Furious Fergie accuses media of United ‘hatred’
Despite claiming that he doesn’t read the papers - who have unanimously proclaimed his reign at Old Trafford to be nearing an end - Ferguson said the coverage of United’s early exit from the Champions League had been motivated by spite.
“They have a hatred of Manchester United,” Ferguson said yesterday.
“It’s always been there. It goes with the territory, I suppose, with us being such a high profile club. I can understand it a little, but they go over the top.”
The Scot argued that the press coverage of a perceived crisis at Old Trafford was done with the aim of undermining his squad.
“They are trying to fragment the club; the players from the supporters, and the supporters from the players. But I think our fans are aware of it. I don’t think they will fall into that trap.
“I make the point and I make it strongly, we are at our best when the fans are right behind us. That is the only thing that should matter to us. We have to stick together.”
Ferguson urged the United fans to get behind his players when they take on Wigan tonight in a Premiership match they must win to hold any hope of catching runaway leaders Chelsea.
“There is always a fantastic role for our fans to play. That has been proved so many times. You just have to look at when we beat Chelsea a few weeks ago, they were up for it. And when they are up for it, we get up for it with them.”
Ferguson went on to argue that Chelsea’s consistency was exacerbating criticism of the performances of his side.
“If you look at our present points total, it is better than four of the last six seasons. Most of the teams below Chelsea would think that they are doing quite well. That’s a problem for all of the teams, not just Manchester United.”
Meanwhile Real Madrid president Florentino Perez insists any move for ex-United captain Roy Keane will have to wait until La Liga’s winter break.
“Nobody has spoken about it yet (signing Keane) and we won’t speak about it until these next two games are over,” Perez told Real’s TV station.
“If we signed all the players the press talk about, we would have 60 players in the squad.”
But Everton and Bolton have not give up hope of signing the 34-year-old Irishman.
Keane is reported to want a six-month contract at Real, with the option of a year’s extension if the move is a success, and it was believed a deal was imminent.
It had also been suggested that Keane’s arrival at the Bernabeu would signal the departure of former Everton midfielder Thomas Gravesen.
However, Perez says no matter what happens with Keane, the Dane will be staying at the club.
“He is not going to go. We don’t have a big enough squad to allow him to leave,” he added.
And Perez also rejected suggestions the board had spoken with David Beckham about his former Manchester United team-mate.
“Nobody has talked with Beckham or about Roy Keane, nobody has spoken about it,” Perez reiterated.
“If we have any needs we will study them after 21 December.”
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