Martin O'Neill remains confident he can bring success to Sunderland and is adamant it is not time to hand over to another manager.
The Northern Irishman is approaching 12 months in charge at the Stadium of Light and enjoyed an instant impact in lifting Sunderland away from relegation trouble.
A run of just one win in 18 Premier League games has halted the Black Cats' progress, but O'Neill has no plans to walk away from his job.
"I want to do really well here at the football club," said O'Neill.
"It's slow but I don't want it to be a decade because I won't get the time, but we'll get there. That is my genuine view.
"There is a timescale because I have a contract. And if I have not lifted the side into a proper position, I will move over and give it to someone else, who would be better equipped. But that hasn't happened yet."
O'Neill is also leaning on the wisdom of his former Nottingham Forest manager Brian Clough after urging the Sunderland players to stick together.
He added: "It sounds crazy but before Peter Taylor joined him, he had a year and a half at Forest where he did not improve the team one jot. We may even have gone backwards.
"We were struggling as a mid-table Second Division side until Peter joined up with him and he got renewed vigour.
"We had plenty of bad times and he just told us to stick in together. Lesser managers probably said the same thing, but when he said it, you felt there was something behind it. And that is what we must do and we'll come through it."
The Portuguese spent six years at Old Trafford before moving to Real Madrid in 2009 where he has continued to enjoy success both individually and as part of the team that last year wrested the Primera Division title away from Barcelona.
Were it not for the brilliance of Barca's Lionel Messi, Ronaldo would surely wear the mantle of the world's greatest footballer with the pair both transcending the sport.
The 27-year-old became the most expensive footballer in history when he moved to the Bernabeu for ?80million and Ferguson, while acknowledging he would welcome Ronaldo back with open arms, knows he is beyond United's reach.
Asked if the door was always open for the player, Ferguson told a number of national newspapers: "I'd like to think it would be but I don't think it will happen.
"You're talking about incredible amounts of money now.
"What would you think his value would be? He's definitely unbuyable.
"Who could afford to buy him?
"There's talk of the Russians, perhaps. But do you think he would go to Russia?
"He complained about the weather here, let alone the middle of winter in Russia.
"He was definitely good value for Madrid but he always wanted to play for them, it was his boyhood dream."
