SOCCER:ALEX Ferguson ordered his press assistant to ban a soccer journalist who asked a question about Ryan Giggs during a Champions League final press conference yesterday. Rob Harris, a reporter for Associated Press, asked Ferguson about Giggss importance for United – a question which seems to have led Ferguson ordering him to be banned from Fridays pre-match conference.

“The most experienced Champions League player in the team is obviously Ryan Giggs,” Harris asked. “How important is he for the team on Saturday?”

“All the players are important, every one of them,” Ferguson said tersely in reply.

Giggs has been the subject of intense media scrutiny in the wake of British MP John Hemmings naming him as the subject of a super-injunction in the House of Commons, and Ferguson was clearly unhappy even with the innocuous mention of the Welshman’s name.

Shortly after the question, Ferguson was overheard on a microphone discussing the incident with his press officer, Karen Shotbolt. Ferguson began by asking her about “The guy that asked the question about Giggsy . . . at the press conference”.

“Which one?” Shotbolt replied.

Ferguson responded: “Him that asked the question . . . who?”

Shotbolt discretely added: “Oh yeah, I’ll tell you later.”

Shortly afterwards, Ferguson then picked up the conversation: “Is he coming on Friday?”

Shotbolt asked: “The guy with the laptop?”

Ferguson replied: “Aye. Then we’ll get him. Ban him on Friday.”