Fergie hits the 1,000 mark

Knight of 1,000 games: Sir Alex Ferguson

14 April 2012

Carlos Queiroz today hailed Sir Alex Ferguson as one of football's greatest role models as the Manchester United manager prepared for his 1000th match in charge at Old Trafford.

With Ferguson demanding his players give him one more taste of European glory before he retires - a task which continues with a Champions League clash against Lyon at home tonight - Queiroz says he has set the template for other coaches to follow.

The Portuguese coach, who returned to work alongside Ferguson as his assistant after a short spell in charge at Real Madrid last season, said: "Sir Alex can feel very proud, not just of the time he has spent here, but with what he has achieved in it.

"For one man to spend 18 years at a single club is very unusual. Sometimes in Portugal, where coaches can lose their jobs before the season even starts, 18 days can be considered a good achievement.

"I have moved around the world quite a lot during my own career but no matter where I go, Sir Alex is held in great esteem and is a role model for us all. He has createda template other managers try to follow and everyone can take positive lessons from the work he has done down the years."

With Ferguson just over a month short of his 63rd birthday, speculation is mounting over who will succeed him. Queiroz has been mentioned as one possibility.

But he added: "Sir Alex is the leader of this club. Everything that happens at Manchester United comes from him.

"He is the one who sets the mission for us. He presents the challenge. Everyone knows their responsibility and that is due to him. He creates a sense of passion and makes sure each of us knows that millions of people relate to the work we do.

"We care about everything we do because it has such a huge impact on so many people's lives.

"Dealing with the knowledge that the happiness of those people is derived from the success of our work is not easy.

"But it is something that Sir Alex has handled every day of his life for the last 18 years.

"That is why the achievements and milestones that he has reached are so completely remarkable."

Ferguson is expected to restore Gabriel Heinze, Gary Neville and Cristiano Ronaldo to his starting line-up.

The trio all sat out Saturday's 2-0 win over Charlton in readiness for tonight's Champions League encounter with Lyon, where victory - or almost certainly a draw - will ensure United's progression to the knockout phase.

French striker Louis Saha is the only absentee from Ferguson's squad after being ruled out for four weeks with a knee injury.

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