Ferguson 'losing faith' in referees

(CNN) -- Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson admitted he is losing faith in referees after he disputed the decision which led to the decisive goal in his side's English Premier League defeat to Chelsea.

The match at Stamford Bridge was decided by a 76th minute freekick awarded to Chelsea by referee Martin Atkinson who judged that Darren Fletcher had fouled Ashley Cole close to the touchline.

Frank Lampard's took the resulting set piece and his inswinging delivery was glanced into the net by Chelsea captain John Terry.

"Clearly, Darren Fletcher's won the ball, Ashley Cole's never touched and has jumped up in the air, and then (Didier) Drogba's pulled Brown to the ground for the goal," Ferguson told reporters.

"The referee's position to make the decision was absolutely ridiculous, he can't see anything. He's got a Chelsea player (Joe Cole) standing right in front of him and he doesn't even move.

"That goal shouldn't have been allowed. It was a bad decision, but there's nothing we can do about it. You lose faith in refereeing sometimes, that's the way the players are talking in there. It was a bad one."

Ferguson is already facing the possibility of a fine or touchline ban after he admitted a Football Association charge of improper conduct for questioning the fitness of referee Alan Wiley.

But the Scot will not face any action from the FA for his latest outburst as the United boss did not question the referee's integrity or claim there was any bias.

You lose faith in refereeing sometimes, that's the way the players are talking in there. It was a bad one.
--Alex Ferguson

The FA could, though, investigate comments made by Wayne Rooney after he appeared to mouth the words "12 men" into a TV camera as he left the field.

United had dominated the game and Ferguson was frustrated that his could not convert possession and chances into goals.

He added: "We had great opportunities to get to the edge of the box and some really good chances in and around the box, but we should be finishing it off.

"We've only ourselves to blame in that respect. But you do need a break - and we never got that break.

"The fact is Chelsea go five points clear of us - the defeat to Liverpool didn't affect our position in the league, this affects our position in the sense that if we'd have won we'd have gone top."

CSKA MOSCOW V MANCHESTER UNITED

Ferguson storms out after being quizzed on FA charge

By Soccernet Staff

October 21, 2009

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has given short shrift to questioning about the FA charge he faces for criticising referee Alan Wiley's fitness.

ShaunBotterill/GettyImages

Luzhniki Stadium: Artificial pitch holds no fear for visibly angry knight

Tuesday's obligatory UEFA Champions League press conference was Ferguson's first appearance before the media since being charged with improper conduct in the light of comments after a 2-2 draw at Sunderland on October 3.

But the 67-year-old was in no mood to answer questions on the subject and cut the conference short when it was raised.

"Silly question gets no answer," he said. "I'm not answering it."

Another reporter replied that "It's not a silly question", Ferguson then got up and left the room, saying only "Good night" as he stormed out.

Prior to that, Ferguson had said that he thinks CSKA Moscow's artificial pitch will help his team's playing style. United face CSKA in their Champions League Group B clash on Wednesday at the Luzhniki stadium where they memorably beat Chelsea on penalties to win the 2008 tournament.

"I watched CSKA's previous Champions League game and I didn't see any issue with it (the pitch) at all," Ferguson told a news conference on Tuesday. "It is a passing surface and we have good passers in our side. When (English league sides) Luton and QPR had them all those years ago we always played well on them.

"We had a great record at those artificial pitches and that was when the artificial pitches weren't as good. The one in Moscow has a far better covering on it.

Despite his confidence, Ferguson, who will be without the injured Ryan Giggs, Wayne Rooney, Patrice Evra, Park Ji-sung and Darren Fletcher, warned about the threat of the 2005 UEFA Cup winners. CSKA are third in Group B after following up their opening defeat at VfL Wolfsburg with victory at home to Besiktas.

"The Champions League for a few years now has had a tremendous amount of quality in it," Ferguson said. "I think the Russian teams in particular have improved a lot in the last few years thanks to big investment. There are a lot of Brazilian players in Russia now. So you can expect a difficult game there and it's a surface which we're not used to playing on."

Ferguson is hoping his United side, who won their opening two matches away to Besiktas and at home to VfL Wolfsburg, can book their place in the knockout stages. "We're in a strong position ourselves after winning our opening two games and, if we can navigate the back-to-back games against CSKA, we're through, I think," he said.

PREMIER LEAGUE NEWS

Sir Alex fears being made an example of

By Harry Harris and Soccernet staff

October 19, 2009

Sir Alex Ferguson's camp claims that the Manchester United boss might be unable to gain a "fair hearing" from the Football Association over his attack on referee Alan Wiley. He was officially charged with improper conduct by the FA on Monday over the comments made after the draw with Sunderland.

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Sir Alex Ferguson: Set to be charged

Sir Alex had until Friday to deliver a written explanation of his remarks about the official. ESPN Soccernet has been told that despite three apologies, the first on the United official website, the second in a letter to the FA and a third he is ready to make direct to Wiley, the FA felt there was no choice but to charge him.

