Wigon v The Arse

[cobain]

Nice put by Jewell. And I hate Dowd almost as much as Mike "We allow basketball on football pitch" Riley...

[Fiddy]

Trying to be objective, I don't see how you can hold that up as an example of how we're 'better than they are'...the Liverpool fan sounds bitter and like he's clutching at straws (Gronkjaer??!) and resorts to making cracks about Dein and 'honnika', and Rwandans...say what you like, they battered us. You don't win 6-3 without good reason. Be a man and admit it, don't stoop into the gutter and sound desperate.

This was just an email that made me laugh after we lost 3-6. I was pissed off at that time and needed something to cheer me up.

Wasn't referring to you in that last line, more the guy in that email

[Red_Polo]

Trying to be objective, I don't see how you can hold that up as an example of how we're 'better than they are'...the Liverpool fan sounds bitter and like he's clutching at straws (Gronkjaer??!) and resorts to making cracks about Dein and 'honnika', and Rwandans...say what you like, they battered us. You don't win 6-3 without good reason. Be a man and admit it, don't stoop into the gutter and sound desperate.

More or less what I thought. Comes across as bitter and deluded rather than classy. I thought the stuff about 'honnika' and Rwandans was a bit ****ing ****ty tbh.

[Joey Jones]

Boss Jewell hit by charge from FA

It was bound to happen wasn't it?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/wigan_athletic/6357015.stm

Wigan boss Paul Jewell has been charged with improper conduct by the Football Association for confronting referee Phil Dowd after the defeat at Arsenal.

Jewell was furious that Dowd failed to give a penalty when Mathieu Flamini appeared to bring down Emile Heskey when Wigan were leading 1-0 on Sunday.

Arsenal went on to win 2-1 and Jewell stormed on to the pitch after the final whistle to remonstrate with Dowd.

Jewell has been given until 28 February to respond to the charge.

Dowd further infuriated Jewell by not letting Josip Skoko back on to the pitch after he had received treatment, meaning the Australian was still on the sidelines as Fitz Hall scored the own goal that set Arsenal up for a comeback win.

[cobain]

And what's the charge?

[lfc4ever]

Link has been updated:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/wigan_athletic/6357015.stm

Jewell charged as Wigan hit back

Wigan boss Jewell was infuriated by referee Dowd's decisions

Wigan boss Paul Jewell has been charged with improper conduct by the Football Association for confronting referee Phil Dowd after the defeat at Arsenal.

Jewell was furious that Dowd failed to give a penalty when Mathieu Flamini appeared to bring down Emile Heskey when Wigan were leading 1-0 on Sunday.

Arsenal went on to win 2-1 and Jewell stormed on to the pitch after the final whistle to remonstrate with Dowd.

Wigan have complained to the FA and Premier League about Dowd's conduct.

I am going to get into trouble I know that, because I made my mind clear to the officials

Their complaint has also gone to referees' chief Keith Hackett, with Wigan claiming "that a number of their players were verbally abused in an aggressive and menacing manner by Mr Dowd".

But Jewell is determined to fight the charge and said: "We, as a club, will be fighting this tooth and nail.

"We owe it to our supporters to fight this, because if I just shrug my shoulders and do nothing when I feel an injustice has been done, it would be letting them down.

"I have been overwhelmed with the support I have had from inside the game, big figures who I respect a great deal.

"They have told me in no uncertain terms that I must take this all the way, and that's what I intend to do."

During the defeat at Arsenal, Dowd further infuriated Jewell by not letting Josip Skoko back on to the pitch after he had received treatment, meaning the Australian was still on the sidelines as Fitz Hall scored the own goal that set the Gunners up for a comeback win.

Wigan's defeat left them deep in trouble in the Premiership - and facing the expensive prospect of relegation.

Jewell said in the news conference after the game: "Dowd has cost our team the points - it could cost us £50m.

"I am going to get into trouble, I know that, because I made my mind clear to the officials."

Latics' owner Dave Whelan is also unhappy and has claimed Dowd swore at Wigan's players during the match - an allegation also made by Jewell.

The Wigan chairman said: "This particular referee seems to get it wrong quite a lot and surely they have to look at his performances over the season.

"He gave 10 yellow cards and there was only one foul all game.

