interference at the top

[mancunial]

to be honest and for fear of being called a rag the standard of refering is utterely fookin appaling - there is utterely no consistency - that was a clear red - Ballo gets a yellow for being a gobby shite and Carragher get a yellow for possibly one of the worst tackles this year

Woilves had a perfectly decent goal disalowwed yesterday - we have the Rooney incident - Chelski game and this list goes on and on

Players dont help to be honest - and Rooney "salmon" like fall when he was fouled by Luiz sums the cheating nasty fooker up

Has that tackle been on Silva whom is one of our most influencial players (as is Nani for the rags) if Cooke had not done what Gill had i would be fookin annoyed

But Cooke is not on the FA board, hence it being a conflict of interest for Gill.

Re OP - do you have a link pls

sorry i have only limited knowledge on a computer, but if you go the gaurdian website you should be able to link it,

 

[Falastur]

<a class="postlink" href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/mar/06/alex-ferguson-media-blackout-manchester-united" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011 ... ter-united</a>

Manchester United's Sir Alex Ferguson snubs press after Anfield defeat

• Press blackout extends to club's own channel, MUTV
• Chief executive David Gill argues with referees chief

* Daniel Taylor and Andy Hunter at Anfield

Manchester United reacted to their 3-1 defeat at Liverpool by imposing a media blackout, with Sir Alex Ferguson refusing to share his thoughts about a dismal afternoon for the Premier League leaders during which the club's chief executive, David Gill, became embroiled in a heated exchange with the referees' chief, Mike Riley.

Gill sought out Riley in the directors' box at half-time to voice his complaints about the referee, Phil Dowd, not sending off Jamie Carragher for the challenge that left a tearful Nani being taken off on a stretcher. Riley is understood to have robustly defended Dowd in an argument that sums up United's belief, since the 2-1 defeat at Chelsea last Tuesday, that key refereeing decisions are going against them.

Ferguson's post-match anger about Martin Atkinson's handling of that match has already earned him an improper‑conduct charge from the Football Association but the United manager was unwilling to risk talking himself into more trouble after Dirk Kuyt's hat-trick had seen Liverpool make it three successive home wins against their oldest rivals, for the first time since 1979.

Ferguson never speaks to the BBC as part of his long-standing dispute with the corporation but Sky, another broadcasting rights-holder, was also informed that he had withdrawn all co-operation. Normally Mike Phelan, the United assistant manager, deals with the BBC after games but even he was gagged at Anfield.

Ferguson's current mood can be gauged by him not speaking to the club's television station, MUTV, on the basis it was its interview at Stamford Bridge that led to the FA taking action. MUTV, too, was shunned at Anfield and Ferguson also informed his players that they were not to say anything about a match that badly undermined United's hopes of overtaking Liverpool with a record 19th league title. It was their third defeat in five league matches, the first time that has happened to United in seven years. The only post‑match reaction from United was from Rio Ferdinand via Twitter: "Bad result today no excuses."

Kenny Dalglish, the Liverpool manager, refused to be drawn on Carragher's tackle and a similarly reckless challenge by Rafael on Lucas Leiva that also received only a yellow card from Dowd. Carragher waited outside the United dressing room to apologise to Nani after the game, with the Portugal international ultimately limping to the team coach with a gash below the knee.

"The players deserve fantastic credit for how they went about their jobs. The referee had an easy game to manage apart from a couple of incidents," the Liverpool manager said. "The quality of the football was the most important thing for me and the attention should be on that. Both sets of players deserve great credit. There is enough rubbish written about these things anyway."

Kuyt became only the third player to score a hat-trick in the Premier League against United – following Egil Ostenstad and David Bentley – and the first Liverpool player to score three in this fixture since Peter Beardsley in 1990.

However, even the performance of the Dutchman was eclipsed by the outstanding Uruguayan, Luis Suárez, Liverpool's recent £22.8m purchase from Ajax. "They were all outstanding in different ways," said Dalglish, who gave the club's recent £35m record signing Andy Carroll his first Liverpool appearance, as a late substitute.

"Dirk got three goals and he will get the headlines and Luis played fantastically well but the rest of them were not too far behind.

"The way they went about their job, their attitude, their commitment, their desire to get a result, the pride they showed in playing for the football club and the pride they showed in their own performances: that is the reason why they got the result. Without everyone giving everything they have got you don't beat Manchester United – and they did that."

Dalglish claimed the triumph demonstrated that Liverpool have the quality – and the backing under the Fenway Sports Group – to push for a return to the Champions League in the near future but, despite United's faltering form and results, he was adamant that Ferguson's team remain the standard-bearers in the Premier League.

"I think Manchester United are the benchmark for everybody. They are top of the league so, yes, they are still the benchmark. Everybody would want to be in the position Manchester United are in," said Liverpool's caretaker manager.

"The closer you get to the top the more difficult it is to close the gap. Going from 20th to sixth is not as difficult as sixth to first. The higher we go the more difficult the step up is but the owners are determined to move the club forward within reason and they'll do their best to provide the funds."

