I took my mum and sister to Manchester yesterday to see Fulham in an FA Cup quarter-final on Sunday. I thought it would be the perfect familial treat for Mothering Sunday for two women who have tolerated and sustained my love of the Whites over the years – but it turned into an occasion to remember for all the wrong reasons. Those of us who were at Old Trafford in 2003 will always savour the magnificence of that performance and, the gnawing feeling in the pit of your stomach even two days later, reminds you that the Whites were on course for an equally momentous victory until a minute of madness turned a match Marco Silva’s men were controlling completely on its head.
Silva, as brilliant as he has been in utterly transforming the mentality both within and beyond Motspur Park since taking over from Scott Parker, most take some of the blame for what transpired. This was far from the first time that the Portuguese had lost control on the touchline. Managers set the tone for their team: Fulham have attacked the top flight because Silva demanded an end to the passivity that had characterised previous campaigns – and the confidence that flows through this side is a direct result of the belief they now have on the ball. The Cottagers were twenty minutes away from their first FA Cup semi-final for more than twenty years. The moment called for cool heads. That was not what we got.
Similarly, there is no defence for Aleksandar Mitrovic putting his hands on the referee, however inept we think he might have been, regardless of how frustrated the forward was. The task of overcoming one of the biggest names in English football on their own turf was tough enough before the game. It had just got harder with ten men. It was virtually impossible after the implosion that saw Silva and Mitrovic ushered off the park seconds after their head coach. Both men will know their conduct left a lot to be desired. They will make amends in the future because I’m certain the ugly scenes that followed their red cards are not the image either wants to the world to see what they think of Fulham Football Club – but the hysterical reaction to it all also makes me uncomfortable.
Respect for the referees is vital. I first met the editor of this website on a refereeing course in the north east, believe it or not. I didn’t see Dan on Sunday but I imagine he was as furious as the rest of us. Both of us prolonged our interest in the beautiful game by taking up a whistle and completing our coaches badges because our skills on the pitch were sub-standard, to put it mildly. I take no pleasure from criticising match officials – because until a year ago I was one, but it is quite clear that the performance levels of the elite English referees have plateaued at best and, probably, actually gone backwards of late. Silva articulated his frustration eloquently afterwards in an interview ITV failed to broadcast and it centres around Chris Kavanagh’s recent history with Fulham – which we’ve previously documented.
We know it is difficult to discuss Fulham without an element of bias because we are all fans of London’s oldest football club but the decision to appoint Kavanagh to the Cup’s only all-top flight quarter-final should have raised eyebrows. Not just because of his history of poor decisions but because he hails from Greater Manchester. I’m no conspiracy theorist but I seethed like Silva after Luke Shaw shoved over Mitrovic from Fulham’s first corner. If you examine the replay of Andreas Pereira’s set place closely, you can see another Manchester United defending hauling Issa Diop to the floor at the very time that the England left back is bundling over Mitrovic. That pair were impeded at corners throughout the match: it is no coincidence that the only time the duo escaped the grabbling they combined to put Fulham ahead.
Having lived in the north east for more than a decade now, I’m well familiar with the lazy Mitrovic narrative. Many a Newcastle fan told me just how excited they were to have signed the Serbian hotshot from Anderlecht and hoped he would be a world beater. A young man desperate to perform for the team who were carried by his hero Alan Shearer for much of the mid-90s and beyond often allowed his frustration to boil over. He got a reputation as a liability and never seemed to fit the game plans of Rafa Benitez or Steve McClaren. When Mitrovic’s return to Anderlecht fell through, Fulham were the grateful recipients of a striker whose career was at a crossroads. How lucky we were that he came to Craven Cottage in the first place.
Mitrovic had his chances to leave Fulham – and came closest after being ostracised by Parker as another frustrating failure in the Premier League drew to a close. That he stayed on the banks of the Thames and committed to playing Championship football, a decision that could easily have put his international career in jeopardy, was a testament to his loyalty. Rejuvenated by being made the focal point of Silva’s attack, Mitrovic went on a remarkable scoring spree in the second tier. His predatory penalty box finish on Sunday drew him level with Steve Earle as Fulham’s seventh-highest goalscorer. Mitrovic’s contribution can’t just be measured in mere numbers – especially as his old round game is underappreciated – but the weight of his scoring shouldn’t be ignored.
