Its not often I back Alex Ferguson, but...

[Dick Knights Mumm]

Yep. Bad loser who thinks that rules that apply to everyone else don't apply to him. Surrounded by too many lick-spittles.

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

His stance on not talking to the bunch of aresholes that masquerade as sports journalists should be admired in my opinion.

What kind of a moronic country do we live in, when football's governing bodies can fine someone for refusing to talk to the press.

He's a football manager ffs, not a spokesman.

You stick to your guns mate, and tell them to F Off!

As one of the arseholes you mention, can I point out that it's not really those who masquerade as sports journalists that Old Purple Nose is refusing to speak to. We don't hoard quotes so that we can read them in private. We quote managers so that readers - including a lot of Manchester United supporters - will get a manager's view on what happened, why it happened and what might happen next. It's not us, but YOU, that he's disrespecting.

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

By the way, Ferguson never turns up for post-match press conferences to speak to the written press except at Champions League games - Uefa are far stricter than the Premier League. All the quotes from him and most of the ones from players you read in reports of Premier League games come from MUTV. WEe don't even get Mike Phelan - not that we'd really want him ....

No other club behaves this way.

 

[Tooting Gull]

As one of the arseholes you mention, can I point out that it's not really those who masquerade as sports journalists that Old Purple Nose is refusing to speak to. We don't hoard quotes so that we can read them in private. We quote managers so that readers - including a lot of Manchester United supporters - will get a manager's view on what happened, why it happened and what might happen next. It's not us, but YOU, that he's disrespecting.

That is all true - however there is one aspect of this where the media, and especially the newspapers, have only themselves to blame with Fergie.

Because he is such a bully and bans people at the drop of a hat at the merest sleight or criticism, editors have often stopped short of really wading into him (as he deserves) because their man might get banned from Old Trafford. Unfortunately, in the long term, that policy has just let him get away with murder for years, and made him feel untouchable.

If they had stood up to him more years ago, this might never have happened.

 

[User removed 4]

If our manager accused a referee of being biased against us i'd want him punished,

You sound a real barrel of laughs.

 

[Tooting Gull]

By the way, Ferguson never turns up for post-match press conferences to speak to the written press except at Champions League games - Uefa are far stricter than the Premier League. All the quotes from him and most of the ones from players you read in reports of Premier League games come from MUTV. WEe don't even get Mike Phelan - not that we'd really want him ....

No other club behaves this way.

Although this has been posted on here before, a lot of people still don't realise this. You can sort of understand a manager maybe in a blinding rage after one article or one defeat not doing the press. But systematically and routinely for years just shows contempt for everyone involved - media (just doing their job, earning a lot less than he does), United fans, and wider followers of football.

 

[keaton]

You sound a real barrel of laughs.

Shit, the only reason I come on here is so I can be your friend

 

[brakespear]

Why would anyone in their right mind salute him? He's a gutless bully who can't stand being asked difficult questions, the same sort every other manager IN THE WORLD answers.

Ferguson is in charge of arguably the world's biggest football club. To not speak to the wider media is pathetic, to not speak his own MUTV station is comical and makes him look like a knob of the top order. Those interviews are already very soft.

Unfortunately he has lost the plot on this issue, thinks he is above the common herd, interviews are for the little people, and is using various perceived sleights to disguise the real reason which is that he could not stand people daring to question things like tactics and team selection. At Liverpool it was clear both were terrible, so perhaps no coincidence there was a total no-show.

this.

 

[User removed 4]

Shit, the only reason I come on here is so I can be your friend

You sound the sort of bloke who failed
the referees exam so decided to become a traffic warden instead.

 

[Wozza]

"With effect from season 2010-11 all managers are required to attend in person and participate in post-match interviews held by or for the benefit of a UK broadcaster or radio broadcaster and failure to do so without just cause shall be a breach of these rules."

 

[brunswick]

bad losers, i can see them winning nothing this season and collapsing..........he really needs to speak to mutv and the press as it is the fans and the media that pay for the whole game.

 

[Pavilionaire]

The pressure seems to be getting to Fergie and the media seems to be collectively tiring of his petulance. If he's not careful his own personal lack of cooperation with the press could impact on the team. A United implosion would be a massive media story, as most football fans hate Man United.

It's unlikely to happen this season because the other top teams are pretty mediocre, but next year I expect all of the other big teams around them to be stronger. With so many United top stars near the end - Giggs, Scholes, Ferdinand, Van Der Sar - they could quite conceivably do a Chelsea and fall outside of the Top 4. Therefore, if Fergie thinks it's bad now it could be much worse in 6 months time and this bout of petulance could come back to haunt him.

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

That would be amusing Pavilionaire.

 

[Tricky Dicky]

The pressure seems to be getting to Fergie and the media seems to be collectively tiring of his petulance. If he's not careful his own personal lack of cooperation with the press could impact on the team. A United implosion would be a massive media story, as most football fans hate Man United.

It's unlikely to happen this season because the other top teams are pretty mediocre, but next year I expect all of the other big teams around them to be stronger. With so many United top stars near the end - Giggs, Scholes, Ferdinand, Van Der Sar - they could quite conceivably do a Chelsea and fall outside of the Top 4. Therefore, if Fergie thinks it's bad now it could be much worse in 6 months time and this bout of petulance could come back to haunt him.

I would disagree with one thing - I don't think the pressure gets to Fergie in the slightest, he loves it. It's his game and he plays it the ay he wants to. I would agree they need to spend big to stay in contention next year, but so do Chelsea. City should make the top 4 this year, and will stay there for a long time. Persoanlly I would like Spurs to get in there too and see Chelsea miss out, but that's just me.

 

[keaton]

You sound the sort of bloke who failed
the referees exam so decided to become a traffic warden instead.

You sound like someone of limited intelligence if you think managers shouldn't be punished for claiming referees are biased against them

 

[User removed 4]

You sound like someone of limited intelligence if you think managers shouldn't be punished for claiming referees are biased against them

Hmmm , of course they should, but what football fan worth his salt would claim he wants his OWN manager punished for such a transgression,as i said , you sound like someone who failed the refs exam so decided to become a traffic warden instead, bullied at school were we ?

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

"With effect from season 2010-11 all managers are required to attend in person and participate in post-match interviews held by or for the benefit of a UK broadcaster or radio broadcaster and failure to do so without just cause shall be a breach of these rules."

Hmm wonder what the punishment will be? Probably a finger wagging exercise!

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

Manchester United are such a big part of the TV packages that the Premier League sells abroad that Scudamore and company are afraid to do anything that might alienate them or make them think seriously about breaking away from the PL TV deal. But MU know that they can't hold Uefa to ransom so easily because Uefa packages include Barcelona, Real Madrid, Milan etc.

 

[clapham_gull]

bad losers, i can see them winning nothing this season and collapsing..........he really needs to speak to mutv and the press as it is the fans and the media that pay for the whole game.

I suppose it needs to be pointed out the decision not to talk to the press by Man United this weekend was decided prior to the loss at Anfield.

 

[Agent_Torpor]

His stance on not talking to the bunch of aresholes that masquerade as sports journalists should be admired in my opinion.

What kind of a moronic country do we live in, when football's governing bodies can fine someone for refusing to talk to the press.

He's a football manager ffs, not a spokesman.

You stick to your guns mate, and tell them to F Off!

If he feels that strongly, he should resign and f*** right off.