The comments came in an ESPN interview with Rebecca Lowe after Manchester United and Sunderland drew 2-2 at Old Trafford, with Sir Alex furious over Wiley's fitness.

"The pace of the game demanded a referee who was fit. He was not fit. It is an indictment of our game," said Ferguson. "You see referees abroad who are as fit as butcher's dogs. We have some who are fit. He wasn't fit."

Sir Alex , who flies out to Russia with United on Monday for Champions League action on Wednesday tea-time against CSKA Moscow, will have the statutory 14 days to respond before the FA sort out a date for a hearing.

The FA said in a statement: "Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has been charged with improper conduct.

"The charge relates to media comments made by Ferguson about referee Alan Wiley following United's match against Sunderland at Old Trafford on October 3. He has until November 3 to respond to the charge.''

Ferguson apologised to Wiley a week after making the remarks having concluded his attack was ill-judged. He said then: "I apologise to Mr Wiley for any personal embarrassment that my remarks may have caused and to the FA for going public with my views.

"I would wish it to be noted that I have always respected Mr Wiley's integrity and that I did not state or imply that Mr Wiley is a bad referee, that he was in any way biased, that decision-making generally during the game was poor, or that he missed any key incident during the game.

"My only intention in speaking publicly was to highlight what I believe to be a serious and important issue in the game, namely that the fitness levels of referees must match the ever increasing demands of the modern game, which I hope will now be properly addressed through the appropriate formal channels.''

A source close to Sir Alex told ESPN Socccernet: "I don't believe Sir Alex can now get a fair hearing. The Referees' Association has been putting undue pressure on the FA demanding that they inflict severe punishment against him.

"Yet it is unprecedented for any manager to receive a touchline ban for making post-match press comments."

But with new rules on comments about match officials and the FA's tough stance on the Respect campaign, there are growing fears in Sir Alex's camp that they will have to make an example of someone - irrespective of their status in the game.

The source added: "It will be at the discretion of the commission to decide the punishment, so anything is possible, but talk of a five-game ban is just ludicrous."

If there is any draconian punishment, then Sir Alex is sure to appeal, and the United manager has the full backing of his union, the League Managers' Association.

ESPN Soccernet has been told that the LMA and PFA are now engaged in monthly summit meetings with the referees and FA, to remove the chasm that exists between mangers and officials

After the incident with Sir Alex, the wider issues of referees' fitness and indeed their overall competence is now back on the agenda.

Sir Alex's criticism of Wiley's fitness levels has reopened a debate surrounding managers' deep concerns over the standard of refereeing in this country.

The LMA have taken the opportunity of Sir Alex's outspoken attack to insist that a long list of recommendations they issued back in March need to be implemented to improve standards of refereeing overall.

WILEY CONTROVERSY

Refs' chief unhappy with "half-hearted" Ferguson

By Soccernet staff

October 12, 2009

Sir Alex Ferguson's apology to Alan Wiley has been described as "half-hearted" by Alan Leighton, the national secretary of the union Prospect that represents match officials.

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Sir Alex Ferguson watches his side play Sunderland.

• Harris: Bosses in the dock

Ferguson has courted controversy following a personal attack on Wiley that came after a 2-2 draw with Sunderland on October 3. Speaking on ESPN, the Manchester United manager accused the referee of not being fit enough and needing a rest during the game.

It has been reported that Ferguson's criticism forced Wiley to consider his future in the game and the United boss issued an apology after being contacted by the Football Association to explain his contentious comments.

His contrition has not satisfied Prospect though, who have already threatened legal action if the FA does not impose a satisfactory punishment. Instead of drawing a line under the row, they claim Ferguson's apology has broadened the argument by appearing to indicate that the fitness of all referees is a concern.

"I think it's a half-hearted apology at best really, and it probably exacerbates the position, rather than resolving it," Leighton told BBC Radio Five Live.

"He clearly hasn't retracted the statement about Alan being unfit so it's not an apology for the main offence caused - and then he widens it to question the fitness of other referees, so he seems to be opening another can of worms which I don't think is very helpful at all.

"Referees are very fit...they have sports scientists who test them regularly throughout the season. They don't just pass a fitness test at the start of the season. Their body fats and BMI are regularly monitored, there are get-togethers every two or three weeks where they are put through extensive training and testing.

"I think the punishment should be a UEFA-type coaching ban, which is rather more than a touchline ban. Referees always accept decisions are going to be pored over - they have no problem with legitimate criticism.

"What's problematic is when the integrity and key components of refereeing are being questioned in a totally unwarranted and unfounded way - and we will defend our members when they are.''

The passage in Ferguson's apology that appears to have angered Prospect read: "My only intention in speaking publicly, was to highlight what I believe to be a serious and important issue in the game, namely that the fitness levels of referees must match the ever increasing demands of the modern game, which I hope will now be properly addressed through the appropriate formal channels."