Sir Alex Ferguson Named 5 Players he Wishes he Managed During His Career

 Sir Alex Ferguson’s place in footballing folklore is firmly secured, with the Scot being one of football’s greatest-ever managers. In his early career, Ferguson managed St Mirren, Aberdeen and the Scottish national side, but found an unprecedented amount of success with Manchester United, who he joined in 1986.

Ferguson spent a staggering 27 years at Old Trafford. His early tenure was tough, with reports at the time suggesting that the Scot faced the sack towards the end of the 1980s. An FA Cup win in 1990 not only saved Ferguson’s job, but was the first of what would be many trophies to come.

Within almost three decades, Ferguson won 13 Premier League titles, five FA Cups, four League Cups and two Champions Leagues. The first win of the latter competition came in the 1998/99 campaign as part of a European treble, as the Red Devils became the first English team to accomplish such a feat.

Ferguson, who was one of the first managers inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame, remains a highly-revered figure in the game, understandably so given what he achieved. Since Ferguson retired in 2013, Man United have struggled to reach the same heights that they enjoyed under his management.

Back in 2021, Ferguson sat down for a conversation with his former right-back, Gary Neville, with SPORTbible. The Scot revealed which five players he wished he had managed in his long and illustrious career.

These Are Excellent Players’

Ferguson reveals the names he wishes he’d coached

In speaking with Neville, Ferguson named Manchester City legend Sergio Aguero as a player he would have liked to manage, alongside a trio of players who, at the time, all played for Tottenham Hotspur in Harry Kane, Heung-Min Son and Dele Alli.

“I think (Harry) Kane, I thought Dele Alli was going to be a top player, I must admit. Kane, (Heung-min) Son, these are excellent players. Aguero has been a terrific striker, there’s no doubt about that. His goalscoring has been exceptional. I think that the top teams always produce a player that can stand out.”

Aguero scored the goal to win City their first Premier League title and did so at Man United’s expense, as the Red Devils were set to lift the trophy that season until the final day. Kane and Son have both enjoyed stellar careers, the former having won the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich while Son captained Spurs to Europa League glory in the 2024/25 season.

Dele Alli, meanwhile, plays for Como at the time of writing. The midfielder has openly spoken about his battles with mental health in recent years and now seems ready to properly resume his playing career.

The final player that Ferguson named was none other than Paul Gascoigne. As famous for his footballing brilliance as his antics away from the pitch, Gascoigne has voiced doubts over whether Ferguson could have prevented his issues, though the Scot was adamant that he and the culture he’d developed at Man United would have helped him.

"I think he was the best English player since Bobby Charlton. I think he was a fantastic player. Unfortunately, we didn't get him, and I think looking back now, he made a big mistake. He recognised himself years later, but we had Geordies in the camp.

"We had Bobby Charlton, Bryan Robson, Steve Bruce, even Gary Pallister from Middlesbrough. We had people there that would have taken care of him, particularly Bryan Robson. I loved his strength."