Fulham have requested a personal hearing after the club, centre forward Aleksandar Mitrovic and Marco Silva were charged with multiple disciplinary charges by the Football Association following their exit from the FA Cup at Manchester United eight days ago, according to the Athletic’s Peter Rutzler.
The Premier League club have asked for the right for their case to be heard on the basis of oral submissions, either in person or remotely, rather than through paper documentation given the gravity of the charges laid against them. Fulham have chosen this course of action as they believe it will provide them with the best opportunity to mount the fullest defence of their players and staff given the media outcry that followed the three red cards in 40 seconds at Old Trafford – and the reaction to Mitrovic’s sending off for remonstrating and touching referee Chris Kavanagh.
The Cottagers are compiling a dossier of other incidents comparable to what the Serbian striker was shown a red card for that extend beyond an incident where Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes touched an assistant referee in their 7-0 defeat at Anfield and escaped punishment. It is believed that the Whites requested a personal hearing before learning of the further charges levied against Silva this afternoon for his comments about Kavanagh in a post-match press conference.
the fa are making out the ref was flawless 4 times the man u sub kicked out at at Antony Robinson every time under the nose of the linesman he got away with it why was he not warned or even carded our manager said what his thoughts are about the refs past mistakes in matches he was in charge with us the F A have by making extra charges against the manager for speaking the truth As the papers have said no 2 refs decisions are the same one player one weeks gets away with touching a ref why We know our response was wrong and we deserve to be punished but be careful at the fa its beginning to look like a witch hunt
Which is why I think the FA will partially back down particularly if we threaten to make a public storm if they don’t.
I predict
1. Harsh words and a stiff punishment with much of Mitro and Marco’s ban suspended.
2. New guidance as to what will be allowed in future including an automatic red card for touching an official and yellow for abuse possibly with a directive that only the player involved in an incident and/or the captain can address an official.
3. A serious look at how VAR is being handled, something Howard Webb has already indicated as a priority
I don’t have as much faith as you Tony.
I predict big bans and total silence on the behaviour of other high profile players.
I don’t think the FA is ready to admit it has a problem. Henderson, Maguire and Fernandes all on TV this week telling officials to Foff. Is the FA ready to admit that the senior England players aren’t role models and the game is rotten with abuse and intimidation? I’m pretty sure they’ll just pick on Fulham to try to appear tough.
As for witch hunt, it absolutely is. If it wasn’t then the 3 named above would also be on foul and obusive language charges because the evidence is 100% available on TV to watch.
The irony is Mitro and Silva lost the plot because they felt Fulham were being treated differently by the officials. All the FA is doing is proving it does treat smaller clubs differently.
It depends on whether the FA wants to perpetuate big club bias or try to do something about it either because they want to or fear the optics of that bias being under a spotlight.
If they don’t and stick us with big penalties we need to take things further possibly by legal action but certainly a media campaign which must be led either by sympathetic (or paid) media figures or the Khans and AM. We can’t let Marco be up for punishment every time he opens his mouth.
I hope you’re right Tony. It’s clear there’s a problem with bias. But hitting Silva with further charges to try to shut us up isn’t the sign of an organisation ready to face up to the situation. They could’ve charged Silva last week. I think these charges must be now in response to what we’ve said to the FA already. For the FA to retaliate is not a good sign.
I also do hope we take it further. Of course what Silva and Mitro did was wrong and they deserve bans. But how can you support bans when other players are also behaving poorly and not even being warned.
The whole process is a total sham.
It is a total sham but are the FA up for it being exposed. They may be run by the big clubs but there are many more “smaller” clubs even in the Premier League.
I may very well be wrong but I think they’ll back down enough to stop us taking the fight to them.
Well said Dave, how come nothing was said to Henderson Maguire and Fernandez for their foul and abusive language at the official for all the world to see, the F.A need to sort this mess out.
If the FA don’t heavily punish Fulham the media and sanctimonious pundits will be all over them after the coverage in the past week.
If they come clean that ALL players are abusing refs EVERY match they’ll have to admit they’ve been incompetent to let it get this bad.
Mitro and Silva went a bit beyond normal abuse so I think that’ll be their excuse for treating us differently. I hope Tony is right.
Either way, I’d love to be in the room with the FA and Fulham advisors. Fascinating to see how the FA try and dig themselves out of this because the truth is they have allowed different treatment of clubs and abuse of officials to run riot in the game.
Fairness aside I don’t support Silva and Mitro. They should be embarrassed of themselves
100% agree with the club – we have to stand up to them and make them answer the double standards that are clear for everyone to see.