In an interview with GQ Magazine published in
The Times, Ferguson said: "I think Sepp Blatter is in
danger...or has reached a point now where he is being mocked within
the game. "Whether he is getting too old, I don't know. But things
can happen to people in power. Look at some of the despots in
Africa.''
It stems from Blatter's remarks which likened United's treatment
of Cristiano Ronaldo, refusing to sell him to Real Madrid, as well
as a series of other surprising statements. Blatter said United's
decision to reject Real's advances against the player's wishes was
like "modern slavery"' which angered the United boss.
While denying he was likening Blatter to the likes of Robert
Mugabe, he said: "That would be ridiculous. All I'm saying is that,
from a position of great power, he has uttered so many ridiculous
statements that he is in danger of seriously damaging his
credibility.
"So when he came out with that stuff it created a furore and
rightly so, the year after the commemoration of the 200th
anniversary of the abolition of slavery.''
The Manchester United boss also revealed he had been expecting
Real to target Ronaldo following their move for Gabriel Heinze a
year before. "It was different for me because I knew it was coming,
so I wasn't surprised. When we sold Gabriel Heinze to Real Madrid
we knew it was going to happen because Ronaldo was very close to
Heinze.
"I knew what they were doing. I don't believe they were
interested in Heinze - good player though he is. The end game was
to get Ronaldo. "What made it really obscene was that Madrid, as
General Franco's club, had a history of being able to get whoever
and whatever they wanted, before democracy came to Spain.''
Sir Alex Ferguson has also dismissed Peter Kenyon's defection to
Chelsea in 2003 by insisting it was a blessing in disguise.
Kenyon replaced Martin Edwards as chief executive of Manchester
United. Ferguson said: "No. Definitely not. Peter Kenyon? He wasn't
a loss. The best thing that has happened recently has been David
Gill.''
Kenyon was pictured wearing a runners-up medal at the Champions
League final in Moscow earlier this year after the Red Devils had
edged the penalty shoot-out. In contrast, Sir Bobby Charlton
refused to wear a winners' medal.
Ferguson continued: "Charlton was saying: 'look, this is not my
night. This is the players' night'. There would have been a lot of
understanding if he had worn the medal because, 50 years on from
the Busby Babes, he had every right. "But he was thinking of the
players and the football club. And that is Bobby Charlton.''
The Scot is set to retire in the next couple of years and he
admits it is a daunting prospect although he is confident there
will be a smooth transition. "There will be no problem,'' the
66-year-old went on. "The foundation is here. The morale is here. I
am not responsible for everything.
"It's a funny thing, though; the older I get, the more
frightened I get of retiring. But there will come a time when I
clear my desk and someone will take over. "I hope and expect they
will be a formidable person. Because this job, believe me, is not
easy.''