Another non punishment for Ferguson

[BaZ87]

saying a ref made mistakes is one thing, questioning their integrity is an entirely different level

Exactly. Short of proving that Atkinson was bent, Fergie had no defense for his comments and a ban was inevitable.

Given the way in which the FA generally refuse to back down, even when there is a legitimate defense, it was nothing short of stupidity from Fergie to contest his charge.

 

[BaZ87]

All depends really, IIRC the comments he's supposed to have made where that he wanted a fair/strong ref now if all he meant to say was he wanted a strong ref then thats not questioning anyone's integrity so maybe from that perspective they were misunderstood

If all he meant was that he wanted a strong ref then it would have been a good idea to have just said that.

You want a fair referee, or a strong referee anyway - and we didn't get that.
I must say, when I saw who the referee was I feared it. I feared the worst.

He's said the ref wasn't fair and that he was expecting it. How can that be misunderstood?

His only defense was that his comments were made in the heat of the moment and he didn't mean it. In which case he should have apologised, accepted his charge and most likely ended up with a lesser punishment.

 

[Tom84]

He's said the ref wasn't fair and that he was expecting it. How can that be misunderstood?

Well you've just posted the quote, quickly after saying he wanted a fair ref he seemed to back track. Saying he feared for the worst before the game just implies he didn't think the ref was the right choice before the game and he was proved correct.

Like you said all of this was said at the heat of the moment, I highly doubt Fergie was really insinuating that the ref was bent.

In this case the FA should really look at the bigger picture; why was Atkinson given this game for the second season in a row after his poor refereeing cost us the game last season? The day after the game Harry Redknapp was on Sky saying Fergie was entitled to say what he did, today Ancelotti has come out saying that SAF has been dealt with harshly. Why has he been given a 3 match ban for this offence when he was spot on about how bad the ref was but only given a 2 match suspended ban last season for calling the ref un-fit?

 

[BaZ87]

Well you've just posted the quote, quickly after saying he wanted a fair ref he seemed to back track. Saying he feared for the worst before the game just implies he didn't think the ref was the right choice before the game and he was proved correct.

You're clutching at straws Tom. He quite clearly questions Atkinson's integrity which is fine providing he could back it up. If what is being reported, about what his defense was, is true then he didn't even bother trying to back up his claims.

Like you said all of this was said at the heat of the moment, I highly doubt Fergie was really insinuating that the ref was bent.

In which case, apologise for what you said and accept the charge. In his programme notes for the Arsenal game he said he stood by what he said and he was simply telling the truth, so his comments couldn't be taken as simply being said in the heat of the moment.

In this case the FA should really look at the bigger picture; why was Atkinson given this game for the second season in a row after his poor refereeing cost us the game last season? The day after the game Harry Redknapp was on Sky saying Fergie was entitled to say what he did, today Ancelotti has come out saying that SAF has been dealt with harshly. Why has he been given a 3 match ban for this offence when he was spot on about how bad the ref was but only given a 2 match suspended ban last season for calling the ref un-fit?

Harry tries to be everyones best friend. Has he ever criticised a fellow manager or player? He was even putting a friendly arm around Gattuso after all the **** with Joe Jordan. Also managers generally stick up for one and other.

Why Atkinson got the game is another debate. I wonder why Webb gets major games at OT too

As for why he got a 3 game ban for this offense and his ban for calling Wiley fat; he actually got a 4 game ban for calling Wiley unfit, with 2 of those being suspended. A straight 3 games and a 2+2 suspended ban are pretty similar in terms of their severity.

Had he not had this 2 game suspended ban hanging over his head, I don't think this ban would have raised as many eyebrows. The fact that he's got the extra 2 games added to this ban makes it seem harsher than it is.

 

[smiley1987]

I have to say as a Liverpool fan the ban is ridiculous because it achieves nothing . What the FA need to sort out is all the diving and cheating , for the time it took to punish fergie a player or 2 could have been hauled in front of the FA for cheating and diving .

 

[reefoid]

In this case the FA should really look at the bigger picture; why was Atkinson given this game for the second season in a row after his poor refereeing cost us the game last season? The day after the game Harry Redknapp was on Sky saying Fergie was entitled to say what he did, today Ancelotti has come out saying that SAF has been dealt with harshly. Why has he been given a 3 match ban for this offence when he was spot on about how bad the ref was but only given a 2 match suspended ban last season for calling the ref un-fit?

No offence, but I don't think you can give any weight to the opinions of other managers on this. They're hardly going to say he deserves everything he gets when it could be them in front of the FA next time.

 

[Rameses]

GO FERGIE!

Like it'll bother him or United.

All managers have pops, him more than most but give over FA. Boohoo. yadda. yadda.

Alan Pardew, Ian Holloway have made recent comments during pre press conferences / after game analysis about refs too!

Basically any manager, regardless of club, will stick up for their team when they and the rest of the paying public see injustice on the field due to lack of ref competence!

Last few years and certainly this year I've seen some quite blunderous (is that a word lol?) mistakes by refs, be that the 'rule book' is becoming too political or refs being left to 'read between the lines' when interpreting decisions based on whats in the bible book....I don't know but we've certainly seen a shift in the quality, I don't think anyone will dispute that!

 

[Castiel]

Exactly. Short of proving that Atkinson was bent, Fergie had no defense for his comments and a ban was inevitable.

Given the way in which the FA generally refuse to back down, even when there is a legitimate defense, it was nothing short of stupidity from Fergie to contest his charge.

Given that Ferguson's comments prior to the game were actually borne out by Atkinson's performance during the game I would say that he had the perfect defence.

