Sir Alex Ferguson refused to comment on the furore surrounding FIFA President Sepp Blatter who likened United's refusal to sell £80 million-rated striker Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid with "modern slavery".
Blatter's sentiment, one with which the Portugal international agreed, caused more stir in the summer of tension between the Spanish club and the Champions League holders.
After watching United beat his former club Aberdeen 2-0 in a pre-season challenge at Pittodrie, Ferguson was asked if he had any comment to make on Blatter but the Scotsman replied curtly: "No, we're here to talk about football."
Ferguson was more forthcoming on the subject of his former number two Carlos Queiroz who was last week named as the new head coach of Portugal.
United coaches Mike Phelan, Brian McClair, Rene Meulensteen are in the frame for the post but Ferguson insists the English champions would be in no rush to name a replacement.
He said: "You take your time with these things, there is no hurry.
"We have got good staff and we will carry on, we've always done that.
"We've never made a quick appointment.
"It's always disappointing to lose good men and he was a good man.
"He was honest and very loyal to me and a good coach.
"He brought a lot of initiatives that we now carry on.
"He has taken a challenge on that people do, if they have that patriotic passion and the nationalist fervour to go and manage their country. He's got that.
"I knew when Portugal came for him that it would be very difficult for us."
A near sell-out crowd of 20,500 turned up for the testimonial game in honour of the Aberdeen side that won the European Cup Winners' Cup 25 years ago in Gothenburg when Ferguson was manager at Pittodrie.
A first-half penalty from Michael Carrick and a Wayne Rooney header after the break gave Manchester United a comfortable win.
Ferguson was pleased with the run-out and especially the contribution of Rooney.
He said: "It was a good day for me, it was emotional driving up to the stadium and seeing people you haven't seen for years.
"It was our first game and it was quite an open match and easy for both teams.
"They had a couple of chances and we had to defend well at times so it was good.
"Wayne had a couple of chances in the first half and made some nice runs round the shoulders of defenders which could have got us a couple of goals.
"He made the goal and scored the header so he will be happy."
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Comment 1 - 3 of 3
Alex Furgason you're real man, i suport you for not argue with S.Blatter, sa you said YOUR THERE TO TALK ABOUT FOOTBALL, welldone for that. So How many players are moved from Man U to Real Madrid? Real madrid their not the HERO, if they got money they should use that to prepare their players to be come the super star players like what they did to his Goalkeeper CASILAS.
sepp anti-english blatter has once again proven to the world of football how out of touch he is with the beautiful game or is he just jealous of how the home of football attracts the top world class players to our shores, he has or is trying to restrict the number of foreign players per club is he really scared of the potential british dominance of world football at club level, what he should be doing seeing he is swiss concentrate on making watches and cuckoo clocks then we would have the cuckoo blatter clock
The comments made by that Swiis t**t sepp Blatter are an absolute insult to all those effected by the slave trade in the past, and indeed today (27 million we are lead to believe). But speaking as a Man utd fan, Alex ferguson is not in a position to comment on the do's and don'ts of the transfer market. Personally speaking if Ronaldo wants to go, let him. I just wish someone would enslave me for £120,000 a week.
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