Silva and Mitrovic have been an integral part of how this wonderful team, built in a few weeks over the summer when the pundits predicted a season of struggle, have surprised us all this term. Their achievements are incredible, especially given the gulf between the Championship and the Premier League that exists in our broken game. Whilst their behaviour was lamentable, the response from the talking heads smacks of sensationalism. ITV astonishingly allowed Roy Keane – a man who walked out his country as they prepared for a World Cup finals, missed the biggest game in Manchester United’s history through suspension, lambasted his team-mates on the club’s in-house TV channel and admitted to purposefully injuring an opponent, to anoint himself as a moral arbiter. Talk about ironic.
Chris Sutton, about as wide of the mark in his punditry as he was during his days missing the target at Stamford Bridge, called for Mitrovic to receive a ten-match ban. Is that the same Chris Sutton who was the subject of disciplinary action by the Norfolk FA after he charged onto the field to confront a sixteen year-old referee after his son was the subject of a hefty tackle? The reaction of the refereeing fraternity was just as frenzied. Dermot Gallagher offered praise for Kavanagh’s defusing of the situation whilst managing to absolve Bruno Fernandes for any blame for laying his hands on a match official in his regular Sky slot. Keith Hackett demanded Mitrovic be made an example of – and, our old friend Mark Halsey, fumed in the Sun about the depravity of it all.
Halsey’s intervention in the red tops really took the biscuit. The Queens Park Rangers supporter found no space in his column to recount his own pre-VAR experience of giving in to the pressure applied by a top team. Arsenal were apparently invincible when they came to the Cottage in 2003, which meant Halsey reversed his decision to award a penalty when Ashley Cole took out his namesake Andrew on account of the visitors’ reaction, and ruled out a perfectly good goal scored by Collins John. The Gunners were only following the Sir Alex Ferguson playbook of pressurising the match officials – and, of course, the Scot was captured on camera enjoying United getting the benefit of surrounding Kavanagh after he had pointed for a corner having been initially unconvinced that Willian had committed the crucial handball.
The action from the FA has been swift and Fulham will need to face the consequences. The outrage of the football community will rain down on Silva and Mitrovic, with the commentariat having already decreed that the spiky Serbian should be banned for anything from ten games to 181 days, in the absurd assessment of the chief executive officer of RefWatch. The head of the Referees’ Association Paul Field equated the Fulham number nine’s conduct with that of Eric Cantona on the night that had kung-fu kicked a spectator at Selhurst Park. It feels as though Fulham’s footballers are not the only ones who lost control here.
Silva and Mitrovic will need to learn the lessons of what happened on Sunday. The head coach can’t lose control so easily on the sidelines, especially if it is going to translate immediately into ill-discipline from his key players. Silva is so pivotal to the Fulham project that the club can’t afford to have him reduced to radioing Luis Boa Morte from up in the stands as he will be doing again shortly. Mitrovic has come so far since his St. James’ Park days that it is worth pointing out this was his first sending off in five years at Fulham. I hope he will never confront a match official in such a manner again – but the self-implosion should galvanise his team-mates for the remainder of the campaign.
The much-maligned Carlos Vinicius, who has scored two terrific derby goals whilst acting as a stand-in for the Serbian, will soon have a chance to improve on his goalscoring return for the Whites. If he does, then the Manchester meltdown might be remembered not as a missed opportunity but a turning point. The return to Old Trafford on the final day of the season already seems spicier but I hope Fulham’s football can do the talking this time.
That’s all very fair and there’s nothing I’d disagree with.
What really still grates with me though is the appalling lack of smarts shown by Mitro and Silva. Excuses, mitigation and digging out precedents from others not properly dealt with don’t address the central problem – down the line they have to behave in such a way as to benefit the club and not just let their emotions roar out uncontrolled. That has to change.
Very good Chlo – and much more measured than I would have managed. Good to see you and Keira again on Sunday and lovely to meet your mum!
What a sad morning for all fans of FFC.
Hopefully FFC owners will issue their own statement apologising to everybody for this disgraceful situation.
They should also advise that they are putting in place actions that mean this is unlikely to happen again.
