Sir Alex Ferguson believes young managers like Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers need to be given time

Brendan Rodgers: Needs to be given time at Liverpool, says Ferguson

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson believes young managers like Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers should be allowed time to make an impact but admits they are not guaranteed to get it.

Reds boss Rodgers has built an impressive reputation through his time as a coach at Chelsea and eye-catching managerial stints at Watford and Swansea.

Yet some are already starting to question whether the 39-year-old is the right man to occupy the Anfield hotseat after a shaky start.

Liverpool are yet to win since his arrival from South Wales and hover precariously over the relegation zone in the early Premier League standings ahead of Sunday's visit of United.

It reminds long-serving United boss Ferguson of the position Andre Villas-Boas found himself in at Chelsea. And that did not end well for the Portuguese.

"Any young manager needs time but in the modern world you don't get a lot of that," said the Scotsman.

"Look at Villas-Boas at Chelsea last season. He was a young man who lasted about seven months.

"We're in an age where patience is not a realistic thing. It's just not there."

Success

"Any young manager needs time but in the modern world you don't get a lot of that."
Sir Alex Ferguson

Ferguson accepts times have changed from his arrival at Old Trafford, where he was into his fourth year before he finally managed to secure some silverware.

But the key to success remains the same. You have to win.

"The only route for any manager is success," he said. "It's a results industry so winning matches is important.

"It's a different game from when I started. There was less pressure.

"The world has changed. The press has changed. But I always felt I needed to win games.

"That's what you're in it for. It doesn't matter whether you're managing Port Vale, Liverpool or Manchester United, you have to get results."