DO AS I SAY, NOT AS I DO

From the Daily Mail:

Alex Ferguson has demonstrated his unchallenged powerbase at Old Trafford by banning his Manchester United squad from writing newspaper columns this season.

His high-profile team will not be allowed to voice their comments in exclusive columns, believing the concept causes too much aggravation. Immediately affected will be Rio Ferdinand, Gary Neville and Wayne Rooney, who all have lucrative newspaper deals in place.

There is already a requirement for players to show the club the full content of any books they write prior to publication following the fall-out from Roy Keane's explosive autobiography.

However, the newspaper ban doesn't say much for freedom of speech at Old Trafford, or the publicity value that United receive from the big-name exposure during a season when all promotional tools will be needed if they are to keep filling their expanded stadium.

But Ferguson has always been a law unto himself when it comes to media matters. He is the only Premiership manager who regularly fails to appear at post-match press conferences and over the years has banned numerous journalists, as well as TV and radio personnel, from the media briefings he does hold.