FERGIE TIME
Sir Alex Ferguson, 83, set for shock return to dugout after Man Utd legend ‘immediately’ accepts offer
It won't be the first time Ferguson has returned to the dugout for a one-off occasion
SIR Alex Ferguson is weeks away from making a shock return to the dugout, according to his former player.
The legendary British manager retired from Manchester United in 2013 after a glittering 26-year career at Old Trafford.
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But Ferguson will reportedly return to the technical area on March 22 to help coach at a game in Florence.
Former Italy international Giuseppe Rossi, 38, has organised a farewell match to honour his retirement next month.
The ex-Fiorentina star’s "last dance" will be at the Stadio Franchi Stadium and has been dubbed 'Pepito Day'.
Due to his successful spell in LaLiga, the ex-striker earned the nickname 'Pepito Rossi', a reference to namesake Paolo Rossi.
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The latter was nicknamed 'Pablito' following his goalscoring performances in Italy's victorious 1982 World Cup campaign in Spain.
And Rossi - who has a close relationship with Ferguson - revealed that the Scottish icon, 83, will be back in the dugout for his farewell.
Rossi said: "Ferguson will be there as a coach. He was my first coach, I signed when I was 17.
"I only did three years with him and played little, but he immediately said yes and this shows what kind of person he is.
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"I did little at United but he treats me like Cristiano Ronaldo, who has scored 1000 goals."
Ferguson gave Rossi his debut in senior football at United in 2004, before he went on to score four goals across 14 appearances in all competitions.
Sir Alex Ferguson joins Man Utd players past and present to honour Denis Law at Old Trafford
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Rossi was loaned out to Newcastle and Parma between 2006 and 2007, before joining Villarreal permanently in 2007.
Despite his love for Florence, Rossi's most prolific years came with the LaLiga side, scoring 82 goals and provided 25 assists in 192 appearances.
He then moved to Fiorentina from 2013 to 2017, notching 19 goals in 42 games, before being loaned out to Levante and Celta in 2016.
The Italian announced on Wednesday that many of his ex-Fiorentina team-mates and some Serie A legends would play in the farewell game.
Luca Toni, Antonio Cassano, Sebastien Frey, Borja Valero and Gabriel Omar Batistuta will be among the former players taking part.
The teams haven't been decided yet, but they will be made up of former stars.
Meanwhile, it won't be the first time Ferguson has returned to the dugout for a one-off occasion.
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The Scot oversaw United legend's 1999 reunion match against Bayern Munich legends at Old Trafford in 2019.
The home side stormed to a 5-0 victory, with David Beckham, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Dwight Yorke, Nicky Butt and Louis Saha on the scoresheet.
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