4. Mandela meeting the South African national team at World Cup 2010. The former President was a great football fan

After 26 years in the Manchester United seat, Sir Alex Ferguson has decided to retire. The new man in the seat is the now former Everton manager, David Moyes. Great Dane Football Blog gives you five reasons why Moyes is the right man for the job.

5. Hand picked by Ferguson

Rumours says that Sir Alex Ferguson himself, has hand picked David Moyes as his replacement. There is no doubt that Ferguson will have had his say on the man to follow him, and if he really has hand picked Moyes, he must believe that the former Everton manager has what it takes to lead United to victory.

4. Less controversial

One of the names mentioned as a replacement for Alex Ferguson was Jose Mourinho. The "special one" is known as a controversial figure and might have caused more damage than glory to Manchester United. Instead, David Moyes is more of the English gentleman with history with almost none controversies. It's worth noticing than you almost never see Moyes actively seeking controversies.

3. Manager for the long run

Manchester United are a club that wants a manager for the long run. David Moyes has been loyal to Everton for 11 years and fits perfectly to United's tradition of long term stability. He will get the space and the board will be patient with him, as he is replacing the man synonymous with Manchester United. 

2. Experience of a tight budget

David Moyes has worked on an extremely low budget in Everton and still managed to make them a sub-top team in the Premier League. Manchester United has debt issues and to some extent Moyes will be working on a tight budget here, as well. That said his transfer possibilities will be far better than they were in Everton.

1. Likes to promote within

Just like Alex Ferguson David Moyes likes to promote youth players to the senior team. In 2002, he was the manager to give Wayne Rooney his debut when he was only 16-year-old. Manchester United is known for their academy, and we might see a few extra youth players for Manchester United in the future. Furthermore, promoting youth players saves money!

"This is the end, my only friend, the end", the lyrics from the Doors' "The End" matches the thoughts of many Manchester United fans after the shocking news: Ferguson is pulling the plug!

Whether you like him or not, Sir Alex Ferguson is a legend; a living legend. While the Manchester United players will raise the Premier League trophy for the 20th time, it will also mark the end of an era. Since 1986, the angry Scot has been in charge of Manchester United bringing not less than 38 trophies to Old Trafford. An impressive career, that just becomes more fantastic when you add up the 11 trophies from his time in ST Mirren and Aberdeen.

However, it is not only the good things we will remember about the Scot. Through out his career, there has been some controversies; including kicking a boot in the face of David Beckham. Many football fans have a love/hate relationship to the man, who is known for not keeping his mind shut - often in an attack on other players, managers or referees.

But as we look back, the Premier League won't be the same without Sir Alex Ferguson. Some might even argue that Ferguson is the Premier League as not many has the same status as he has in England. The next question, and probably what most Manchester United fans worry about today is, what will happen now? The rumour mill already sends David Moyes to the Old Trafford, as well as Jurgen Klopp. While Ferguson will step back from his managing position, he will still have an influence as director and he will without a doubt have his say on who will follow him. God bless the man who tries!

No one knows when Alex Ferguson will retire, but not a day goes by without rumours about his possible replacement. Great Dane Football Blog gives you 5 likely replacements.

5. Ryan Giggs

2. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

3. Pep Guardiola

2. Jürgen Klopp

1. Jose Mourinho

Sir Alex Ferguson has not always been lucky with his pick of goalkeepers, and now it seems to be a problem again.

Edwin Van der Sar and Peter Schmeichel - legendary Manchester United goalkeepers - and some of the best in the Premier League of all time. These are the quality goalies both Sir Alex Ferguson and the Man United fans are longing after. However, it seems that both De Gea and Lindegaard have joined the line of failed keepers.

According to the Daily Mail Online, Ferguson is ready to sell both De Gea and Lindegaard as he does not find them good enough for the time. The two players then can join Fabien Barthez, Mark Bosnich and Roy Caroll on the list of goalkeepers who never lived up to Ferguson's expectations.

Let's take a look on the two goalies' performances. David de Gea was brought to Manchester marked as the next big goalkeeper in Spain. However, the Spaniard has never reached the level he had in Atlético Madrid. The youngster has made more mistakes than you can count on both hands and has never seemed to settle on or off the pitch in Manchester.

However, the Dane Anders Lindegaard does not look as a Premier League goalkeeper, at least not in Manchester United. Many were surprised when the Red devils bought Lindegaard in Aalesund and especially in Danish football fans as he only got six matches in the Danish Super Liga.  However, Lindegaard found a proper level, but when he looked at his best he was struck by an injury. Lindegaard never managed to comeback to his earlier strenght and has also made his share of blunders in the goal.

So, who is going to take over the goal if Ferguson succeeds in selling both players? Two Spanish class keepers are being mentioned as replacements for De Gea. Iker Casillas is in dispute with José Mourinho in Real Madrid while Victor Valdes is expected to leave Barcelona after refusing to sign a new contract. Furthermore, both Real and Barca have shown interest in De Gea, who still have a reputation in Spain. A replacement for Lindegaard could be Stoke's Asmir Begovic. However, it is doubtful that he will settle with the bench in Manchester.

Whether we will see a change of goalkeepers in this transfer window or in the summer, time will show. No matter what, it is most likely that a Spaniard will be Fergusons number 1 next season.

Never before has the race for the trophy, been so close between Manchester United and Manchester City. The two teams are neck on neck with only the goal difference separating them, by eight goals before the last round of the Premier League.

Manchester City seems to have the easiest opponent as they meet Queens Park Rangers at Etihad Stadium, while United is playing Sunderland on Stadium of Light. However, you can be sure that both opponents will do whatever it takes to put a stick in the wheel for both of the northern clubs. Especially QPR has something to play for, as they with three points will stay clear of relegation and thereby secure another season in the best English league. Rangers striker Djibril Cisse has already said to The Sun that his manager, Mark Hughes, is plotting to keep QPR up and “deny City the title” and thereby having his own sweet revenge after being sacked in City in 2009.

This Premier League season has been one of a kind, and it is not easy to tell if one of the two teams deserves the title more than the other. Manchester United has been in front several times during this season, and a month ago they were leading by eight points. However, the Reds couldn’t keep the steam up and gave City the chance they needed to comeback in the race. Fans of the Premier League, would say the United should be the winners, as they have not bought their way to the title as City has. However, you simply have to take off your hat to the blues and Roberto Mancini. They have succeed in making a dream team, and made the play some, at times, amazing football. I am saying this, even though I am not a fan of buying yourself to the trophy.

Mancini has also managed to solve those problems that he has had with a team full of stars or wannabe-stars. However, not all of his solutions have been as gentle as you could have hoped for. He threw Carlos Tevez out of the squad, but refused to sell him only to bring him back again later in the season. The thing is that Tevez came back reborn, and has actually contributed to a team where he was not needed to start with. That Mancini opened his eyes and brought Tevez back, is almost genius. A thing that is not so genius is his lack of control of Balotelli. The Italian has simply had to long a leash and might be on his way out of City. Hopefully.

To say that Alex Ferguson has failed this season would be harsh. However, United needs to bring some fresh blood into the squad, to be more consistent throughout the whole season. This year has showed that some of the players have been in the club for too long and are too used to winning. But the discipline that has been needed in City, has been in United as always. They have played football as we are used to see them play, but have simply lost the magic in a crucial time.

Whether or not City has deserved to win the title, is up to the readers. One thing is for sure; the last round of the Premier League is going to be more exciting than ever.