Manchester United assistant boss Carlos Queiroz admits he owes Sir Alex Ferguson for bringing him back to Old Trafford after his spell in charge of Real Madrid.

He told the Telegraph: ''He was a great friend. One day he rang to say I should do what's best for me and the team and not worry about anything else because there would always be a job for me in Manchester. That gave me strength. In life sometimes you need to be sure you can use three words - yes, maybe and no.

"Sometimes as coaches we only have yes and maybe. Alex's phone call helped me to keep my spine straight. So, although I was offered extremely well-paid jobs, one in England and the other in Spain, I didn't hesitate when he invited me back."

Queiroz added: 'I'm here on a mission to repay a debt to Alex, but to be in charge - that's the reason everybody works. When it's the right time to make a decision, I'll do it."