Nice Fergie bashing article from an unlikely source...

[13021J]

Man City really got under Fergie's skin this week - and I have the banning order to prove it

Manchester City have really got under Sir Alex Ferguson’s skin considering they are a “small club with a small mentality.”

You would have thought that the Manchester United manager would have more to worry about than neighbours who haven’t won anything for 34 years.

Like the obvious decline of his squad. Or the debts that are slowly squeezing the life out of his club in the long term and currently limiting his own options in the transfer market.

To Ferguson’s credit he has still managed to slap City back into line twice this season.If Michael Owen’s injury-time goal back in September wasn’t bad enough for City fans, the sight of Wayne Rooney doing the same thing on Wednesday night in the Carling Cup semi-final was the kind of thing that nightmares are made of.

But over the last couple of weeks it has become clear that Fergie has developed something of an obsession with the little club from Eastlands.

In fact, at times it has seemed like he’s losing the plot completely.

Last Friday, I was one of a group of Sunday newspaper journalists banned by United from attending future press conferences for daring to use some quotes from the United manager in which he had criticised Carlos Tevez.

According to Ferguson, Tevez should have been sent off for a tackle on Wes Brown in the first leg of the semi-final clash with City.

Later he told a member of his staff to instruct us not to use the quotes.

It wasn’t because he thought his words would inflame an already volatile situation but that he was worried he would be giving the Argentine striker another stick to beat him with.

The Sunday Mirror – along with four other newspapers – ran the quotes because we felt we were right to do so.

If our motive had been to land Ferguson in trouble with the FA as they attempted to take the sting out of the return tie, we would have also reported some less than complimentary remarks he made about referee Mike Dean, which we were happy to ignore when he made it clear at the time they were off the record.

Now banning orders aren’t such a rarity at Old Trafford. But five in one day is, I believe, a record.

Sky Sports News were next to get the red card on the eve of the second leg, apparently because they had the temerity to show Gary Neville giving Tevez the finger.

Maybe Sky should now ask United to send back their share of the £1.78billion they pay the Premier League – if the Glazers haven’t already spent it.

Yet perhaps the clearest indication that City are really starting to play on Ferguson’s mind was his team selection for the Carling Cup games.

Playing the kids was never going to be an option given how City have approached the competition.

They would have been hammered over two legs and would have perhaps never recovered.

But Ferguson’s desperation to have Rio Ferdinand in his team spoke volumes given that he knew the England defender had been caught bang to rights elbowing Hull’s Craig Fagan last weekend and would have a suspension extended if United launched an appeal.

The fact that he was willing to sacrifice Ferdinand for Sunday’s trip to Arsenal and three other Premier League games was the biggest complement he could have paid City.

It was the epitome of a small mentality, to be honest.


From the Mirror(!) Journo's not happy at being banned!

[MaineRoadMemories]

The fact that he was willing to sacrifice Ferdinand for Sunday’s trip to Arsenal and three other Premier League games was the biggest complement he could have paid City.

It was the epitome of a small mentality, to be honest.

If they go on to lose a couple of prem games in the next few weeks due to players been too tired then I will be delighted that we have played a large part in that, especially if they lose the league by just a couple of points :-)

[sandman]

Maybe Sky should now ask U***d to send back their share of the £1.78billion they pay the Premier League – if the Glazers haven’t already spent it.

That would be sweet, if Sky retaliated by refusing to air anything about Utd including coverage of their matches then Utd would die for sure without the cash.

[Manx Blue]

Who are the other reporters which have been banned?

[Mark (Blue Army)]

The fact that he was willing to sacrifice Ferdinand for Sunday’s trip to Arsenal and three other Premier League games was the biggest complement he could have paid City.

It was the epitome of a small mentality, to be honest.

If they go on to lose a couple of prem games in the next few weeks due to players been too tired then I will be delighted that we have played a large part in that, especially if they lose the league by just a couple of points :-)

Was just about to say that, i hope this whole thing with Ferdinand blows up in his face big time, it might of helped them against us but a couple of draws and a few losses while he's gone and they could be out of the tittle race.

[lets all have a disco]

Seems a full day of it.

Will Bacon have anyone there at his pressers?

MANCHESTER UNITED FANS HAD EVERY RIGHT TO CELEBRATE
ABOVE: Manchester United fans had every right to celebrate their win against City on Wednesday
29th January 2010
By Danny Fullbrook

Your Shout ( 0 )

POLICE urged Manchester United and City players and officials to keep it calm on Wednesday.

So did the FA and City boss Roberto Mancini.


Shame nobody told the PA announcer at Old Trafford. United fans had every right to celebrate wildly at the final whistle of their Carling Cup semi-final victory.


The 9,000 City fans in the stadium had to take it on the chin. But they didn’t need goading about how marvellous it was that the holders were back at Wembley.


Then came three United anthems in a row, which would have severely angered the brooding City fans.


