Alex Ferguson claims Manchester United agreed a deal with England's manager Sven-Goran Eriksson last year to take over as Manchester United boss.
United and Eriksson have always denied holding talks about the job, despite reports to the contrary.
But Ferguson has told the TimesEriksson was ready to walk out on England after last year's World Cup in South Korea and Japan to take over at Old Trafford.
"I think they'd done the deal all right," Ferguson says in an interview. "I dont know for certain, but I'm sure it was Eriksson. I think they'd shaken hands. They couldn't put anything on paper because he was still England manager".
Ferguson claims his board of directors kept him in the dark because they did not trust him to keep the information secret.
Ferguson, who reversed his decision to retire last season to sign a new three-year deal, had wanted to bring back former assistant Steve McClaren to groom him as his successor.
"I think Eriksson would have been a nice easy choice for them [the United directors] in terms of nothing really happens, does it?
"He doesn't change anything. He sails along, nobody falls out with him. He comes out and says the first half we were good, second half we were not so good. I am very pleased with the result. I think he'd have been all right for United, you know what I mean? The acceptable face," Ferguson said.
AFP