English FA Premiership: Daniel Taylorputs the questions to Alex Ferguson as they reflect on his greatest Premiership achievement with Manchester United
What does all this mean to you?
It's a great achievement. The last two or three years I've been saying to myself: 'Crikey me, you need 90 or 91 points to win this league now.' That's a hell of a total as opposed to when we first won it in 1993 [ with 84 points]. We had one year, 2000, when we won it with 91 but it's a hell of a target.
Did it affect you over the last three years when people have questioned you and whether you could do this?
I'm experienced enough to know that's the way of the game. If you're not doing well at this club you are going to be criticised. We have had to make big decisions and change the squad and that hasn't been easy when you have a familiarity with players, people like Phil Neville and Nicky Butt. It's sad when you have to let them go. I was saying to myself: "Perhaps we could get one more year out of them?" But you have to move the team on. You have to tell yourself you're not making decisions for yourself, you're making them for the club.
Roy (Keane) and Ruud (van Nistelrooy) must have presented as difficult decisions as any.
Well, Roy was, certainly, because he was such an influence at the club . . . (long pause). I'm not so sure about van Nistelrooy being a big decision at all.
Is the squad more harmonious now?
You need a good team spirit and from day one we have just gelled. I've kept referring to that all season. The spirit has been brilliant in the dressingroom.
Going back to last season, was there ever a point when you thought perhaps this was a challenge for someone else?
No, no. We made our decisions. Then it was just as case of sticking together. We looked at the squad, we knew there was enough youth and certainly enough ability. Obviously there have been key things and Paul Scholes coming back from his eye problem was a big boost for us, for instance, because it was a concern last year. Having him back was like signing a new player - a free transfer of international standard - and he just seemed to gel with Michael Carrick.
Was van Nistelrooy's departure important to the spirit?
I'm not getting into that.
Did you get a feeling at the start of the season that things were going to be different this year?
What we tried to instil in the players' minds was that we had to get a good start.
You have faced challenges from Blackburn, Newcastle and Arsenal before, but are Chelsea your toughest opponents?
They're the most resilient, there's no question about that. They just never give in.
And where does it rank compared with your other titles?
It has to be the club's greatest achievement.
Was there ever any moment, watching Chelsea win the last two championships, when you thought this was almost an impossible task?
Yes, I did think that. I thought it was a difficult task simply because of the amount of money at Chelsea. But I thought the signings of Andriy Shevchenko and Michael Ballack were designed to win them the European Cup. So I wasn't too concerned. I said to myself: "I hope they concentrate on the European Cup and leave the league to us, that would be very nice."
How important are Scholes and Ryan Giggs to your plans? Are they still part of the club's future?
Well, when you look at them there are no signs they are over the top. You say to yourself: 'How long can they carry on?' But Giggs, at 33, doesn't carry any weight and looks after himself. Paul is a different physical shape to Ryan, stockier, but he looks after himself too and leads a good lifestyle. He is a home-loving boy, a family man, and that will give him a good chance to play until he is at least 34 or 35.
Did you think you needed only minor additions last season, even though you had lost Keane?
For the last few years we have been looking for a new Roy Keane and now we understand it is impossible. You cannot get a new Roy Keane. We were fortunate that we had Keane to replace Bryan Robson with that same drive and mentality.
And what of you? When you set out in management, all those years ago, did you ever think you would still be winning trophies at the age of 65?
I've never looked at it that way. Age creeps up on you very quickly. I still think I am 58. It's true! All of a sudden you see that in the papers you are 65 and I think: 'I can't be 65, can I?' Jesus Christ, somebody wrote I was 66 today.
Will you go on like Sir Bobby Robson to 70?
No.
Have you had any contact yet from Jose Mourinho?
I had my phone off last night and I woke up this morning with 75 new text messages. There could be one from him.
And do you expect a guard of honour at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday?
Apparently Chelsea are going to honour us and I'm pleased with that. Jose was very complimentary in his post-match interviews on Sunday and I expected that. I'm sure he understands that winning and losing are twins and you have to deal with them in the right way. If you win, you don't need to gloat and, if you lose, you don't need to go bananas about it. Guardian Service
