alex ferguson is afraid

PREMIER LEAGUE NEWS
Sir Alex fears being made an example of
By Harry Harris
October 19, 2009
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Sir Alex Ferguson's camp claims that the Manchester United boss might be unable to gain a "fair hearing" when he is finally charged with improper conduct by the Football Assocation for his attack on referee Alan Wiley.
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Sir Alex had until Friday to deliver a written explanation of his remarks about the official and is expected to be charged on Monday. ESPN Soccernet has been told that despite three apologies, the first on the United website, the second in a letter to the FA and a third he is ready to make direct to Wiley, the FA will charge him.
Then Sir Alex , who flies out to Russia with United on Monday for Champions League action on Tuesday tea-time, will have the statutory 14 days to respond, before the FA sort out a date for a hearing.
A source close to Sir Alex told ESPN Socccernet: "I don't believe Sir Alex can now get a fair hearing.
"The Referees' Association has been putting undue pressure on the FA demanding that they inflict sever punishment against him.
"Yet it is unprecedented for any manager to receive a touch line ban for making post match press comments."
But with new rules on comments about match officials and the FA's tough stance on the Respect campaign, there are growing fears in Sir Alex's camp that they will have to make an example of someone - irrespective of their status in the game.
The source added: "It will be at the discretion of the commission to decide the punishment, so anything is possible, but talk of a five-game ban is just ludicrous."
If there is any draconian punishment, then Sir Alex is sure to appeal, and the United manager has the full backing of his union, the League Managers' Association.
ESPN Soccernet has been told that the LMA and PFA are now engaged in monthly summit meetings with the referees and FA, to remove the chasm that exists between mangers and officials
After the incident with Sir Alex, the wider issues of referees' fitness and indeed their over all competence is now back on the agenda.
Sir Alex's criticism of Wiley's fitness levels has re-opened a debate surrounding managers deep concerns over the standard of refereeing in this country.
The LMA have taken the opportunity of Sir Alex's outspoken attack to insist that a long list of recommendations they issued back in March need to be implemented to improve standards of referring over all.