MANCHESTER UNITED MANAGER Alex Ferguson is adamant that he will not be drawn into discussions about Ryan Giggs ahead of Saturday’s Champions League Final, going so far as to request that a reporter be banned from future press conferences for asking about the midfielder’s importance to the team.
In the House of Commons yesterday, Liberal Democrat MP John Hemmings used his parliamentary privilege to identify the Manchester United star as the footballer at the centre of the recent super-injunction controversy. Giggs is believed to have obtained the High Court gagging order to prevent media discussion and speculation about an alleged affair with Big Brother star Imogen Thomas.
At a press conference earlier today, Ferguson delivered a curt response when asked by Associated Press reporter Rob Harris about the Welsh midfielder’s importance to the side.
“All the players are important, every one of them,” the manager answered before continuing to take questions.
A few minutes later, however, a Sky News microphone picked up on a conversation between Ferguson and the club’s press officer, Karen Shotbolt, in which he indicated that the journalist should be banned from Friday’s pre-match media briefing.
“Is he [Harris] coming on Friday?” Ferguson asked, before adding “then we’ll get him. Ban him on Friday.”
However, as Friday’s pre-match activities fall under the auspices of UEFA, it appears unlikely that Ferguson will be able to prevent Harris from attending.
In an attempt to avoid scrutiny following yesterday’s revelations, Giggs did not train during the open session which was attended by members of the media earlier this morning.
He is not thought to be carrying any injury problems ahead of Saturday’s game against Barcelona, though it is not yet known if he will figure in Ferguson’s starting 11.
