Alex Ferguson and the silent treatment
It’s fair to say Alex Ferguson couldn’t tell you the latest goings on in Eastenders or who won Strictly Come Dancing, as the Manchester United man has so much distain for the BBC he probably had the “1” and “2” buttons removed from his TV remote.
It’s now been six years since the fiery Scot last spoke to the corporation, yet while viewers of Match of the Day have enjoyed the likes of Carlos Queiroz stumbling over his English and trying to work out who Mike Phelan is, the man with the watch may be making a surprise return as a result of new Premier League guidelines.
Ferguson’s sulking began after the BBC screened a documentary about his son Jason, painting the football agent in a less than favourable light. Enraged that anyone dare question the good Ferguson name the Scottish manager-supreme called upon his 60-odd years of maturity and told the broadcasters, “I’m not talking to you”.
However new rules being imposed by the Premier League are set to put everyone in a very awkward position. In a bid to create more interaction between Premier League millionaires and the Joe Blogs fans regulations have been introduced that state that Premier League managers have to provide post-match interviews to the media. If they refuse, their club will be fined. If they refuse again, the fine will increase with every non-appearance.
It’s great news for fans because no-one in football gets sick of Arsène Wenger telling us that he “did not see the incident” and Harry Redknapp reminding us all that Spurs were “in the bottom two” when he took over and are “now in the Champions League” because of his “tri’fik work on the training ground”.
However Ferguson remains an enigma and in a statement the Premier League said :"The Premier League is disappointed that the BBC and Manchester United have, as yet, been unable to resolve the issue of Sir Alex Ferguson providing post-match interviews. We will, of course, continue to monitor the situation and offer any help deemed necessary by either party to try and help remedy the situation.”
By all intents and purposes it is a very prickly situation. Ferguson has never been one to suffer fools gladly. This is a man who whilst manager of St Mirren stopped talking to his secretary for six weeks, confiscated her keys and communicated to her via a 17-year-old office junior, because she wouldn’t give players expenses tax free. While at Aberdeen Ferguson fined star striker John Hewitt for overtaking him on a public road and of course he once famously caused Kevin Keegan's brain to melt live on Sky Sports.
It’s fair to say then that realistically Ferguson will not care one jot about being fined for keeping shtum. It wouldn’t be that surprising to see him pay a full year’s salary just on the fine such is the man’s determination to follow through on things he believes in.
It’s got to the point with Ferguson now where he has almost transcended the sport. A man who has accomplished what the Scotsman has deserves respect, but we have reached the stage now where if he suggested a square ball the FA would knock one up in about five minutes. Ferguson writes his own rule book, he can seemingly extend a match until his team scores and win penalties with an icy stare at an official such is his power.
The only way Ferguson will ever speak to the BBC again, is if he feels like it, not because someone told him too. Perhaps Ferguson may be thinking that it has gone on too long. With six years of talking to the like of Sky Sports, ITV and everyone else he must have noticed the poor little BBC journo away from the pack in the corner, shuffling his feet and wiping a single tear drop from his eye as the Sky Sports reporter runs out of back slapping superlatives for their good pal “Sir Alex”.
Even Fergie must have some level of compassion and will surely one day stop ignoring the poor little blighter.
Actually maybe not.
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