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United duo spared by FA gaffe
It has emerged that Sir Alex Ferguson and Carlos Queiroz were cleared of improper conduct due to a transcription error by the Football Association.
The Manchester United duo were due to be charged over comments they made in the wake of the Red Devils' FA Cup exit to Portsmouth on 8th March.
The United boss and his assistant criticised the performance of match official Martin Atkinson, and questioned the integrity of referee's chief Keith Hackett.
However, television clips of the post-match interviews given by the pair were used to prove that the FA's version of events did not tie in with their actual comments.
Queiroz had been transcribed as saying of Atkinson "that is my opinion of this robber today", when in fact he had said, "that is my opinion of his job today."
This evidence severely undermined the FA's argument and allowed United's defence lawyer Graham Bean to see the duo cleared.
Surprise
Bean, who works for independent firm Football Factors, also hit out at the governing body's judicial process for their failure to clamp down on previous critical comments made by other managers.
"There were a lot of reported quotes but some of them were actually incorrect," Bean told The Sun.
"The FA are inconsistent in who they charge and why."
Despite their own failings helping to collapse the case, a spokesman for the FA expressed their surprise that the duo had been cleared, amid reports that the governing body could appeal against the verdict.
He said: "We are surprised and disappointed by the result."
Integrity
Bean responded, though, by suggesting that Ferguson and Queiroz should never have been charged in the first place.
"If they (the FA) appeal it is juts sour grapes," he said.
"This wasn't a case of United claiming the referee was biased.
"Sir Alex and Carlos had been raising issues all season about the need to protect players like (Cristiano) Ronaldo.
"The FA claimed they questioned the integrity of the ref and Keith Hackett but that was not the case.
"Sir Alex and Carlos did not say the ref wasn't being honest but he was inconsistent."
United duo spared by FA gaffe
It has emerged that Sir Alex Ferguson and Carlos Queiroz were cleared of improper conduct due to a transcription error by the Football Association.
The Manchester United duo were due to be charged over comments they made in the wake of the Red Devils' FA Cup exit to Portsmouth on 8th March.
The United boss and his assistant criticised the performance of match official Martin Atkinson, and questioned the integrity of referee's chief Keith Hackett.
However, television clips of the post-match interviews given by the pair were used to prove that the FA's version of events did not tie in with their actual comments.
Queiroz had been transcribed as saying of Atkinson "that is my opinion of this robber today", when in fact he had said, "that is my opinion of his job today."
This evidence severely undermined the FA's argument and allowed United's defence lawyer Graham Bean to see the duo cleared.
Surprise
Bean, who works for independent firm Football Factors, also hit out at the governing body's judicial process for their failure to clamp down on previous critical comments made by other managers.
"There were a lot of reported quotes but some of them were actually incorrect," Bean told The Sun.
"The FA are inconsistent in who they charge and why."
Despite their own failings helping to collapse the case, a spokesman for the FA expressed their surprise that the duo had been cleared, amid reports that the governing body could appeal against the verdict.
He said: "We are surprised and disappointed by the result."
Integrity
Bean responded, though, by suggesting that Ferguson and Queiroz should never have been charged in the first place.
"If they (the FA) appeal it is juts sour grapes," he said.
"This wasn't a case of United claiming the referee was biased.
"Sir Alex and Carlos had been raising issues all season about the need to protect players like (Cristiano) Ronaldo.
"The FA claimed they questioned the integrity of the ref and Keith Hackett but that was not the case.
"Sir Alex and Carlos did not say the ref wasn't being honest but he was inconsistent."