Former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has expressed genuine regret regarding the timing of his famous dinner with Pep Guardiola in 2012. The legendary Scot believes that had their meeting in New York occurred a few months earlier, he could have persuaded the Catalan to take the reins at Old Trafford.
In his new autobiography, "Games of My Life," the 84-year-old Scottish icon reflected on those pivotal talks over a glass of wine in the United States.
Ferguson candidly wrote in his memoir:
If I could turn back time, we would have dined a few months earlier, I would have poured more Tignanello and done everything I could to convince him that his future lay in Manchester. Unfortunately for us, that wasn't the case. That says it all.
At the time of their personal meeting, Guardiola had already given tentative agreement to take charge of Bayern Munich, before later heading to Manchester City, where he has gone on to win six Premier League titles. Meanwhile, Manchester United opted for David Moyes, whose tenure ended in disappointment with a dismissal just ten months later.
Sir Alex Ferguson himself concluded his legendary 26-year reign at Old Trafford in 2013, guiding the Red Devils to 13 top-flight titles and two UEFA Champions League trophies.
