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Aston Villa Manager Martin O'Neill Stung with FA Charge
The cost of Sunday's defeat at Old Trafford can be counted in more than points and pride it seems.
Apr 8, 2009 12:12:40 PM
Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill has been hit with a Football Association charge of misconduct, following his team's 3-2 defeat to Manchester United on Sunday.
The game, marked by its injury-time drama as United debutant Federico Macheda netted a late winner, left O'Neill clearly frustrated with the match officials and bemoaning the fact that his team did not deserve to lose in his post-match interviews.
The Villans gaffer was also scathing about the quality of referee Mike Riley's assistants, whose interpretation of the offside law seemingly differed with that of the famously acerbic Irishman, who told The Birmingham Mail after the game, "The officials also got three offside decisions wrong when we were clean through."
That anger with Riley, whom O'Neill felt had missed key incidents, notably a foul on Ashley Young in the build-up to United's winner, and had added on more time than was necessary, had boiled over at the final whistle, when the Villa manager marched out onto the Old Trafford pitch to forcibly express his views to the referee.
That conduct has been deemed unacceptable by the FA, who insisted that the charge relates to his immediate post-match behaviour and not to his post-match comments.
He has until April 27 to respond to the charge.
Zack Wilson, Goal.com
The cost of Sunday's defeat at Old Trafford can be counted in more than points and pride it seems.
Apr 8, 2009 12:12:40 PM
Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill has been hit with a Football Association charge of misconduct, following his team's 3-2 defeat to Manchester United on Sunday.
The game, marked by its injury-time drama as United debutant Federico Macheda netted a late winner, left O'Neill clearly frustrated with the match officials and bemoaning the fact that his team did not deserve to lose in his post-match interviews.
The Villans gaffer was also scathing about the quality of referee Mike Riley's assistants, whose interpretation of the offside law seemingly differed with that of the famously acerbic Irishman, who told The Birmingham Mail after the game, "The officials also got three offside decisions wrong when we were clean through."
That anger with Riley, whom O'Neill felt had missed key incidents, notably a foul on Ashley Young in the build-up to United's winner, and had added on more time than was necessary, had boiled over at the final whistle, when the Villa manager marched out onto the Old Trafford pitch to forcibly express his views to the referee.
That conduct has been deemed unacceptable by the FA, who insisted that the charge relates to his immediate post-match behaviour and not to his post-match comments.
He has until April 27 to respond to the charge.
Zack Wilson, Goal.com