Newell's blistering attack on chairman
And boss questions role of female officiating
Luton boss Mike Newell launched an amazing attack against female referee's assistant Amy Rayner and then his own chairman Bill Tomlins after seeing his side lose 3-2 to QPR.
The Hatters manager was left fuming after seeing his side denied a penalty in the first-half before questioning the lineswoman's decision to award Rangers a corner in the second period which led to their leveller.
And Newell later went on to question the role of his chairman saying he hadn't spoken to Tomlins for months and adding 'everything he's got into he's messed up and I'm just about fed up with it'.
On referee's assistant Rayner, he said: "She shouldn't be here. It sounds sexist, but I am sexist. We have a real problem with all this politically correct stuff in this country, but she simply shouldn't be here.
"It's not the way to improve officiating by letting women into the game – it beggars belief.
"The foul on Carlos (Edwards) was a penalty there's no two ways about it. (Referee Andy) D'Urso didn't give it and neither did she.
"Can anybody tell me why she's here? When we get to the stage where they're all women (the match officials), then we're in trouble.
"We've got a bad enough problem with the standard of referees and linesman that we've already got, but when we start bringing women into the game we've got a problem.
"Girls can play junior football to a certain age and then they're not allowed to play so why are we allowing them to officiate in Championship football matches?
"It's Championship level, we're not talking parks football here."
Luton Today attempted to speak to Leicestershire-based official Rayner after the game, but she was unavailable for comment.
Newell also then let fly with an astonishing broadside against chairman Tomlins, who had claimed in his programme notes that the board was ready to back their manager with a move into the loan market.
Newell said: "I haven't spoken to him for months. You should speak to him yourself to find out why he's here and what he's doing here.
"I can't understand why he's here and what he's doing.
"He hasn't made any decisons. He hasn't done anything.
"Everything he gets into he has messed up and I'm just about fed up with it.
"I keep getting told that when we get planning permission there will be money to spend or that next week the club will change hands.
"I've had it for two years. It was easier when we were in administration because we had nothing and we just had 20 players to work with."
Newell also warned that the uncertainty was affecting his players, particularly those in the last year of their contracts.
He added: "Players like Markus Heikkinen should have been tied up eight months ago, but we're going to end up losing them for nothing because they will let their contracts run out.
"When I committed myself to the club I expected them to follow that by committing the players.
"They want to know why they haven't been offered new contracts and I want to know why as well."
Luton Today spoke to Tomlins after the game. He said the board of directors was due to meet tomorrow (Sunday) to formulate an official response to Newell's words.
11 November 2006
And boss questions role of female officiating
Luton boss Mike Newell launched an amazing attack against female referee's assistant Amy Rayner and then his own chairman Bill Tomlins after seeing his side lose 3-2 to QPR.
The Hatters manager was left fuming after seeing his side denied a penalty in the first-half before questioning the lineswoman's decision to award Rangers a corner in the second period which led to their leveller.
And Newell later went on to question the role of his chairman saying he hadn't spoken to Tomlins for months and adding 'everything he's got into he's messed up and I'm just about fed up with it'.
On referee's assistant Rayner, he said: "She shouldn't be here. It sounds sexist, but I am sexist. We have a real problem with all this politically correct stuff in this country, but she simply shouldn't be here.
"It's not the way to improve officiating by letting women into the game – it beggars belief.
"The foul on Carlos (Edwards) was a penalty there's no two ways about it. (Referee Andy) D'Urso didn't give it and neither did she.
"Can anybody tell me why she's here? When we get to the stage where they're all women (the match officials), then we're in trouble.
"We've got a bad enough problem with the standard of referees and linesman that we've already got, but when we start bringing women into the game we've got a problem.
"Girls can play junior football to a certain age and then they're not allowed to play so why are we allowing them to officiate in Championship football matches?
"It's Championship level, we're not talking parks football here."
Luton Today attempted to speak to Leicestershire-based official Rayner after the game, but she was unavailable for comment.
Newell also then let fly with an astonishing broadside against chairman Tomlins, who had claimed in his programme notes that the board was ready to back their manager with a move into the loan market.
Newell said: "I haven't spoken to him for months. You should speak to him yourself to find out why he's here and what he's doing here.
"I can't understand why he's here and what he's doing.
"He hasn't made any decisons. He hasn't done anything.
"Everything he gets into he has messed up and I'm just about fed up with it.
"I keep getting told that when we get planning permission there will be money to spend or that next week the club will change hands.
"I've had it for two years. It was easier when we were in administration because we had nothing and we just had 20 players to work with."
Newell also warned that the uncertainty was affecting his players, particularly those in the last year of their contracts.
He added: "Players like Markus Heikkinen should have been tied up eight months ago, but we're going to end up losing them for nothing because they will let their contracts run out.
"When I committed myself to the club I expected them to follow that by committing the players.
"They want to know why they haven't been offered new contracts and I want to know why as well."
Luton Today spoke to Tomlins after the game. He said the board of directors was due to meet tomorrow (Sunday) to formulate an official response to Newell's words.
11 November 2006
Comment