MOSCOW, May 27 (RIA Novosti) - Former Old Trafford star Andrei Kanchelskis has said Manchester United trainer Alex Ferguson is the world's best coach, irrespective of the result of Wednesday night's Champions League final.
Victory for United at Rome's Stadio Olimpico would make Ferguson the first manager to win the Champions League three times and his club the only team to defend the title.
"Ferguson is already the world's best trainer," Kanchelskis, who played for Ferguson at Old Trafford from 1991-95, told RIA Novosti. "That status doesn't depend on the result of Wednesday's game. Victory would just be wonderful for United and Ferguson personally."
While the former Soviet and Russian international is, unsurprisingly, rooting for his ex-club, he was wary of making a prediction as to the final score.
"Football is an unpredictable game," said Kanchelskis. "But I am hoping for a Manchester United win."
"The whole team will have to play well, from [Edwin] Van der Saar in goal to the strikers," he went on.
Kanchelskis, currently general director of south Russian second-tier side Nosta, was reluctant to compare the current Manchester United team with the side he won two Premier League titles with in the 1990s.
"We were a great side, we had Cantona and lots of other excellent players," he recalled. "But this team is also very strong."
As to Russian clubs' chances of winning the Champions League, Kanchelskis was not very optimistic.
"Maybe in 50 years or so," the ex-Soviet and Russian international laughed. "The whole system of Russian football needs to change. Maybe then we'll have a chance."
