Sir Fergie fined £20,000

[readingbedding]

and give two match touch-line ban for comments on fitness of referee Alan Wiley.

[Thaumagurist*]

.

[DaveM]

£20,000? I bet he gives more money to the homeless.

[AF1]

£20,000? I bet he gives more money to the homeless.

doubt it, he is a jock afterall

Plus he's been rocking that navy coat every winter for years now, bet he's tighter than a ducks arse

[Sun Tzu]

Shockingly lenient decision. Got away with his disgraceful comments because the authorities are scared of him. Expect the referee's organisation to look at further action - would they decline to accept appointments to games at which Fergie was present I wonder ?

[Terminal Boardom]

What's the point? £20,000 and a 2 match touchline ban is laughable. Another example of the authorities pandering to the big clubs.

[No Fixed Abode]

As long as other managers (say Brendan Rodgers) gets the same fine and two match ban if he does the same thing, then fair enough.

[Sun Tzu]

As long as other managers (say Brendan Rodgers) gets the same fine and two match ban if he does the same thing, then fair enough.

Why should they ?

Fergie has endless previous convictions !

He's also had the charge watered down heavily.

He's a disgrace to the game and should banned for life.

[Royal Rother]

[facaldaqui]

I find the ruling nonsensical. A manager is allowed to criticise a referee's performance (not his integrity) and it happens all the time. The committee found the remarks grossly improper because it regards criticism of a referee's fitness as a criticism of his integrity. For me, and I presume Ferguson, they are two different things. The referee may honestly believe he is fit enough, in which case his integrity does not come into it.

[Sun Tzu]

I find the ruling nonsensical. A manager is allowed to criticise a referee's performance (not his integrity) and it happens all the time. The committee found the remarks grossly improper because it regards criticism of a referee's fitness as a criticism of his integrity. For me, and I presume Ferguson, they are two different things. The referee may honestly believe he is fit enough, in which case his integrity is not an issue.

1. He is fit enough, and has passed tests to prove it
2. Fergie's comments had nothing to do with physical fitness - which we all know
3. It's just one in a long line of scandalous comments by the Scot aimed at defelecting attention away from the shortcomings of his own side and applying pressure on officials. He's not the only culprit but it's a sad state of affairs that his behaviour is seen by some as being a 'skill' in it's own right. It is every bit as unsavoury as a gang of foaming fooballers crowding round a referee and attemting to intimidate him into changing a decision.

How about giving Fergie a whistle and appointing him to referee the Egypt v Algeria game this weekend ?

[facaldaqui]

Why are these comments worse than any other, then? I'm not supporting Ferguson; I'm saying that the ruling is inconsistent. All that other managers will learn from it is that for some reason criticising a referee's fitness is up there with calling him a cheat.

[Ian Royal]

I rather think that Ferguson would have got a rather stiffer penalty if he'd called him "a cheat". Questioning competency and dedication is one thing.

Saying someone is corrupt is very very different. Frankly I have no idea what the punishment would be, but I'd expect the FA to demand/arrange his dismissal.

[Muskrat]

As long as other managers (say Brendan Rodgers) gets the same fine and two match ban if he does the same thing, then fair enough.

Why should they ?

Fergie has endless previous convictions !

He's also had the charge watered down heavily.

He's a disgrace to the game and should banned for life.

+1. Contemptable little man.