decided to step down. We all knew Manchester United were going to go through some tough moments.
“Trying to get another Sir Alex Ferguson was the wrong move, in my opinion. They should have tried something different. Sir Alex was way more than a manager. It was a crucial moment.”
Hernandez remained at the club until 2015, albeit with a loan spell at Real Madrid for the 2014/15 campaign, but admits that he did see a big change at the club when Ferguson left.
“The culture [was the biggest change],” Hernandez adds. “In my three years with him, when you went into Carrington, it felt like a family. Everyone was happy to be there. The standards were so high, and everyone worked so well. Not only the players, coaching staff and physios, but the youth academy, the chefs, Kath on reception, rest in peace. It was a private environment. It felt like a fortress, but in a good way. When Sir Alex left, they thought the culture would stay the same, but it didn’t. David Moyes came in and wanted to change everything.”
