Ferguson - Toon job is toughest

Sir Alex issues a warning to those eyeing St James' role

Last updated: 12th January 2008   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Ferguson - Toon job is toughest

Ferguson: Newcastle warning

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Sir Alex Ferguson believes the Newcastle United manager's position is the 'toughest job in the game' after watching his side thump them 6-0.

Newcastle's first game since Sam Allardyce's parting of ways saw them come away from Old Trafford with a comprehensive and humiliating defeat.

Harry Redknapp has already spurned the chance to take over the St James' Park reins and Ferguson believes the Portsmouth boss may have made a shrewd decision.

Ferguson has been candid in his criticism of the Newcastle board, with the Scot clearly not a fan of their trigger-happy approach with managers.

Who's who

"Their list of sacked bosses reads like a who's who of football, with some of the greatest players taking on the challenge, though not for very long," said Ferguson.

"Sadly, it seems that at St James' Park, if things don't go right straight away, the manager quickly finds himself operating against a background of criticism and questioning that inevitably leaves him operating on a match-by-match basis with ceaseless speculation about his future.

"It is hardly the platform for being able to introduce a long-term strategy and build the right foundations.

"If they regarded their managers as something more than ships that pass in the night they might achieve the stability and consistency that is the basis of success at any club."