Birmingham City appointed Alex McLeish as their manager three weeks ago and, as a former Aberdeen player under the of tutorship of Sir Alex Ferguson in the early 1980s, he has become just one of the many former players of Ferguson who has made their way into management at the highest level. FFC columnist Alex Brodie takes a look at other former players who have taken that next step into the scary world of football management and which one could possibly take over the reigns at Old Trafford. 

Wednesday night saw Blackburn Rovers take on Sunderland at Ewood Park but more importantly (for this article at least) it saw former Manchester United team mates Roy Keane and Mark Hughes square up against each other to see who has taken more from their former mentor, Sir Alex Ferguson. 

Both managers had distinguished playing careers at Old Trafford, Hughes winning two Premier League titles and three FA Cups and Keane, the long-standing captain, took home 7 Premier League titles, 4 FA Cups and a Champions League medal.  Keane at least, if not so much Hughes, seemed destined for management, his leadership on the field of play a perfect mirror of the characteristics needed for top level management. 

Hughes was the victor on the evening but then his managerial career has already seen him take over his country Wales and have several successful years at Ewood Park.  In fact people seem to see him as Ferguson's natural successor when the Scot finally says goodbye to his Wrigley's Extra.  However there are 14 former players or assistant managers of Ferguson who have moved into management and all seem to be able to stake their claim for the Old Trafford job, maybe even his son Darren, currently learning the ropes at Peterborough United. 

In the Premier League there is Alex McGleish (Birmingham), Steve Bruce (Wigan), Keane and Hughes. Added to this are Graeme Souness and Gordon Strachan who both played under Ferguson when he took over the Scotland job for the 1986 World Cup, Strachan also played for United before becoming Coventry and eventually Celtic boss.   

Outside the top flight is a mixed bag of Ferguson protégés.  Bryan Robson is probably the most high profile; the Captain marvel suffered relegations with West Brom, Bradford and Middlesbrough and now finds himself in the Sheffield United hot seat.  Paul Sturrock (Plymouth Argyle) was also in Ferguson's Scotland squad in 1986 but his chances of stepping up to the mantle would seem far fetched at best.   

Chris Casper (Bury), at 32 the youngest manager in the football league, only played three times for United but has time on his side when it comes to gaining further experience.  Henning Berg, the only player to have won the Premier League with two different clubs (United and Blackburn) is now in charge at FC Lyn Oslo and has been since 2005.  Back in the English football league Paul Ince is surprising all with his skill for management at MK Dons after successfully keeping Macclesfield Town in the football league last season.  And finally Mark Robins who famously scored the goal against Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup that kept Ferguson in a job in 1990 is at Rotherham and is a well respected lower league manager, maybe as a thank you Ferguson could give Robins his blessing when he leaves Old Trafford. 

So there are the candidates but who knows who will take over when Ferguson finally steps down.  Hughes seems to be the leading contender but if Keane manages to keep Sunderland up this year and could build on that then he too could be a decent bet.  Ince and Bruce too are United legends who have yet to blot their copy book, unlike that other great United captain, Bryan Robson.  But for all we know Ferguson could outlast them all, he seems to have lost none of the desire and fight for the job.