Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed that his wife Cathy, and their three sons, convinced him to re-think his decision to retire at the end of the season and to talk to Manchester United about staying on as manager.
Ferguson intended to step down in May after 16 years in charge at Old Trafford but the club had failed to line up a suitable successor to English football's most successful manager and he is now in negotiations over a new deal.
Speaking in an interview with The Scotsman newspaper, the 60-year-old admitted that his wife Cathy and sons, Mark, Darren and Jason helped bring about the u-turn after suggesting at Christmas that he should reconsider his decision.
Ferguson admitted: "It was really Cathy's idea. If she hadn't come up with it and the boys hadn't given full support, I wouldn't have considered a change of mind.
"But I do have to confess that maybe it was an idea I was hoping deep down she would come up with."
Having taken on extra responsibilities following assistant manager Steve McClaren's departure last summer, Sir Alex insists that he is unlikely to continue in a similar fashion next season.
"I'll tailor it a little differently, reduce the workload a bit," he said.
In a previous interview with The Scotsman, in August last year, Ferguson revealed that it had been his family's concern about his health that had convinced him it was time to retire after 28 years in management, although he still believed he was in good shape.
"I don't feel any different and I don't feel as though I'm stressed," he said at the time.
"But maybe you're not always the best judge of yourself in these things. Maybe others can see things about you that are different that you don't recognise yourself."
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