Ferguson bans media

At a time when football is awash with talk of a strike, Alex Ferguson was last night preparing to take his own form of industrial action.

The Manchester United manager has made it clear he will not speak to television, radio or newspapers again. The ban will affect everyone apart from MUTV, the club's subscription channel, to which he has agreed to speak to on a weekly basis. Paddy Harverson, United's director of communications, said Ferguson "wants to devote all his time and his energy to his team".

Ferguson cancelled his weekly press briefing last Friday without explanation and did not turn up after Saturday's defeat of Leicester. Although UEFA guidelines forced him to share his thoughts before and after Tuesday's Champions League draw at Bayern Munich, he seemed intent on being unhelpful.

Stefan Effenberg, meanwhile, has lashed out at David Beckham and the Bayern fans who jeered him as he was substituted in the match with Manchester United. "Beckham was dreadful," he told Kicker magazine. "He made so many bad passes. If that had been me, the crowd would never have stopped booing. And he's supposed to be a candidate for World Footballer of the Year? Give me a break."

Ipswich have had a £3 million sterling bid accepted by Blackburn for 23-year-old striker Marcus Bent.

Leicester City's £8 million-rated Muzzy Izzet yesterday attempted to speed up a move from the club. "Leeds want Muzzy and he is interested," said a spokesman for the midfielder. "But in all honesty he wants to sign for Aston Villa."