"It is disappointing when you get a penalty that is such a nailed-on penalty and it is not given.

"You wonder what the hell goes on. Do they not like giving penalties at places like Manchester United and Arsenal?

"The referee used foul and abusive language to our players - that is not acceptable and we should take that up with the league.

"If the players used foul and abusive language to the referee, they would have been sent off."

=====================

What's the betting the big, big figures "inside the game" are Big Fat Sam & Harry "giz a bung" Redknap?

[Dhav]

Jewell has a point - the referee is allowed to make poorly judged and incorrect match-altering decisions without the fear of any substantive repercussions while the club on the receiving must grin and bear it and not even allowed to criticise those decisions. If these guys are supposedly professional, then they should be far more accountable for their actions than they currently are. I mean what is the worst that will happen to this knob in the wake of his shocking performance on Sunday? He'll be removed from the next high profile game he was due to take charge of, but the week after or the week after that he'll be back reffing in the top league as if nothing happened. Pathetic really.

[cobain]

Jewell has a point - the referee is allowed to make poorly judged and incorrect match-altering decisions without the fear of any substantive repercussions while the club on the receiving must grin and bear it and not even allowed to criticise those decisions. If these guys are supposedly professional, then they should be far more accountable for their actions than they currently are. I mean what is the worst that will happen to this knob in the wake of his shocking performance on Sunday? He'll be removed from the next high profile game he was due to take charge of, but the week after or the week after that he'll be back reffing in the top league as if nothing happened. Pathetic really.

I agree with you mate

But then again, what can you do? You can't ban the referee, you can't give him a fine (or can you?)... It does make you think...

[Mumsafan]

I think they can be demoted without warning

[TheStig]

Jewell has a point - the referee is allowed to make poorly judged and incorrect match-altering decisions without the fear of any substantive repercussions while the club on the receiving must grin and bear it and not even allowed to criticise those decisions. If these guys are supposedly professional, then they should be far more accountable for their actions than they currently are. I mean what is the worst that will happen to this knob in the wake of his shocking performance on Sunday? He'll be removed from the next high profile game he was due to take charge of, but the week after or the week after that he'll be back reffing in the top league as if nothing happened. Pathetic really.

Agreed. The standard of officiating simply isn't good enough at the top level.

[AFII]

....and Wigan hit back again...

SIX Wigan players have given details of referee Phil Dowd's alleged 'F'-word comments in a dossier to be sent to the Football Association.

Manager Paul Jewell has compiled a report of the foul-mouthed comments from the Staffordshire official in the stormy defeat at Arsenal and it is being delivered to the FA after they decided to charge the boss with improper conduct.

Striker Lee McCulloch claims he was told 'f*** off, you moaning b******' while Ryan Taylor was warned after a second complaint: 'F*** off, who do you think you are talking to?'

The dossier claims skipper Leighton Baines - later booked for dissent - was on the end of a straight swearing remark as were Matt Jackson, Australian Jospi Skoko and Emmerson Boyce. Other players like Chris Kirkland and Fitz Hall heard the stick.

Wigan want to put the record straight and are also concerned that officials can talk to them like that - but not 'stars' at bigger clubs.

Jewell said: "I will be fighting it all the way. If I just shrug my shoulders at injustice it comes across that I don't care.

"We're living in a democracy, that's why we fought all of those wars, and I don't take things lying down.

"The only regret I have is the refereeing decisions. If we could turn back the clock I think Phil Dowd would change his mind."

Jewell was incensed by Dowd's performance, specifically his refusal to award a penalty when Mathieu Flamini appeared to bring down Emile Heskey when Wigan were 1-0 up, before losing 2-1.

Refs' supremo Keith Hackett was unavailable for comment last night.

CLICKY - The Mirror

[Sydney Vicious]

World Class mind

Against Fulham and Boro maybe, he don't do it in the big games tho. He's not world class. He doesn't even have class.

[Neil Young]

I really think Wigan have a got a good point. Dowd was pretty shockingly awful (although the linesman was obviously at fault for the offside). If Dowd swore at the players I'd say that's totally out of order. He's in a position of authority and one of his tasks is to punish players (and managers etc on the touchline) if he deems them guilty of abusive language. How can he do that if he's telling them to f**k off?

I feel like writing to the FA but I'm too lazy to follow through on it.