Pisshead forced to Speak to the BBC

[RobbieOR]

About time they forced the issue with this:

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/aug/06/alex-ferguson-bbc-premier-league

Sir Alex Ferguson considers ending his lengthy BBC vow of silence

 

• Premier League brings in rule that compels managers to talk

• Manchester United manager angered by 2004 documentary

 

 

Sir Alex Ferguson is considering abandoning his boycott of the BBCthus ending one of the oldest grudges of his career, amid growing pressure from the Premier League and the League Managers Association (LMA). The Premier League has written to Manchester United explaining that Ferguson will face a sliding scale of punishments if he continues to ignore Match of the Day and 5 Live. Richard Bevan, the chief executive of the LMA, has had conversations with the Old Trafford manager to try to persuade him to put his grievances to one side.

The talks have been described as delicate and finely poised, with Ferguson dismayed by the idea that he may have to speak to the institution for the first time since a Panorama documentary in 2004, entitled Father and Son, about the business activities of his son Jason, then working as a football agent.

The Premier League has brought in a new rule stipulating that all managers must speak to the broadcasting rights-holders, which include the BBC, and there have been discussions behind the scenes, with Bevan acting as an intermediary to try to talk around one of the most famously stubborn managers in the business.

Ferguson's initial reaction was that he would ignore the new rule, regardless of the consequences, until his family received an apology from the BBC, which he has accused of "breathtaking arrogance".

Since then, however, there have been more high-level talks, with BBC officials and United's chief executive, David Gill, involved. The club are sympathetic to Ferguson's grievances but, behind the scenes, there is a feeling that it is becoming a battle he cannot win – at least if he wants to avoid a series of escalating fines.

In previous years Ferguson was immune to punishment because of a loophole in the rules, which requested that managers talk to the rights-holders under a "best endeavours" clause. Tightening it was specifically designed to tackle Ferguson's habit of dodging the BBC, the United manager usually sending his assistant, Mike Phelan, to answer their questions.

Ferguson did break the boycott to present Sir Bobby Robson with a lifetime achievement award on the BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards programme in 2007, but his opinion about the institution can be gauged from an interview earlier that year.

"The BBC is the kind of company that never apologise, and they never will apologise," he said. "They did a story about my son that was a whole lot of nonsense. It was all made-up stuff, brown paper bags and that kind of carry-on. It was a horrible attack on my son's honour and he should never have been accused of that.

"But it is such a huge organisation that they will never apologise. They don't even care if you sue them or whatever, because they are so huge and have insurance. They carry on regardless and it's breathtaking."

The BBC has tried to initiate talks with Ferguson but with no success. Acutely aware of the delicacy of the situation, it does not expect to receive confirmation about his plans until United's first weekend match of the new league season, against Fulham on 22 August.

However, the Premier League has withdrawn its plans to introduce another rule that could have forced Ferguson to attend post-match press conferences.

For the past seven years Ferguson has been the only manager in the league not to talk to newspaper reporters after league games, giving interviews only to Sky and Manchester United's in-house television station, MUTV. The plan was to make it mandatory for a manager or senior member of the coaching staff to hold a press conference, but that will probably not be introduced until the 2011-12 season.

 

[.PsEatMyShorts.]

I bet his nose was bright red

[Red Mist]

Not that I want to defend Demento but why should he or any other manager be compelled to speak to the BBC? If he doesn't want to speak to the Beeb then he should have that prerogative, and so should any other manager.

[paddyberger15]

"The talks have been described as delicate and finely poised"

 

What?

 

Either he is contractually obligated to talk to the BBC in which case tell the old cunt to do it or he faces a touchline ban and/or a heavy fine, or he isn't, in which case who gives a fuck. In fact, who gives a fuck anyway. This drunken old fuck has fallen out with just about everyone he has ever met, he doesn't even need a reason now.

 

Tell him what his obligations are and explain to him what happens if he doesn't fulfil them, or stop giving the cunt a platform to play the victim. Simple.

[Manny]

He's a dozy old cunt anyway. The programme was made by Panorama, which is part of a totally different wing of the BBC to the Sport.

 

Since there's already a thread about him, Fat Sham pulled a similar trick in Newcastle. He was implicated in the "bungs" documentary and did a blanket ban of the BBC for a time - wouldn't even speak to local radio. Like giver, like taker I suppose.

[RobbieOR]

I will have some session when that cunt retires.

[RobbieOR]

He's a dozy old cunt anyway. The programme was made by Panorama, which is part of a totally different wing of the BBC to the Sport.

 

Since there's already a thread about him, Fat Sham pulled a similar trick in Newcastle. He was implicated in the "bungs" documentary and did a blanket ban of the BBC for a time - wouldn't even speak to local radio. Like giver, like taker I suppose.

