ABRAMOVICH TRIED TO LURE ME TO CHELSEA, SAYS FERGUSON
LONDON: Alex Ferguson has revealed that the Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich tried to lure him to Stamford Bridge in 2003 after he had just won his eighth title at Manchester United.
Speaking to the interviewer Charlie Rose on an American network, Ferguson said: "They used an agent to approach me when Abramovich first took over the club and I said: 'No chance.'"
The 71-year-old insisted that whatever the Russian might yet offer him, he could not counte nance coming out of retirement to take over at Chelsea. "He'll (Abramovich) say to you look come manage Chelsea. I will give you the greatest stable of horses …" Rose suggested.
Ferguson replied: "I know You always dream you have the Derby winner. I have a share in the horse that was a favourite for the Derby this year – Telescope – good horse. It will come back next year, but it's a very good horse. Everyone dreams we have a winner, Derby winner, what ever. But you know, as I said, I made my mind up. I'm looking forward to my new career and my new challenges."
Ferguson also backed his successor David Moyes, insist ing United are in "good hands" with the former Everton man ager, despite their worst start to a league season in 24 years He added that he harbours no regrets about his retirement and no longer gets "worked up about Manchester United's results", saying he would not be tempted to come back should he be asked to.
WENGER REVEALS UNITED STOLE RONALDO Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has claimed that Real Madrid ace Cristiano Ronaldo had once come so close to joining Arsenal that he was given his own No. 9 team shirt.
The Portuguese superstar had reportedly a week-long stint with Arsenal when he was a teenager and Wenger had given him an Arsenal shirt with No. 9 and his name on the back, believing that they were going to sign him.
However, the Mirror reports that Wenger said that defend ing Premier League champions Manchester United snatched the winger away at the last minute from multi-sports Portugal club Sporting Lisbon.