Red Devils naughty behaviour punished with minuscule penalty
Image: PA Photos
For receiving a mammoth seven yellow cards during their deadlocked visit to Stamford Bridge yesterday, Manchester Utd were treated to an automatic fine of £25k. Throughout the match, Rio Ferdinand was in a typically vocal mood, while the team in red could have learned nothing about respect from their manager, who spent most of the game indulging in his favourite pastime of haranguing the fourth official.
Manchester Utd certainly deserve reprimanding for their disrespectful demeanor, yet the impunity of a £25k is problematic; as Adrian Chiles pointed out on MOTD2, it works out as the equivalent of fining fellow pundit Lee Dixon five pence. The chaps at the Beeb show even suggested sending off a nominated player if six or more yellow cards are received by a single team.
So, should the fine be increased in order to genuinely reprimand the big boys? Would it be a better system if the fine money went straight to charity? Or should it be scrapped all together? Let us know with a vote and comment below…
4 responses so far
1 Squiddy // Sep 22, 2008 at 10:28 am
It wouldn’t be pointless if those yellows were turned into the reds they deserved. How did Rio get away with that last one and why did the Ref blow before injury time was up?
2 Ben Dover (norway) // Sep 22, 2008 at 11:05 am
The referee was a disaster! How on earth can he give that amount of cards in a pretty straight forward match? I think 3 of the cards were ok.
The one that should have got a red card, was the ref. He is an absolute disgrace for English football.
3 Tanuj Lakhina // Sep 22, 2008 at 12:32 pm
I agree Mike Riley is an idiot of a referee and to this moment I can’t understand why the play continued beyond full time whistle where the confusion of a collision between Drogba and Ferdinand complicated matters.
If the FA were to charge Manchester United then why don’t they hit them on the pitch as well,after a review of the game convert 2 yellows to red.Fining 25k won’t matter much to a big club like Manchester United.
4 Honest Abe // Sep 22, 2008 at 1:38 pm
A fine is pointless, But if they insist on it surely it should go to an FA sponsered charity?
Would any of us be surprized if that fine money went towards a christmas party?
On the point of fines, what about the ref and linesman at the Reading game who made up a goal that never was? Will he get fined for such poor judgement?
Another point is Mike Riley has already given out 20 yellow cards in four matches.
Clearly he is a bit too impatient to dish out cards.