New Portugal coach Carlos Queiroz admits it was a difficult decision to quit Manchester United.

He told the People: "The decision to leave has not been at all easy.

"These five years in this club have marked me but to return to Portugal to lead a new project with the national team is something impossible to turn down. United have understood my decision although at the start they wanted to convince me to stay.

"When I spoke to the directors and with Alex Ferguson they saw that my mind was made up and they accepted my decision."

And Queiroz feels anyone would pay to have his job on the bench at Old Trafford alongside Ferguson.

He added: "At United I have grown professionally beyond my expectations. I think that it is the best club in the world and I am convinced many coaches would almost pay to hold a post on the coaching team.

"I would have liked to be United's manager but football has so many twists and turns no-one knows what will happen."