Continuity provides foundation for success, says Ferguson

Sir Alex Ferguson declared yesterday that only time and success will deliver the kind of control which Roberto Mancini has said he envies the United manager for.

The City manager said on tour in Los Angeles last month that he agreed with Ferguson's assertion that the manager needed total control but Ferguson, who expressed surprise that City have not spent more radically so far this summer, said that it also depended on the nature of a club. "Time does that for you [provide control] and success too," he said. "It depends on the type of club you have. At United we have been fortunate there hasn't been any great change with the directors at the club. Maurice Watkins, Mike Edelman and Bobby Charlton have been here since I have been here and David Gill chief executive for quite a few years. That continuity and understanding means a lot and they know the most important person at the club is the manager."

The United manager acknowledged that a concussion experienced several years ago by Javier Hernandez is considered serious enough to delay his return after a similar injury until the end of the month. "Considering he had a concussion some years ago we are just playing safe with that," he said.

In Washington last week, Ferguson declared himself unaware of the previous condition disclosed by the Chivas de Guadalajara club doctor who said Hernandez had suffered from neurological issues since he was a teenager.

Ferguson, who watched United beat New York Cosmos 6-0 last night in Paul Scholes' testimonial at Old Trafford, is also without Michael Carrick who has a tightness in his Achilles. He said the opposition in tomorrow's Community Shield would not affect his usual mix of youth and experience for the fixture. "It's easy to get emotional about this kind of game but I don't think we will be changing our policy," he said. "I thought [City] may have spent more this summer and it may still happen that they sign a couple more."

He dismissed suggestions that he had told a female French journalist in midweek that Dimitar Berbatov could leave for Paris Saint Germain. "I couldn't understand what she was asking. I thought she was asking about our chances for the season. There's absolutely no interest or encouragement from us, either."