Former Manchester United midfielder Shinji Kagawa has admitted he was disappointed he only got to work with Sir Alex Ferguson for one year at the club.
The Japanese midfielder joined Manchester United in a £14.4m deal from Borussia Dortmund in July 2012, having starred for the German side after arriving on a free transfer in 2010.
He could not replicate his performances in England, though, struggling to adapt to life in a new country and a different league.
His first year saw him working under legendary boss Sir Alex Ferguson, although it would prove to be a short relationship as the legendary manager elected to retire at the end of that season.
That saw Kagawa working under David Moyes for his second season before then returning to Dortmund in August 2014.
He now plays for Sint-Truiden in Belgium and, looking back on his time at Manchester United in an interview with De Morgen, admits he is still saddened by Ferguson’s departure.
“I had the privilege of working with Ferguson for a year which was a great honour,” he told the newspaper.
“I wanted to work with him longer, but fate decreed otherwise. It was a very beautiful period. Ferguson really wanted me in; I’ll never forget that.
“At the time, I didn’t think about that, that I was working with such a legend. Now I realize much better who he really is.
“If I’m honest, my first year at Manchester United was okay. We won the title, but that was because of Robin van Persie. He scored 26 goals that season. I didn’t have as much confidence anymore as I did during my passage at Dortmund.
“The adjustment in England was not always easy; there were sometimes doubts. A new language, system, coach, environment.
“Ferguson left after my first year, and I really didn’t see that coming. It was Ferguson who brought me to Manchester, eh. I thought I could work with him for at least another year.”
