David O'Leary has lifted the lid on a fascinating "what if" moment in football history, revealing he was one of the select few candidates considered to replace Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United a quarter of a century ago.
The former Leeds United manager, now 68, enjoyed a remarkable four-year spell at Elland Road that saw him guide the Yorkshire club all the way to the Champions League semi-finals. That impressive run caught the eye of Ferguson himself, who put O'Leary forward as a potential successor when the legendary Scot initially announced plans to retire at the end of the 2001/02 season.
Speaking on The Overlap's Stick to Football, O'Leary confirmed the approach: "Michael Kennedy (my solicitor) did, yeah, about it. Alex had recommended about three people or something like that. It never went any further than that. One of the chosen ones, yeah."
Of course, football history took a different turn. Ferguson performed a dramatic U-turn and remained at Old Trafford until 2013, while O'Leary was sacked by Leeds in 2002. It's a reminder of how quickly fortunes can change in the beautiful game.
The former Republic of Ireland international's path into management is worth noting. He initially stepped up as caretaker boss at Leeds after serving as George Graham's assistant—a journey not unlike Michael Carrick's current situation at United, though Carrick's interim spell has been longer and arguably more impressive.
With the Red Devils now set to discuss Carrick's potential to stay in charge beyond this season, O'Leary offered some sage advice about the weight of the job. "On the Michael Carrick thing, one thing after taking the team (is) when they said, 'This is your office and you're the manager of this football club,'" he explained. "On Michael, I don't think they were ever going to give him the job because I think they had he's going to come in, do the job for us and we're going to go and get somebody, but now that situation's changed big time."
He added a cautionary note: "But I'd say to Michael now that, for all he thinks he's the manager of Man United, when you get it officially and when you've got told that and then you've got to play midweek games and got to make all these other decisions, it's a bigger thing. And Man United, they don't come much bigger than that."
United have already secured Champions League football for next season, and with a positive result this weekend, the Carrick era could take another significant step forward. For fans of the club, O'Leary's revelation adds another layer to the rich tapestry of Old Trafford's managerial history—and a reminder that even the best-laid plans can change in an instant.