THERE are few things that antagonise Sir Alex Ferguson more than referees who revel in the spotlight, so it is not hard to imagine how the Manchester United manager may have reacted to news of Kim Milton Nielsen explaining his latest incarnation as a celebrity television dancer, while extolling the virtues of Wayne Rooney only two weeks after sending off the player.

Nielsen claimed yesterday that he has had only “positive comments” about his appearances in the Danish version of the popular BBC show Strictly Come Dancing and even compared refereeing to dancing — “the movement is similar and you have to run a lot” — but he might have received a slightly different reaction had Ferguson been a judge on the programme.

United were without Rooney for the Champions League game against Benfica at Old Trafford last night as Uefa, European football’s governing body, handed the player a two-match ban after his dismissal for sarcastically applauding and swearing in the face of Nielsen during the 0-0 draw against Villarreal.

Nielsen’s admission that he wants to be respected “on and off the pitch” is unlikely to sit kindly with the United manager, who has been sceptical of the official since he sent off David Beckham during England’s 1998 World Cup defeat by Argentina.

While Nielsen could not say whether he thought Rooney lacked respect for referees — “I can only speak about what I have seen and heard for myself in the match in Villarreal and in that case he didn’t (respect the referee)” — he still thinks Rooney is an “excellent” player. “He is very young and he has a good future ahead of him,” he said. “The (sending- off) case was closed when I signed the report.”

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