José Mourinho and Alex Ferguson were frequent rivals during the mid-2000s, but it was no secret that the Portuguese admired a lot of what his Scottish counterpart achieved.
Ferguson was the only manager to deny Mourinho a Premier League title when the former Porto boss had his first spell in London, with his Manchester United side ending the 2006/07 six points clear at the top.
But Mourinho has got to where he is in the game by learning from some of the best, and now he is in charge at Old Trafford he seems amenable to the man who knows the club better than any other.
The last time the pair were in opposite dugouts came when Mourinho’s Real Madrid won at Old Trafford in 2013 (Jasper Juinen/Getty Images)
Glasgow Live reports that the new manager wants Ferguson – who spent the best part of three decades at the helm – to have more than just an ambassadorial role at Old Trafford.
Ferguson, who sits on United’s Football Club Board but not on the main board of directors, is reportedly unhappy with his role having been minimised since his retirement in 2013.
Writing in Glasgow Live, Duncan Castles cites ‘club sources’ who suggest the Scot is frustrated not to have a more significant role.
Mourinho and Ferguson remain friends despite the former being passed over when the time came to appoint a successor to the most successful manager in United’s history, and it seems as though the current incumbent is more than happy to take on board the advice of his predecessor and one-time rival.
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