That of Atkinson's record.

 

[Alpherah]

Im sure its been said already, but considering its only really a 3 match ban its not any 'omg how unfair are the FA on united' kind of punishment, its a completely normal 'repeat offence' punishment for this.
The additional 2 are because Fergie cant keep his tongue in his mouth.

I do agree about the sillyness of interviewing managers after the game though, whats the point?

 

[cheets64]

saying a ref made mistakes is one thing, questioning their integrity is an entirely different level

Aye,

"the ref got that red card wrong today"

"I knew we where going to lose because of the ref"

Too very different statements. He does it all the time, mind games with refs other managers, hes not daft, hes been in the game for 27 years in this country, he thinks he is untouchable.

 

[reefoid]

Given that Ferguson's comments prior to the game were actually borne out by Atkinson's performance during the game I would say that he had the perfect defence.

That of Atkinson's record.

I wasn't aware Fergie had made any comments prior to the game? Care to enlighten us?

 

[mmj_uk]

He does it all the time, mind games with refs other managers, hes not daft, hes been in the game for 27 years in this country, he thinks he is untouchable.

Exactly, I bet half the leagues' referees are already intimidated by Ferguson.

Even though I think referees shouldn't be immune from criticism to keep them on their toes, if it were allowed some managers would just abuse it.

 

[Tom84]

You're clutching at straws Tom. He quite clearly questions Atkinson's integrity which is fine providing he could back it up. If what is being reported, about what his defense was, is true then he didn't even bother trying to back up his claims.

So you think that Fergie was telling the world that he thinks a premier league ref is bent?

In which case, apologise for what you said and accept the charge. In his programme notes for the Arsenal game he said he stood by what he said and he was simply telling the truth, so his comments couldn't be taken as simply being said in the heat of the moment.

Why wouldn't he stand by his comments? If he feels the fair ref comments were understood but totally stands by his point that Atkinson is not a strong ref why should he back down? The FA aren't going to lesser his punishment because he says sorry.

Regarding Webb he gets the big games because like it or not he's viewed as the countries best official. For the same ref who's decisions cost Utd the same game last season to be in charge of the same fixture again and to cost us the game again is something the FA should be looking at not what an angry manager said in the heat of the moment.

 

[jakeke]

Should have been 50 games!!

But seriously, in his old age he seems to have a reckless abandonment to the rules, whether he/you agree with the rule, you can't say what he did, and he's doing it over and over again (only when he loses of course, when Rooney elbows someone it's 'nothing'). The punishment is nothing anyway, he watches from the stands and everything else is normal, who cares tbh? I'm sure he won't be that concerned. The more annoying thing is that he chooses who to talk to and who not to and which contracts to completely ignore and which to respect.

 

[G|mp]

Should have been 50 games!!

But seriously, in his old age he seems to have a reckless abandonment to the rules, whether he/you agree with the rule, you can't say what he did, and he's doing it over and over again (only when he loses of course, when Rooney elbows someone it's 'nothing'). The punishment is nothing anyway, he watches from the stands and everything else is normal, who cares tbh? I'm sure he won't be that concerned. The more annoying thing is that he chooses who to talk to and who not to and which contracts to completely ignore and which to respect.

Hohohohoho

How many times has Wenger done it? Didn't he get fined and charged as recently as the CC Final?

When ANY Arsenal player is involved in anything slightly nasty he doesn't see it, so there is another example of a 'reckless abandonment' of the rules, he also gets away with it every week as well.

He also only moans when he loses, I guess that's what winners do, although I doubt Wenger remembers those days.

 

[jakeke]

Hohohohoho

How many times has Wenger done it? Didn't he get fined and charged as recently as the CC Final?

When ANY Arsenal player is involved in anything slightly nasty he doesn't see it, so there is another example of a 'reckless abandonment' of the rules, he also gets away with it every week as well.

He also only moans when he loses, I guess that's what winners do, although I doubt Wenger remembers those days.

I don't care, unlike you I wouldn't defend Wenger, if he breaks the pre-set rules he deserves punishment, that's how society works. Not everybody agrees with the rules, but if you're a manager you have to abide by them or get punished

Also, there's no rule that says you have to see everything so I've no idea what that meant

You're probably making the mistake of defending Ferguson instead of criticising the FA

Edit - Also, pretty sure Ferguson has made this song and dance so Atkinson won't be going near a big Man Utd game for a while as he's one of the refs who has enough will power to give decisions against Man Utd. Atkinson won't be at Old Trafford for some time now though. Ferguson is effective and in some ways smart, but he isn't a nice person

 

[cheets64]

Wenger is a **** head as well, look how well spoken Martinez is in his post match interviews.

 

[jakeke]

Like when he calls the referee a liar ?

 

[dannyjo22]

Wenger is worse than Fergie that's for sure, probably due to giving more interviews. To be honest I don't care what they say when most of the time it's with good reason.

Wenger moaned his backside off the last time we played them but he had ever reason as our goal was indeed so far offside it was a joke. He should be able to rant about stuff like that.

If the refs are not able to keep up with stuff like that anymore then give them help, not punish the guys for talking about their mistakes.

 

[reefoid]

If the refs are not able to keep up with stuff like that anymore then give them help, not punish the guys for talking about their mistakes.

That's a fair point. Without turning this into a technology debate, the pressure on refs now is so vast and the impact of their decisions so big that there really is no excuse now for refs not to have help from technology.

Not sure that would stop Fergie (and others) from mouthing off though.

"You want a fair camera and monitor, or a strong camera and monitor anyway - and we didn't get that. I must say, when I saw who the manufacturer was I feared it."