Mancini: "It's been a great honour to compete against Sir Alex"

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has admitted that it has been a great honour for him to compete against Sir Alex Ferguson.

The 71-year-old Scotsman announced his retirement from management after a trophy-laden 26 years at Manchester United and Mancini described him as ‘one of a kind’. Revealing that he sent Ferguson a message following his announcement, Mancini said:

“It is his decision. For me, it has been a great honour and pleasure to compete against Sir Alex for three years. It was a great honour to beat him in Old Trafford and I wish him good luck for his future. I don’t know for which reasons (he is retiring). He’s a top manager but he took this decision and we should respect it.

“It is difficult to say who is the best manager. Everyone can have his opinion but one manager who stays for 27 years in the same club and won every trophy for 27 years is an incredible situation. I don’t think there will be another manager like him, In Europe, there are other good managers. I don’t know if you can say Sir Alex is the best (ever) but he is the best in the last 27 years.”

Everton manager David Moyes has been selected as the new manager of the club but Mancini believes United will not slow down and will still be a major force to reckon with come next season. He added:

“I don’t think United will stop growing. A top club, a big club like United, you can change the manager. Sir Alex built this team but it is a big club with a big history and I don’t think it will change something.”