IT is now 24 hours since news broke that Sir Alex Ferguson was to retire at the end of the season and it still hasn't fully sunk in yet.

I have grown up watching the "granddaddy of football" and to see him not taking charge of a Manchester United team will be surreal.

But, he is 71 and I am glad that he has decided to retire now, rather than further down the line when there is the possibility that the job could have an adverse effect on his health.

Ferguson divides opinion and I know that many people do not like him.

But, I think that genuine football fans respect him and appreciate what he has achieved.

When he took over at Manchester United in 1986, the club was under-achieving on the pitch and well behind rivals Liverpool in the English game.

Ferguson said then that his aim was to "knock Liverpool off their perch" and it is safe to say that 27 years later, he has definitely achieved that.

Some critics may suggest that he has "bought" many of his trophies and to a certain extent, I agree with them.

But, as well as expensive signings, like Wayne Rooney, Robin van Persie and Rio Ferdinand, he has also unearthed some gems, such Peter Schmeichel, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Javier Hernandez.

He has also brought through some great youth players, like Ryan Giggs, David Beckham and Paul Scholes.

There have been some fantastic managers in the English game - Bill Shankly, Bob Paisley and Brian Clough to name just a few.

But, for his longevity and ability to bounce back when the chips are down, he is, in my opinion, the greatest manager our country has ever seen and probably will ever see.

So, who is the man to replace him?

It seems that David Moyes is nailed on for the job and I think he is the right choice.

Maybe, Jose Mourinho would be a more suitable candidate in trying to conquer Europe, which sadly Ferguson failed to achieve on a consistent basis.

But, even though I am a great admirer of "the Special One", I think that Moyes is better suited to continue the great job that Ferguson has left behind.

I know Everton might not be considered a massive club, on the scale of Manchester United or Real Madrid, but I think that the players will respect him at Old Trafford.

In my opinion, he has done a fantastic job at Goodison Park on limited resources and I hope that he can show the world what he is fully capable of.

Maybe it is an impossible job replacing Ferguson, but time will tell.