 

Del Boy did it when he was at Portsmouth. Then started talking to them again when he joined Spurs.

[Guest davelfc]

I will have some session when that cunt drops dead.

 

Fixed that for me.

[Lucky Pierre]

Not that I want to defend Demento but why should he or any other manager be compelled to speak to the BBC?

 

Because it's in the sponsorship agreement between the BBC/PL/club. If it was Holloway doing it they'd be docked points.

[Tepid water]

Not that I want to defend Demento but why should he or any other manager be compelled to speak to the BBC? If he doesn't want to speak to the Beeb then he should have that prerogative, and so should any other manager.

 

Because they pay millions of pounds for coverage each year.

 

Because he is paid millions of pounds to represent his club each year.

 

Because is an intestine faced old drunk?

[paddyberger15]

Because they pay millions of pounds for coverage each year.

 

Because he is paid millions of pounds to represent his club each year.

 

Because is an intestine faced old drunk?

 

Ooh ooh, I think I know this one. Is the correct answer 'all three'?

[Tepid water]

Ooh ooh, I think I know this one. Is the correct answer 'all three'?

 

Correct..... And you win the star prize of 14 over cooked sprouts

[clangers]

He's expected to talk to the BBC as manager of his club, he's representing Man U, he's not being expected to talk to them in a personal capacity. It's part of the responsibility of his job, his personal view of the BBC is irrelevent.

 

Just goes to show the bias whiskey nose gets, 'old arry has come in for quite a few rumours about his business arrangements and still gives the BBC interviews. Any other manager would have had the book thrown at them by now.

[goatboy59]

His son's shady deals were reported in every major newspaper in the country.

 

He's just being a twat, as usual.

[KopOut]

Not that I want to defend Demento but why should he or any other manager be compelled to speak to the BBC? If he doesn't want to speak to the Beeb then he should have that prerogative, and so should any other manager.

 

I think they feel that you've got to be seen to be 'playing ball'. To a degree, the BBC pays his wages, thru TV rights

We must always bow down to our money masters.

 

He might be rich and he might be the fourth or fifth most successful manager in the history of English football (might be) but he doesn't rule the world.

[Dan Vito Corleone]

Churlish old drunk.

[ChunkyMonkey]

I couldn't give two tenths of a toss whether he talks to the BBC. At least Phelan talks about the game rather than recounting what the officials and opposition did wrong in his drunken, rambling imaginings.

 

The less the old shambles appears on my telly the happier I am.

[Dan Vito Corleone]

I couldn't give two tenths of a toss whether he talks to the BBC. At least Phelan talks about the game rather than recounting what the officials and opposition did wrong in his drunken, rambling imaginings.

 

The less the old shambles appears on my telly the happier I am.

 

That sounds a lot like Mike Phelan to me.

[Major Tom]

Another reason not to watch the BBC* then.

 

 

 

*I like the BBC.

[DT]

Not that I want to defend Demento but why should he or any other manager be compelled to speak to the BBC? If he doesn't want to speak to the Beeb then he should have that prerogative, and so should any other manager.

 

Because his employer, Manchester United, have - along with the 19 other clubs in the Premier League - made an agreement with the television rights holders.

 

Manchester United are happy to take millions and millions from that agreement so isn't it only fair that they actually meet their end of the deal?

 

After all, the clubs have negotiated the terms and know full well that one of them is that the manager is available for an interview afterwards.

 

People are forgetting that television is the biggest sponsor the 20 PL clubs have. I've no idea how much Standard Chartered are paying us this season, but I bet it's a small fraction of the income we'll receive from television companies.

 

BBC are only making sure the license fee paying public get what they've paid for. And hallelujah for that.

[Anubis]

To be honest, I prefer not having to listen to the red-nosed old fart.

[Soup]

[navbasi]

FERGUSON SNUB BREAKS PL RULES

 

The Premier League and Sir Alex Ferguson appear on a collision course after the Manchester United manager maintained his stance of not giving interviews to the BBC.

 

After United played Fulham on Sunday, Ferguson was expected to end his boycott of speaking to the corporation, which dates back to 2004, amid pressure from the Premier League and League Managers' Association.

 

But the United manager has opted to continue his current position with assistant Mike Phelan available to provide analysis and comment should the BBC request it.

 

The Premier League reacted with disappointment to the news.

 

A statement from the governing body read: "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.

 

"However, this is a breach of Premier League rules and the board will consider the appropriate course of action at their next meeting scheduled for late September."

 

Football365 | All The News | Football News | FERGUSON SNUB BREAKS PL RULES

[Trumo]

Collision course? Doubt it, as Shitty Arse will just swerve off down the hard shoulder.

[Trucker Paddy]

Bet he would have spoke if they won