'I miss it sometimes' - Sir Alex Ferguson opens up on life after Manchester United as he admits he still pines for the dugout during 'big games'

Ferguson stepped down from his managerial role at the end of the 2012-13 season after leading United to their 13th Premier League title under his tenure, marking the end of a 27-year reign at the club. Since Ferguson's departure, the Red Devils have struggled to reclaim the consistent success they enjoyed under his leadership despite recruiting some of the best tacticians including David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick.

United won the Champions League twice under Ferguson's management, first as part of their historic Treble in 1999 and then again in 2008. In addition to these triumphs, United reached the Champions League finals in 2009 and 2011 but were bested on both occasions by Pep Guardiola's Barcelona.

Even though the Red Devils have not reached a Champions League final since Ferguson’s retirement, he has continued to be a fixture at many finals, both as a supporter of the game and a former champion.

During an interview with BBC Breakfast, when he was asked if he misses management, Ferguson candidly responded, "Yeah, I miss it sometimes. I think the first year after retirement, I went to the European final and I said to Cathy 'This is what I miss' - big games, the European games. So then I went to most of the European finals because I found something I could relate to, something I would like to have done every day. Because these are the big events that United should always be involved in."

As Ferguson enjoys his retirement, United continues to seek a way back to the top of English and European football. After a dreadful start to the new season, they are showing signs of recovery under manager Erik ten Hag. Their next test is against Crystal Palace away from home on Saturday.