Sir Alex Ferguson’s distraction ploy saw me go on TV to defend the media – now Ten Hag is following suit at Man Utd [Video]

FOR A MAN who seems to be taking a long walk to the gallows every time he attends a press conference, Erik ten Hag keeps on smiling.

It is an old trick with managers under severe pressure, trying to show the world that there is no problem.

Indeed, Sir Alex Ferguson himself would often be more chatty in press conferences in his rare times of crisis.

He would arrive with an agenda to take the focus fully away from his team’s ­performance that midweek if it had raised headlines.

Like when after one European exit in December 2005 he began a week-long debate as to whether the national press “hated” Manchester United, which the Scotsman claimed.

They never have but Fergie got the debate raging anyway — and I was interviewed by Sky on the matter, vehemently defending our industry.

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