 

[dctid]

to be honest and for fear of being called a rag the standard of refering is utterely fookin appaling - there is utterely no consistency - that was a clear red - Ballo gets a yellow for being a gobby shite and Carragher get a yellow for possibly one of the worst tackles this year

Woilves had a perfectly decent goal disalowwed yesterday - we have the Rooney incident - Chelski game and this list goes on and on

Players dont help to be honest - and Rooney "salmon" like fall when he was fouled by Luiz sums the cheating nasty fooker up

Has that tackle been on Silva whom is one of our most influencial players (as is Nani for the rags) if Cooke had not done what Gill had i would be fookin annoyed

But Cooke is not on the FA board, hence it being a conflict of interest for Gill.

Re OP - do you have a link pls

i dont care if he is or not - if Cooke was on the board and we lost one of our key players then i would want and expect Cook to do the same thing

Referring is becoming a disgrace in this country its utter wank - look at that fookin piss poor Clattenberg decision - its all wroing and if we can get things changed by any means then so be it

 

[BertTrautmann'sParachute]

The difference between corruption in English football and corruption in Italian football? They got caught.

Nah. The difference is mindset. The Italians were just using bribes and backhanders given behind locked doors to arrange things their way, and everyone knew it was illegal. Here, it's like a gentlemens' club. They don't bribe the refs, they exert their standing and use the way that people respect and defer to those in authority to cow people into doing what they want, and those at the bottom actively want to be influenced because it's a way of joining the club. It's not really technically illegal because all they have to do is say a few words and their ideas spread - no actual agreements are ever reached. Thus, they can get away with it, because according to the rules, they've done nothing wrong.

If Gill tried to pay off a referee it would be out in the papers like a shot, you can bet on it. The difference is that people like Gill bend the system to their will, whereas the Italians just go "I don't even care that there is a system".

In other words corruption in this country is much more sinister, and effective.

 

[Falastur]

Nah. The difference is mindset. The Italians were just using bribes and backhanders given behind locked doors to arrange things their way, and everyone knew it was illegal. Here, it's like a gentlemens' club. They don't bribe the refs, they exert their standing and use the way that people respect and defer to those in authority to cow people into doing what they want, and those at the bottom actively want to be influenced because it's a way of joining the club. It's not really technically illegal because all they have to do is say a few words and their ideas spread - no actual agreements are ever reached. Thus, they can get away with it, because according to the rules, they've done nothing wrong.

If Gill tried to pay off a referee it would be out in the papers like a shot, you can bet on it. The difference is that people like Gill bend the system to their will, whereas the Italians just go "I don't even care that there is a system".

In other words corruption in this country is much more sinister, and effective.

Sinister depends on your definition of the term. I'd say the Italians could pretty sinister with the way they paid people off to throw matches. The Italian corruption was pretty effective too. The difference was the Italian system left a trail, and as soon as one person came clean to expose it, it was open to being taken apart and punished. The English system is just as sinister and effective, it just relies on a system of respect and authority which is far harder to legislate against, not least because even if there were rules against using influence (and there are some), it's a grey area which you can legitimately talk your way out of. It's much harder to talk your way out of being proven to have given someone a hefty brown envelope.

 

[mike channon´s windmill]

Just proves the scum have been at it and getting away with it for years bullying every fooker in sight

 

[Sigh]

Gill does what he wants. Yet another ref. gone after; and, by implication, Mike Riley:

"If you were doing your job properly Riley we wouldn't have to suffer the likes of these blokes."

 

[NDJ]

in the guardian their is a piece by daniel taylor and andy hunter stating that david gill approached mike riley in the directors box at half time to remonstrate why carragher was not sent off for is challenge on nani, it sent my memory into the adebayor incident last season, which i always felt that something had gone on at the fa to fast track his punishment before the 4-3 atkinson defeat, i find it ridiculous that he can use his authority for the benefit of his own club, when he more than likely gets a bonus from the club if united win the premiership, where was gill when Rooney did g b h on mccarthy at wigan last week, surely if the guy his abusing his power as a fa director then he should be replaced? thoughts please guys?

to be honest and for fear of being called a rag the standard of refering is utterely fookin appaling - there is utterely no consistency - that was a clear red - Ballo gets a yellow for being a gobby shite and Carragher get a yellow for possibly one of the worst tackles this year

Woilves had a perfectly decent goal disalowwed yesterday - we have the Rooney incident - Chelski game and this list goes on and on

Players dont help to be honest - and Rooney "salmon" like fall when he was fouled by Luiz sums the cheating nasty fooker up

Has that tackle been on Silva whom is one of our most influencial players (as is Nani for the rags) if Cooke had not done what Gill had i would be fookin annoyed

Rag! :)

 

[mat]

I look forward to the national media outcry on TV and Radio.Oh.....,

 

[malg]

Ferguson playing a blinder again, and making sure that the ref for the Arsenal cup game is 'on side'. Be under no illusions regarding the amount of bullying he will get in that game. The Rags will win that game, and the ref will give them at least one penalty and a red card to Arsenal. Not mind games, just pure out and out bullying - and he'll get away with it.