Alex Ferguson says he is not ready to walk away from Manchester United Sir Alex Ferguson, who watched his Manchester United side kick off 2013 with a 4-0 win at Wigan yesterday, has stated there is no likelihood of an imminent managerial vacancy at Old Trafford. With Pep Guardiola due to end his post-Barcelona sabbatical next summer, Jose Mourinho tipped to leave Real Madrid and David Moyes" Everton contract ready to expire, three of the major candidates to replace Ferguson could be available at the end of the season. It has led to suggestions that Ferguson, who celebrated his 71st birthday on Monday, will call time on his United career, which now extends beyond 26 years. The Scot accepts all three men are at the top of their profession. But, speaking ahead of the victory at Wigan, Ferguson made it clear he is going nowhere. "I'm hoping to stay on for a bit of time," he said. And, though Guardiola, Mourinho and Moyes are bound to be at the top of the list when chief executive David Gill has to advise the Glazer family about a replacement, Ferguson highlights the precarious nature of football management and states further consideration is impossible. "It's very difficult," he said. Over the years, names have been bandied about but football is such a precarious industry. You could be talking about one of the potentially exciting young managers in the game, but is he going to be here in two or three years" time? The sack race is horrendous. Sometimes a manager can only survive four games if he doesn't win a match. "Top managers will always been in demand but nobody knows where they are going to be in two or three years" time." Manchester City remain seven points adrift of United in the Premier League title race after a 3-0 win over Stoke City, while Spurs beat Reading 3-1 on a busy New Year's Day fixture card in England.