Ah, where would we be without his wisdom?
Sir Alex Ferguson said "one bad week" might have cost his Manchester United side the chance of glory this season.
Ferguson lamented the week in April when United lost 2-1 to Chelsea at Old Trafford before being knocked out of the Champions League by Bayern Munich.
United face Stoke at Old Trafford on Sunday needing to win and for Chelsea to drop points at home to Wigan in order to win the Premier League title.
"It was a bad week - it has cost us everything," said the United boss.
Following the away-goals defeat by Bayern Munich, Ferguson's side could only manage a 0-0 draw with Blackburn, handing Chelsea the advantage in the title race and denting their hopes of winning a fourth-successive title.
While conceding that the west London team are clear favourites to secure the Premier League title against Wigan at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, Ferguson has not totally given up on finishing top of the pile.
"It's pointless going into the game expecting anything from Chelsea in our favour. I have confidence that Wigan will do their best and they will try," stated Ferguson.
"There's pressure on both us and Chelsea because we both need to win but I don't know what's going on in Chelsea's minds - all I know is that in this situation we just hope.
"In a way the situation helps us because we can express ourselves, like we did against Sunderland last Sunday", where the Red Devils secured a 1-0 win.
"The players enjoyed themselves and we could have won very comfortably and scored four or five. We played without nerves, which is down to our experience. We have been here before and it's not affected us. But we should not be in this position, the title should be ours. No question."
"We are disappointed we haven't won other things, but the biggest disappointment was the European Cup," Ferguson said, looking back on the season.
"It is an absolute travesty because we were the better team."
Despite leading 3-0 against Bayern in the quarter-final second leg at Old Trafford, Ferguson's side conceded two goals to win 3-2 on the night but draw 4-4 on aggregate.
"We had a good opportunity," said Ferguson.
"We should be in the final against Inter Milan [who face Bayern Munich on 22 May], there is absolutely no question about that.
"It would have been a difficult game, because Inter, without question, have improved tremendously this season. It's a pity we won't be in the final because we would have relished that."
United won the Carling Cup this season, beating Aston Villa 2-1 at Wembley, but suffered a shock FA Cup exit as they lost at home to League One Leeds.
However, Ferguson insisted he has the squad to bounce back next season.
"Apart from the older players we keep talking about - Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Gary Neville - the rest of the squad is reasonably structured in terms of age," he stated.
"There is a strong nucleus of young players and they are the future, there is no question about that. There is a good foundation there."
Meanwhile, Manchester United's Scotland midfielder Darren Fletcher is convinced the title would be heading for Old Trafford but for a glut of injuries mid-season.
At one point, Patrice Evra was the only fit senior defender when Fletcher, Michael Carrick and rookie Ritchie De Laet played in a makeshift defence as United lost 3-0 at Fulham.
"Without those defensive injuries it could have been very different, that is a fact," Fletcher told MUTV.
"At one stage we had one fit defender in the squad. No team has been able to cope with that.
"We had three or four games in that position and ultimately it has cost us.
"If you are going to win the title in England you need a settled defence."
Ferguson lamented the week in April when United lost 2-1 to Chelsea at Old Trafford before being knocked out of the Champions League by Bayern Munich.
United face Stoke at Old Trafford on Sunday needing to win and for Chelsea to drop points at home to Wigan in order to win the Premier League title.
"It was a bad week - it has cost us everything," said the United boss.
Following the away-goals defeat by Bayern Munich, Ferguson's side could only manage a 0-0 draw with Blackburn, handing Chelsea the advantage in the title race and denting their hopes of winning a fourth-successive title.
While conceding that the west London team are clear favourites to secure the Premier League title against Wigan at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, Ferguson has not totally given up on finishing top of the pile.
"It's pointless going into the game expecting anything from Chelsea in our favour. I have confidence that Wigan will do their best and they will try," stated Ferguson.
"There's pressure on both us and Chelsea because we both need to win but I don't know what's going on in Chelsea's minds - all I know is that in this situation we just hope.
"In a way the situation helps us because we can express ourselves, like we did against Sunderland last Sunday", where the Red Devils secured a 1-0 win.
"The players enjoyed themselves and we could have won very comfortably and scored four or five. We played without nerves, which is down to our experience. We have been here before and it's not affected us. But we should not be in this position, the title should be ours. No question."
"We are disappointed we haven't won other things, but the biggest disappointment was the European Cup," Ferguson said, looking back on the season.
"It is an absolute travesty because we were the better team."
Despite leading 3-0 against Bayern in the quarter-final second leg at Old Trafford, Ferguson's side conceded two goals to win 3-2 on the night but draw 4-4 on aggregate.
"We had a good opportunity," said Ferguson.
"We should be in the final against Inter Milan [who face Bayern Munich on 22 May], there is absolutely no question about that.
"It would have been a difficult game, because Inter, without question, have improved tremendously this season. It's a pity we won't be in the final because we would have relished that."
United won the Carling Cup this season, beating Aston Villa 2-1 at Wembley, but suffered a shock FA Cup exit as they lost at home to League One Leeds.
However, Ferguson insisted he has the squad to bounce back next season.
"Apart from the older players we keep talking about - Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Gary Neville - the rest of the squad is reasonably structured in terms of age," he stated.
"There is a strong nucleus of young players and they are the future, there is no question about that. There is a good foundation there."
Meanwhile, Manchester United's Scotland midfielder Darren Fletcher is convinced the title would be heading for Old Trafford but for a glut of injuries mid-season.
At one point, Patrice Evra was the only fit senior defender when Fletcher, Michael Carrick and rookie Ritchie De Laet played in a makeshift defence as United lost 3-0 at Fulham.
"Without those defensive injuries it could have been very different, that is a fact," Fletcher told MUTV.
"At one stage we had one fit defender in the squad. No team has been able to cope with that.
"We had three or four games in that position and ultimately it has cost us.
"If you are going to win the title in England you need a settled defence."
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