Rafael Benitez and
Sir Alex Ferguson face the
wrath of a Football Association who do not see the funny side of
the managers of Liverpool and Manchester United.
While many might have chuckled at Sir Alex questioning Alan
Wiley's fitness, no one is laughing at the FA's headquarters.
And, while the spectacles joke of the Liverpool boss has badly
backfired, the FA Commission are more likely to say "he should have
gone to SpecSavers" when they hand out the punishment.
Benitez's case comes up on Tuesday morning, and the defence will
be producing the audio and video evidence of how the Liverpool
manager reached for his pocket and brought out his glasses for its
case, when he was asked about the performance of referee Phil Dowd
after the opening day of the season defeat by Spurs.
The FA chamber will resonate to the sound of laughter as the
audio/video "evidence" shows the assembled media laughing their
heads off at the Benitez joke.
The FA, however, feel it was at the referees' expense, but in
terms of being a personal attack, and unless the FA have a sense of
humour, then Benitez is going to be hit with a fine, and maybe even
a touchline ban.
Benitez with the "controversial" glasses.
The next case on the agenda is Sir Alex and, if Benitez
gets away with just a fine, then Sir Alex will expect a degree of
consistency, and would not take too kindly to a touchline
ban.
However, if the FA hit Benitez with a touchline ban for his
glasses jibe at the referee, then Sir Alex can expect the same sort
of treatment.
Sir Alex has apologised but retained his right to question the
fitness levels of the official, indeed referees in general in a
point that might concern the game. No-one else, though, has raised
it before, at least publicly.
While the Sir Alex "I'm sorry" official statement has not gone
down well with the referees' union, who are out for blood, it will
not be seen as more than "damage limitation" on behalf of the
FA.
The FA have given Sir Alex an extension to provide his written
explanation as he is currently in New York, apparently
property-hunting, having watched the Manchester City-Aston Villa
Premier League game in a sports bar.
The Sir Alex "sorry" statement was produced with the United boss
still in New York, but it will cut little ice with the FA, when he
returns this week to hand in his letter of explanation by Friday's
extended deadline.
Charges are sure to follow and it will then be at Sir Alex's
discretion whether he seeks a personal hearing.
