What cheek! Rivals pull a flanker on Fergie

To that end, he used his full array of contacts to ensure that news of his interest in the player reached the correct ears before Christmas, and on the afternoon of January 2 Robben was driven out of Manchester United's Carrington training HQ with his father Hans, leaving behind them a very satisfied manager.

Ferguson had spent almost two hours showing the Dutchmen around the club's state-of-the-art facilities as well as introducing them to some of the superstar players.

' I was quite realistic about the visit beforehand, because I wasn't really obsessed with United,' said Robben Jnr afterwards.

'It's clear they want me. I make the final decision together with my girlfriend, as I have to play there, but we have to live there. But the clubs have to sort things out first. I don't play a role in that.

'I went there without any real expectations. Sir Alex explained he saw me as a regular player. He expected me to play about 40 games in my first season.'

It was Ferguson at his charming best. Warm, courteous and, most important of all, patriarchal. When it comes to wooing an impressionable youngster,

Fergie loves to play the father card.

Ted Beckham still has the photographs of a younger Ferguson round his house in Essex when David was signed, aged 14. Come to United was the message, where we are all one big family.

Fast forward to June 19 last year when United's boss broke off a family holiday in France to share coffee and cake with Ronaldinho and his brother Roberto Assis in a Paris hotel - all without contacting the Brazilian's club Paris Saint-Germain first.

It was not Ferguson's first such 'offence'. PSV chairman Harry van Raaij complained bitterly about the way Jaap Stam and then Van Nistelrooy were enticed. He will take great satisfaction in turning over his old foe now.

Ferguson will be fuming but should appreciate the irony of someone else enjoying the last laugh on him for a change. Only time will tell whether the consequences of Robben's flight of fancy will be more harmful for United and their manager.