“QUITTING UNITED WAS THE HARDEST DECISION OF MY LIFE – IF I COULD TURN BACK TIME, I’D NEVER LEAVE”

How did you become Manchester United’s assistant manager in 2002? Did you know Sir Alex Ferguson already?

I was managing South Africa at the time. Sir Alex wanted an assistant with the ability to communicate, as he was opening the club to different cultures and languages. I was able to speak English and Portuguese, and I could also help with French and Italian. In Sir Alex’s straightforward style, he phoned a couple of guys to find out more about me. One of them was Quinton Fortune, who played for South Africa. Sir Alex then called me to ask if I could meet him in Manchester. I went there and we talked, shook hands and agreed the deal. It was a privilege to work alongside him for all those years, and today I have the honour of saying that we are friends.