Cardiff boss Neil Warnock facing ban for three attacks including wife’s backing to punch official
Bluebirds boss was furious with Craig Pawson after Chelsea beat them 2-1 two weeks ago
NEIL WARNOCK faces a touchline ban after being charged by the FA following THREE verbal attacks on officials.
The Cardiff City boss was incandescent after Chelsea defender Cesar Azpilicueta’s offside equaliser was allowed to stand in the heartbreaking 2-1 home defeat on March 31.
Defeat plunged Cardiff deeper into relegation trouble and Warnoch did not hold back in his post match interviews.
Warnock slammed ref Craig Pawson and his assistant Eddie Smart.
He said: “It’s the best league in the world but the worst officials.
“They don’t understand what is at stake. They shouldn’t make mistakes at this level.”
Warnock added: “It’s almost like not a matter of who you play, but who you get in the middle and who has a flag.
“It’s all right making genuine mistakes but, at this level, it shouldn’t happen. Not when you put so much into a game. It’s a sickener.”
The following day, Warnock went a step further in an interview on talkSPORT when he said: “When I came home, my wife said to me, ‘Darling, if you had wanted to thump the referee and linesman, I wouldn’t have stopped you’.
“It was so unjust. It’s unbelievable. I can’t describe my feelings.”
He also attacked refs’ chief Mike Riley adding: “I don’t think they’re educated enough at top level.”I don’t think things will change now until Riley goes, which is very unlikely because he’s got himself rooted so far in.”
The FA chose not to act after Warnock “stared down” Pawson and his colleagues on the pitch after the game.
But those comments have landed Warnock is serious trouble with FA disciplinary beaks and it was announced: “Neil Warnock has been charged with three breaches of FA Rule E3.”
The first two related to his comments to BBC and Sky Sports on the day, which were judged to have “questioned the integrity of the Match Official and/or implied bias”.
And the talkSPORT comments were also deemed to have crossed the line, with Warnock charged with “improper conduct”.
Warnock has until Tuesday to respond but while the regulations suggest it could take 10 more working days for an independent committee to be gathered it is expected a decision will come before Easter.
A two game ban would then mean Warnock off the touchline for the crucial games with Fulham and his former club Crystal Palace, although he would be back for the last game of the season at Old Trafford.