These actions could include:
1. The manager accepting decisions made (or not made) by the referee and linespeople.
2. Players not arguing with the officials and trusting that VAR will sort out any glaring errors.
3. Players not surrounding the referee or approaching linespeople.
4. Players not play acting every time they are tackled and lose the ball.
5. Players to retreat 10 yards when a free kick is given.against them.
In this way FFC could lead a transformation in top football that sets standards for others to follow.
There is no point in waiting for rule changes etc to help inprove things.
These are the sorts of standards imposed by Brian Clough at Nottingham Forest in the 80s and he was not even an owner.
FFC has a great reputation with away supporters who love to visit Craven Cottage for its hospitality and friendliness.
Most away fans that I talk to say it is their favourite away ground.
Much as I have loved the football we have played under Marco and the goals that Mitro has scored not many of our fans would have been surprised
by the sendings off. They have both been vigorously arguing with officials over the 2 years; things have been getting worse each game and they reached boiling point on Sunday.
As fans we should say enough is enough.
David Hawkins
Season Ticket Holder
I don’t excuse Silva’s or Mitrovic’s behaviour but this needs to be put into context. This was the worst and, dare I say, most biased, refereeing performance I have seen this season.
FFC should have been awarded one, if not two, penalties in the first half. Shaw’s push on a Mitrovic after a couple of minutes’ of play was blatant and, at the very least, should have been subject to VAR review. Anthony’s kick on Robinson also went under the radar. Sadly, there were many such incidents ! But to take such impartial decisions at Old Trafford takes demonstrable courage and that was clearly lacking. Kavanagh’s abject performance in the previous West Ham /FFC game simply added fuel to the fire. At best an idiotic choice to referee a match of this importance.
Therefore, i would suggest that, In addition to singing Kavanagh’s praises about how well he diffused a tense situation, perhaps someone should review his overall refereeing performance which, I repeat, was abysmal! In my view, he should be prevented from refereeing future FFC games.
Everyone knows this is not a level playing field and the balance of benefit ALWAYS goes to the big clubs. Silva alluded to this reality. But it is sad to see that the match was decided in this fashion particularly since Fulham were much the better team.
There is a creeping sense that the beautiful game has been infiltrated too much by money and its influence.
I have no doubt that Mitrovic and Silva will be severely and demonstratively dealt with by the FA and perhaps they should be. But there also needs to be root and branch review of refereeing standards. Perhaps the rigorous application of Financial Fair Play rules should also be added to the list
My dad took me to Fulham in the 60s and I’ve supported them ever since, as does my son now. I would however support a touch line ban on Marco Silva to the end of the season if it teaches him to control his emotions.
This team and manager have the chance of achieving more than any other Fulham team but it can only happen if Marco demonstrates the personal self control necessary and ensures that same behaviour within the squad. We are starting to draw attention to the sort of behaviour that will inevitably lead referees to expect trouble and we will see the result in more disciplinary action. We need to maintain the motivation and energy but not allow negative emotions to ruin a great opportunity
I was there on Sunday at one of the supposed best teams in the Premier League in the quarter final of the worlds greatest Cup competition. Now hold that thought for a moment and then add to the fact it was the 70th minute, Fulham were leading 0-1 and Willian had just cleared what we all thought was an equaliser for a corner. 10 seconds later we all knew what was coming and I was apoplectic with rage so let’s try and imagine how a Manager and player might feel, who’s daily jobs and livelihoods this is, especially when they feel they’d already been unfairly treated by the referee in the past. Now I’m not condoning their behaviour but instead trying to explain why in that split second anybody might have reacted in the way they did. They weren’t trying to “buy” a decision they were reacting to one.
Anybody who has played competitive sport at any level will understand the emotions that were running through their heads at that point. Today they will both regret it, just as we have all woken up at some stage in our lives and regretted something we did or said the day before. Nothing can be done about the past now, they can try and temper that emotion in the future but by doing that you risk losing the competitive edge it gives you in the first place. Personally I won’t say a word against either of them but appreciate others, including Fulham fans, will condemn them. Passion over apathy anytime, and nobody was physically harmed in the mak No of that film!
Lastly for the record Marco threw the water bottle directly at the ground in front of him as was watching him, not at the fourth official.
Quite correct article. It sheds light on certain problems. Obvious violations are unquestionable and should not be commented on. What about the causes? The man who badly damaged the club in the previous three games gets a chance to do so in the fourth. How is it possible not to work with him? How was his preparation for the match. The repressive measures he implemented added fuel to the fire. How is it possible that judges are not suggested what to do in such situations.
