Alex Ferguson's complaints about fairness are totally unfair
United manager's scheduling complaints ahead of Champions League match in Madrid just another strategic ploy
Not for the last time that mercurial mischief-maker and masterfully meticulous Alex Ferguson has cried wolf, claiming "there's no fairness at all".
This came just prior to Manchester United facing two crucial back-to-back matches, one at home against an in-form Everton side and the other away against a dazzling array of Real Madrid stars.
So what does "fairness" mean in the ceremonial context of Fifa's Fair Play" and Uefa's Financial Fair Play, let alone the everyday sense of playing fair? Ferguson has claimed the English Premier League gave Real Madrid an advantage ahead of their Champion's League first-leg encounter at the Bernabeu.
"It's ridiculous to think that we play on Sunday and Real Madrid play on Saturday with that extra day's rest. We're not giving our teams a chance to be successful in Europe. Leagues in other countries make sacrifices for their teams," he said.
Followers of soccer know three days between matches is standard, which is what Manchester United had. Even during the EPL's congested festive period, teams had three days between matches.
Anything less is "odd", as Australia coach Holger Osieck remarked in December when he discovered his squad had only two days between matches - his team played four games in seven days - during the East Asian Football Federation qualifying tournament in Hong Kong.