Actually, I could just see Sir Alex going for it: "Oh for ****'s sake Mike, give it here, you're ****ing this right up lad."
Lots of Barmby-esque grumblings, can you blame him though? If nothing else, Phelan would become a bit of a martyr to the cause as his hardships are already well documented, the Allams giving him the push would make them out to be even bigger ****s. They would be revealed.