Roberto Martínez accuses the FA of being intimidated by Sir Alex Ferguson

Originally Posted by The Return of JC

I expect we'll get a 'misquoted' statement from Martinez soon. He strikes me as a good guy and such comments seem out of character. Take that one with a pinch of sodium.

This Fergie criticism of....um....Fergie criticism is starting to get ridiculous. He can't say anything about officials without going 'too far' or 'bullying' refs and 'disrepecting' the respect campaign etc.

Fact is, all £#%&!ing managers whine about refs all the £#%&!ing time. I didn't think Fergie's comments about Whiley were all that bad. They were odd, more than anything else, but hardly the most offensive thing a manager has ever said. Former refs and people seem to have taken the comments REALLY personally. Some people were labelling it the worst criticism of a ref in years.

Get a grip, people!

How many times do you hear managers saying the a particular ref isn't good enough to ref at highest level etc? Fergie just pinpointed one particular aspect of Whiley's make-up.

He then apologises.....and that's not good enough! He stands by his conviction that English refs aren't fit enough: A perfectly valid opinion, even if you don't agree with it, but apologises to Whiley. Apparently that's more insulting!? How? He's damned if he does and damned if he doesn't.

His comments on Sunday were all perfectly fair too. He was disappointed with some ref decisions (again, as EVERY manager is after EVERY game), but admitted Liverpool deserved to win and was disappointed with his player's performances. The headlines? FERGIE BLAMES REF AGAIN! He did no such thing.

Obviously I know a lot of it is media spin (it sells papers etc), but when the authorities and other managers start to buy into it, then it's out of order.

I suspect he thought that Gary Neville's red card was harsh last night (I did), but knew damn well that he couldn't say a word against the ref given the current climate.

It's gay, is what it is.

I don't think Fergie is the kind of person to bite his tongue tbh.

He probably %@#$&!ed Neville for being a dick and having a shit tache.

Originally Posted by Coracao

He probably %@#$&!ed Neville for being a dick and having a shit tache.

As expected and predicted by JC, Matinez has completely denied saying this and referred the matter to the LMA.

Originally Posted by 42ndstreet irregular

Don't worry, when Dave Whelan finds out, Martinez will have to write a 4 page apology in their next programme

Martínez believes Allardyce has designs on the post

I don't think there are many managers in world football that wouldn'rt love to replace Fergie. Allardyce has no £#%&!ing chance though.

Originally Posted by Spiffy

I don't think there are many managers in world football that wouldn'rt love to replace Fergie. Allardyce has no £#%&!ing chance though.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Allardyce#Limerick

Limerick
Allardyce then took up the role of player/manager of Limerick and guided the League of Ireland team to promotion by topping the first division with a number of points to spare in 1991–92 in his only season at the club. He made his League of Ireland debut on 6 October 1991.

Originally Posted by The Return of JC

I expect we'll get a 'misquoted' statement from Martinez soon. He strikes me as a good guy and such comments seem out of character. Take that one with a pinch of sodium.

This Fergie criticism of....um....Fergie criticism is starting to get ridiculous. He can't say anything about officials without going 'too far' or 'bullying' refs and 'disrepecting' the respect campaign etc.

Fact is, all £#%&!ing managers whine about refs all the £#%&!ing time. I didn't think Fergie's comments about Whiley were all that bad. They were odd, more than anything else, but hardly the most offensive thing a manager has ever said. Former refs and people seem to have taken the comments REALLY personally. Some people were labelling it the worst criticism of a ref in years.

Get a grip, people!

How many times do you hear managers saying the a particular ref isn't good enough to ref at highest level etc? Fergie just pinpointed one particular aspect of Whiley's make-up.

He then apologises.....and that's not good enough! He stands by his conviction that English refs aren't fit enough: A perfectly valid opinion, even if you don't agree with it, but apologises to Whiley. Apparently that's more insulting!? How? He's damned if he does and damned if he doesn't.

His comments on Sunday were all perfectly fair too. He was disappointed with some ref decisions (again, as EVERY manager is after EVERY game), but admitted Liverpool deserved to win and was disappointed with his player's performances. The headlines? FERGIE BLAMES REF AGAIN! He did no such thing.

Obviously I know a lot of it is media spin (it sells papers etc), but when the authorities and other managers start to buy into it, then it's out of order.

I suspect he thought that Gary Neville's red card was harsh last night (I did), but knew damn well that he couldn't say a word against the ref given the current climate.

It's gay, is what it is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cih2Wa3Q_do&feature=related

Originally Posted by Fuzzy Dunlop

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Allardyce#Limerick

Well I didn't know that. Is he seen as a legend for getting promotion or a judas for only staying 1 season?

Meanwhile, Wigan manager Roberto Martínez has "categorically denied" that he suggested the Football Association is afraid to punish Sir Alex Ferguson.

Martínez was reported to have claimed the FA was almost "apologising" to Ferguson for sanctioning the Scot over his comments that referee Alan Wiley was unfit to do his job.

But the Martínez insists he never made any comments about Ferguson and released a statement through the League Managers' Association which read: "Wigan Athletic manager, Roberto Martínez, has today categorically denied making the comments about Sir Alex Ferguson that have been attributed to him in a number of media reports. Martínez has referred the matter to the League Managers' Association."

the meedja making things up to cause trouble for united? surely not.

Originally Posted by borsuk

the meedja making things up to cause trouble for united? surely not.

And It still doesn't stop plenty of reds from biting.