OTHER SPORT

YOU'RE OUT OF CONTROL

Sir Alex is on the attack

Saturday April 28,2007

By Richard Tanner

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SIR ALEX FERGUSON has accused Jose Mourinho of being out of control and urged the football authorities to bring him into line.

The title war of nerves got personal last night as the Manchester United manager launched a scathing attack
on his outspoken Chelsea counterpart.

Ferguson snapped after reading that Mourinho said Cristiano Ronaldo would be “a liar” if he didn’t accept his claim that United received favourable treatment over penalties.

He said: “Jose seems to be on some sort of personal crusade about regulations, honesty and suspicions in the game.

“Everyone has an opinion. Ronaldo has an opinion, Carlos Queiroz has an opinion, but that doesn’t mean to say they are liars. He was on about us changing the regulations but I’d like to know who’s changing the regulations.

Jose seems to be on some sort of personal crusade

Sir Alex Ferguson

“Is it us? Or the FA? Or the Premier League? Or is it the Porto president? We’ve had four penalties awarded against us at home this season, Chelsea have had none.

“The FA and the Premier League have let him off lightly with that because what he is saying is that our game is suspicious and that is wrong.

“He has accused Barcelona in the past, he has accused the Swedish referee [Anders Frisk], he put the German referee [Marcus Merk] under pressure the other night and insulted Liverpool, a club with a great history. He suggested their players were going to hunt down Drogba.

“Apparently, he hid in a laundry bin to do a team talk and then he has thumbed his nose at UEFA by talking about it.
Is that breaking the regulations?

He has gone on and on and on. It’s a rant all the time now. I’m surprised they have not taken action. That’s
disappointing.”

Ferguson dismissed suggestions Mourinho is feeling the strain after Chelsea blew the chance to narrow the gap to one point when they drew at Newcastle last Sunday, 24 hours after United had been held by Middlesbrough.

He added: “I don’t think he is under strain. He’s a clever man, there are four games left and it is all calculated.”

While Chelsea are at home to Bolton, United go to Goodison Park today with Ferguson appealing to Everton boss David Moyes to drop his libel action against Wayne Rooney for comments made in his autobiography.

He said: “It’s not nice to read about. David will be getting proper legal advice, I’m sure, but I wish it would be dropped. It doesn’t do anyone any good. I hope Wayne isn’t distracted by it.”