Alex Ferguson says one early retirement could have changed everything for Manchester United

While he insists David Moyes was the right man to replace him at Old Trafford, Alex Ferguson has revealed how it could have been so different.

Maybe he should have filled Ryan Giggs in on his thinking a little earlier. In a BBC documentary to be aired Sunday,"Sir Alex Ferguson: Secrets of Success", the former Manchester United manager speculates that Giggs could now be manager, if he had just hung up his boots a few seasons earlier.

"If Ryan Giggs had retired six or seven years ago - say he'd retired at 35, quite likely I'd have made him my assistant, and quite likely he could have moved right into the job, with the experience of being assistant manager to me, as he is helping Louis van Gaal at the moment. But I would never ask a player to quit."

It seems the Scot has never told the former Wales international this. Interviewed for the documentary, Giggs was informed of Fergie's scheme and responded: "He said that?" Instead of retiring in his late thirties and inheriting the keys to the Kingdom, Giggs played on until the age of 40 and took over as caretaker boss after the firing of Moyes. It's alright though, now he gets to assist Louis Van Gaal, a man with whom he appears to get on really, really well. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoK-piy0Cyo Yeah, cheers Fergie.