I’m not sure they were actually kicking off about the Willian penalty. You can’t argue with the decision at all. It was a penalty. What got them riled is VAR is there to jump all over Fulham but wasn’t even used to check Shaw’s push on Mitro in the first few mins. Why? Nor did it decide to look at Anthony kicking Robinson off the ball. Why? Man Utd players wont be charged for the group surrounding the ref when he initially gave the corner from Willians block. Why? And apparently touching or pushing an official is such a horrendous crime that Mitro should receive a season ending ban but Fernandes can kick Trent and push the linesman (albeit not as aggressively as Mitro) and that’s not even a booking. Why? Apparently Mitro is also charged for using offensive language but clear as day on the TV I saw Maguire tell the linesman to F’off directly and Fernandes did the same to the ref after he pulled him up for a foul on Palhinia. The ref did nothing. Why?
The truth is Silva and Mitro were out of order. There is no excuse for their actions.
But the real truth is Utd were treated differently to Fulham by the ref and the FA will treat Fulham differently to Utd in the hearings to come. The truth is their actions were brainless and unacceptable. But….in my view the ref and VAR created the environment where our hot heads wrongly took the bait.
The sanctimonious nonsense from the football world is what really gets me about this. We’ll take our charges and bans. Shame this attitude didn’t exist for Utd last week as Fernandes wouldn’t even have been playing. But we’re Fulham not United and the truth is that sadly is part of the issue here.
Dave you have got it so correct as every Fulham fan knows. The big clubs still to this day get treated differently The Ref and VAR made sure that Fulham never went thru what should now happen is the FA looking at the Refs Performance the second time in the same season the same Referee has mugged us I don’t condone what happened with Mitro but it was mindless but does anybody know are Refs still marked on performance,interpretation of rules etc if so who does this in Sunday grassroots football Local Refs are given marks to move up the ladder
Just another point I remember Jeff Winter a Middlesbrough Referee saying on TV he is not allowed to Referee any Middlesbrough matches so why did this Ref from Manchester Referee in this match Fulham need to ask the question During the World Cup no Referee is allowed to Officiate if his own country is playing in that match neutral Refs are appointed it’s all about Fairness so who appoints these Officials Man Utd are not saying anything so what would have happened if the Ref came from Fulham
I agree with much of the above, and particularly David Hawkins and his five point plan. Wouldn’t it be reassuring to see Fulham lead the way in trying to remedy this problem instead of which there has been a conspicuous lack of apology or statement of contrition from the club.
This is a particularly football problem. It doesn’t happen in other sports. The aggressive haranguing of referees is deliberate, organised and
every team does it. The authorities have been feeble in trying to stop it.
It’s difficult to issue an on field sanction to a whole group of players. Perhaps in those instances the manager should be sent off. They would hate that and soon put a stop to it.
I agree that referees are often poor but there will always be mistakes made by the man in the middle who is watching in real time. What is less excusable is the standard of VAR. I’m not convinced that they have the rules / guidelines for VAR intervention right and it’s clear to me that many ex players now working as pundits have a better idea of correct reading of an incident than the qualified referees.
Despite this, remonstrating with the ref during a game is wrong. If you have cause for complaint make it through the proper channels afterwards.
So Dave and David on the 21st March, I agree.
The only way to fight the media bias is to fight fire with fire. Someone, somewhere, needs to catalogue [from ITV footage] the poor Man. U. behaviour [FFC can do this?] and to publish a “minute by minute’ match report.
Then the authorities will be forced to respond. Mitigating circumstances exist.
Finally Keane’s reputation is well-known as a violent self-opinionated cup-winner. Not one to produce an unbiased point of view.
I agree with all the comments and also a fair not OTT bans for the pair.
But like others l must say that when l turned the programme over at Old Trafford and saw the refs name l turned to my mate and said “Seen the ref we’ve got no chance” So what does that tell you…. too find out that he is also a Mancunian just goes to show the F A haven’t got a clue. The level of all referring has slipped to dangerously low levels and those that run VAR not good enough.
To get an apology for the errors made at the Westham game only confirms the systems / operators are not good enough this year. We are not alone at being hard done by this year. But for it to consistently happen is the reason for the melt down…like l say it doesn’t excuse but you can see why it happened.