Tight lipped: Sir Alex Ferguson still refuses to
talk with the BBC
Manchester
United are ready to pay whatever fines
are incurred by manager Sir Alex Ferguson in his row with the
BBC.
The Premier League board will meet next month to draw up the
list of sanctions they plan to impose on United as a result of
Ferguson's refusal to give post-match interviews to the
broadcaster.
United are likely to be hit with a series of fines, with the
club potentially liable for a £25,000 penalty every time he
declines a post-match interview with the BBC.
That could, in theory, see the fines total £950,000 over the
season, but the Premier League are not expected to impose such a
massive punishment.
The League have confirmed that Ferguson will face disciplinary
action under new rules introduced this season, which compel clubs
to ensure their employees provide interviews for Premier League
broadcasters.
'The new rules were introduced to ensure that the manager and
players co-operate with our broadcast partners, so anyone who
doesn't is in breach of the rules and subject to the disciplinary
procedure,' said a Premier League spokesman.
Ferguson has refused to comply with the new regulations since
the season began and will breach them again today as United take on
Liverpool in the most important match of the Premier League season
so far.
He has not spoken to the BBC since they broadcast a documentary
in 2004 concerning his son Jason and his links to United.
Ferguson insists that the BBC should apologise for the
documentary if they want him to end his boycott and he is adamant
that he will not change his stance.
The issue has come to a head because of the new rules but, even
though United signed up to the new TV contract, a club spokesman
said: 'We support Sir Alex Ferguson's position on this.'
Chief executive David Gill agreed to the rules, along with the
other 19 clubs, although sources at United point out that the issue
of managers talking to broadcast outlets was not voted on at the
time.
United, though, do accept that, having the signed the contract
which included the new rules, the club are in breach of the
regulations.
With the Premier League board of chief executive Richard
Scudamore, chairman Sir Dave Richards and secretary Mike Foster
meeting next month to discuss how to deal with Ferguson's continued
defiance, United will be preparing simply to write off the fines
and pay them for Ferguson to ensure their manager's position is not
compromised.
Ferguson is likely to be fined a maximum of a few thousand
pounds each time he fails to talk to the BBC.
If there were no punishment, the Premier League would lose all
credibility.
Ferguson labelled the BBC 'arrogant beyond belief' and claimed
the organisation had shown an 'inability to apologise' after the
documentary highlighted the close links his son allegedly enjoyed
with the club while acting as a football agent, a career he has
subsequently quit.
Although BSkyB, which pays the vast majority of the money for
the £1.95billion Premier League television contract, is unaffected
by Ferguson's ban, the BBC remain important partners for the
Premier League, paying £170m for the Match of the Day highlights
package.
While Ferguson is required to speak to BBC outlets, including
Radio Five Live, at all Premier League matches, his most
high-profile snubs are at weekend fixtures, such as today's against
Liverpool,
when he is again expected to refuse to co-operate with Match of the
Day.