Fergie defends beleaguered Clattenburg
Source: Agencies |
November 3, 2012, Saturday
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MANCHESTER United manager Alex Ferguson came to the defense of Mark Clattenburg yesterday, saying he doesn't believe the referee directed an insult at Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel during an English Premier League match.
The police and the English Football Association have already launched investigations into Clattenburg's alleged use of "inappropriate language" toward the Nigeria international during Chelsea's 2-3 loss to United last Sunday.
On Wednesday, Chelsea sent a file of evidence to the FA, including statements from players and staff who they claim witnessed Mikel being abused by Clattenburg. The referee has yet to publicly respond to the allegations after being reported to have used the word "monkey".
"I don't believe Mark Clattenburg would make any comments like that. I refuse to believe it," Ferguson said. "I think it is unthinkable in the modern climate. I just don't believe it, simple as that. There is no way a referee would stoop to that. I am convinced of that."
Ferguson said in the last 15 years no player had complained to him about abuse from a referee. "I think in the modern game, the way we see the game today rather than how it was 25 years ago, it has completely changed. I played myself and I know the banter that went on between referees and players 25 years ago is different from today."
Ferguson's defense of Clattenburg comes a day after Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger claimed Chelsea made the allegations "with little proof".
"I'm not a great believer in making these stories public," Wenger said. "I am a deep supporter of doing that internally. If (football) becomes a sport to make the lawyers rich, I am not a fan of it."
The latest racism saga emerged just as English football seemed to be moving on from the year-long John Terry case. The Chelsea captain is now serving a four-match ban for racially abusing Queens Park Rangers defender Anton Ferdinand during a Premier League match last year.
Former Chelsea player Paul Elliott, the club's first black captain, also cast doubt on the club's claims that have put racism on the back pages again.
Elliott, an ambassador for the anti-racism charity Kick it Out, said: "To me, what happened at Chelsea last Sunday, seemed like a car out of control, I thought with the John Terry thing, this had stopped.
"I thought we were moving forward but its like we've been hit by a two-footed challenge from the side and you've not seen it coming.
"Mark Clattenburg is a very capable and competent referee and I would be astonished if an authority figure in our game like him, an elite referee, could be found guilty of racism."
The police and the English Football Association have already launched investigations into Clattenburg's alleged use of "inappropriate language" toward the Nigeria international during Chelsea's 2-3 loss to United last Sunday.
On Wednesday, Chelsea sent a file of evidence to the FA, including statements from players and staff who they claim witnessed Mikel being abused by Clattenburg. The referee has yet to publicly respond to the allegations after being reported to have used the word "monkey".
"I don't believe Mark Clattenburg would make any comments like that. I refuse to believe it," Ferguson said. "I think it is unthinkable in the modern climate. I just don't believe it, simple as that. There is no way a referee would stoop to that. I am convinced of that."
Ferguson said in the last 15 years no player had complained to him about abuse from a referee. "I think in the modern game, the way we see the game today rather than how it was 25 years ago, it has completely changed. I played myself and I know the banter that went on between referees and players 25 years ago is different from today."
Ferguson's defense of Clattenburg comes a day after Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger claimed Chelsea made the allegations "with little proof".
"I'm not a great believer in making these stories public," Wenger said. "I am a deep supporter of doing that internally. If (football) becomes a sport to make the lawyers rich, I am not a fan of it."
The latest racism saga emerged just as English football seemed to be moving on from the year-long John Terry case. The Chelsea captain is now serving a four-match ban for racially abusing Queens Park Rangers defender Anton Ferdinand during a Premier League match last year.
Former Chelsea player Paul Elliott, the club's first black captain, also cast doubt on the club's claims that have put racism on the back pages again.
Elliott, an ambassador for the anti-racism charity Kick it Out, said: "To me, what happened at Chelsea last Sunday, seemed like a car out of control, I thought with the John Terry thing, this had stopped.
"I thought we were moving forward but its like we've been hit by a two-footed challenge from the side and you've not seen it coming.
"Mark Clattenburg is a very capable and competent referee and I would be astonished if an authority figure in our game like him, an elite referee, could be found guilty of racism."
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