They were being taunted while they were kept in after the game by the police, and then released en masse into the night.


There was trouble afterwards but things could have been a lot worse.

[ronk]

Nice window into the media manipulation going on.

Doesn't change anything though. Somehow (sic), it has slipped through the net that Rio Ferdinand elbowed Tevez.

[blootoof]

Who are the other reporters which have been banned?

Ian McGarry and Neil Custis from the Sun. They are in for some shite reportin. LOL.

[Manx Blue]

Who are the other reporters which have been banned?

Ian McGarry and Neil Custis from the Sun. They are in for some shite reportin. LOL.

Custis was done a while ago though?

[mcfc1632]

You see lads this is how it starts......

The dynasty is crumbling..... the arrogance that in the past could just shut journos up because they are desperate to fawn starts to crack and then baconface who cannot stand being challenged starts to crack

It is going tits lads - and we should enjoy the spectacle - should be fun for years to come - next year I think that they will be 4th at best - year after outside top 4 - tick tock

Journos are shallow lying fuckers - but they have an audience - they can slant things for you to the point of lying - or they can go out of the way to slant against you (as we know) - funny things the scum and baconface are in denial - they just cannot accept that they are on the slide and it is a bit like the 'emperor's clothes'

[blootoof]

Who are the other reporters which have been banned?

Ian McGarry and Neil Custis from the Sun. They are in for some shite reportin. LOL.

Custis was done a while ago though?

He was. He did turn up at one of fergies press conferences later though and when fergie pointed him out he said he was his brother.

[Ted Hughes]

Ian McGarry & Custis may have been banned from sitting with the press but they'll have been at the conference seeing as both have their heads stuck so far up up Ferguson's arse that they can actually see Brian Woolnough & Steve Curry.

[Fish111]

I'm actually gobsmacked that whiskey-nosed cunt has the power to tell journos what quotes they can and can't use in their reports ffs. You bet your life if Mancini, Wenger, Rafa or any other manager said similar things they'd be straight on the back pages the next morning. This twat needs to die and soon, he has far too much influence over officials, the FA and now journalists.

[Im_Spartacus]

I'm actually gobsmacked that whiskey-nosed cunt has the power to tell journos what quotes they can and can't use in their reports ffs. You bet your life if Mancini, Wenger, Rafa or any other manager said similar things they'd be straight on the back pages the next morning. This twat needs to die and soon, he has far too much influence over officials, the FA and now journalists.

But the power of the evil empire is surely crumbling when reporters actually go out of their way to ridicule him for doing it.

All these little chinks mate, are gonna contribute to the whole fucking deck falling in one of these days. All it needs is a serious heart attack or a stroke from the pressure he is under

[eastlandsblue]

playing Ferdinand was a clear indication that he as given up on the title, also banning all and sundry from press conferences, was another indication that the stress of our mere presence, is getting to him. Taggert is close to snapping and having an heart attack, which personally would'nt make me happy.

I'd rather he stayed and backed the glazers to the hilt, by doing so, this would have an adverse effect on the whole club, and could be the final nail in their coffin. ( hopefully )

[AlpsMaster]

playing Ferdinand was a clear indication that he as given up on the title, also banning all and sundry from press conferences, was another indication that the stress of our mere presence, is getting to him. Taggert is close to snapping and having an heart attack, which personally would'nt make me happy.

I'd rather he stayed and backed the glazers to the hilt, by doing so, this would have an adverse effect on the whole club, and could be the final nail in their coffin. ( hopefully )

I agree with this. I want him there and still in charge when our blue moon is in ascendancy.

[Beefymcfc]

Weakness - that's when the vultures start circling!

[john68]

Considering that we have just been knocked out of the Carling Cup in our 1st semi for a million years by the rags, I should still be on suicide watch. Yet I find myself suprisingly, chuckling away whenever I think of them.
The whole thing at the swamp seems to be disintigrating at an amazingly good comedic rate.

You really couldn't make it up.
The richest club in the World has now evolved into the one with the biggest debt....You gotta have a smile at that one.
Their all triumphant team is allowed to age so much that when they line up in the tunnel, it could be mistaken for a post office queue on pension day...probably stinks of piss too.
Their loyal fans are in open revolt and refusing to wear the club colours...Even when we were suffering at our lowest, we never gave up the blue.
Their all conquering manager who not long ago instilled fear into the media, has become a laughing stock.
While they were fast asleep, their nearest "noisy neighbours" crept up and shouted BOO!!!...and scared them so much that they risked Plug and put their title challenge in jeopardy.

They have become so pathetically funny that it is almost becoming difficult to hate them...But I will try.

[Somerset Blue]

They have become so pathetically funny that it is almost becoming difficult to hate them...But I will try.

Perseverence.

[bobadji]

It was the epitome of a small mentality, to be honest.

Brilliant!