The Special One: Fergie revealed his retirement plans to me

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has revealed former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson told him he was retiring two weeks before making the decision public.

The pair have a close relationship off the pitch and Mourinho admitted he was nervous when Ferguson trusted him with his secret.

"I knew a couple of weeks before the announcement because my friend (Ferguson) was nice to me and trusted me completely," said the Chelsea boss.

"He told me something really important before the press. He said I was one of his best friends in football so he wanted me to know before I read about it.

"I was afraid because I was sure someone might leak and the boss might think it had come from me. But it would never have.

"It was the same way he knew from me I was coming back to Chelsea."