Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has tipped former super sub Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to be a contender for the Old Trafford hotseat once he finally retires.

70-year-old Scotsman Ferguson is not anticipated to walk away from United for at least another three more years.

Nevertheless, while the likes of Barcelona gaffer Pep Guardiola and Real Madrid honcho Jose Mourinho have been linked to the United coaching post once Ferguson decides to depart, the latter has thrown Solskjaer's name into the hat.

"'I think the problem for a lot of footballers today is that when they get to the end of their careers they decide they want to become coaches because they have nothing else in their mind that they think they can do." Ferguson was quoted as saying in an article from The Daily Mail

"Whereas Ole always wanted to stay in the game, so from an early age he was preparing stay in the game as a coach or as a manager, as he is at the moment. So he has given himself a better chance than the rest."

"Ole was always one of the professionals that used to take down all the notes from the training sessions and games."

In fact, the Norwegian "baby-faced assassin" had a spell as United's reserve team boss before returning to his homeland to take over Molde and subsequently leading them to the league title in his maiden season last year.

"He has got an inner toughness, there's no doubt about that," added the United manager.

"'He is a nice man with a lovely manner about him."

"If you go to a club in Norway that have never won the league ever in their history and you win the league you have to have something about you to do that."

"He has brought in his own staff. He's brought two coaches from United as part of his structure to the club so he knew where he was going. A useful thing to have in management is good decision making."

"It's possibly one of the most important things and he has been decisive, so yes he has got a lot going for himself."