Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson last night claimed Chelsea have left Mark Clattenburg tainted for the rest of his life with their accusation of racism.
Ferguson spoke for the first time yesterday about Chelsea’s decision to accuse referee Clattenburg of making a racist remark to midfielder John Mikel Obi during Sunday’s controversial Barclays Premier League defeat by United at Stamford Bridge. And the United manager was quick to throw his weight behind the official as he outlined his fears that Clattenburg will have to live with the stigma of the accusation even if nothing is proved. Ferguson said: “It’s a problem for Mark and it is unfortunate.
Stigma does tend to stick and that is the real unfortunate part. I have had my run-ins with referees over the years, as you well know. I have been fined a few times, but I just think that what has happened over the past week is unthinkable. It’s an accusation which, even in the heat of the moment, shouldn’t be made. You can’t do that.” United face Arsenal in another big Premier League clash at Old Trafford today, with Gunners boss Arsene Wenger already having criticised Chelsea for making their accusation against Clattenburg so soon after the final whistle. Ferguson endorsed this view and said: ‘That’s the point Arsene made and I think most people agree with that. How they (Chelsea) have got themselves into this position, I don’t know, but they are going to have to get themselves out of it somehow. “I think the FA are going to have to get involved in it. If it is proved right, it is a different issue altogether because you cannot support the indefensible, but my personal feeling is that it didn’t happen.”
“I have asked my players and none of them heard anything. I don’t believe Mark Clattenburg would make any comments like that. I refuse to believe it. It’s unthinkable. In the modern climate, I just don’t believe it. Simple as that.”
“There is no way a referee would stoop to that, I’m convinced about that. The way we see the game today as compared to the way it was 25 years ago, it has completely changed.
I played myself and I know the banter that goes on between referees and players 25 years ago is different from today.I’ve never heard of a player come to me in the last 15 years and say that the referee swore in the game. Ever. So that’s where I stand, I don’t believe it.”
Ferguson’s categorical stance on the matter will be appreciated by Clattenburg, who has been stood down from officiating today while the dust settles. It was not welcomed by Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo, however, who made it clear he thinks Ferguson and indeed Wenger should now stay out of the matter.
“(Ferguson) likes to talk about other clubs,”said Di Matteo. “We tend not to. I’ll leave it up to him. It’s a free country where everybody has the freedom of speech. We’ll take into consideration what other people say and use it as a motivational tool for ourselves. We believe we did what was right. I cannot say more than that because of the investigation.”
Asked directly if Ferguson’s comments were unhelpful, Di Matteo added: ‘Yeah. I have to say that it happened in the past as well. There is a lot of respect between your colleagues, the managers in general. And everybody has a different approach. Some people talk about other clubs and clubs’ issues and some don’t.
We’ll take and acknowledge his comment but it doesn’t mean that we share it. United and Chelsea have been involved in two controversial matches in the space of a week, Ferguson’s team winning 3-2 at Stamford Bridge last Sunday and Di Matteo’s players coming through in extra time in the Capital One Cup three days later. Di Matteo — who lost two players to red cards in the first game — suggested yesterday that United continue to get the benefit of big refereeing decisions. He said: ‘There is a lot of evidence for being concerned that all the decisions go in United’s favour. There are some feelings in general but I don’t think they (referees) do that with a purpose.
Ferguson, meanwhile, suggested that Fernando Torres — sent off for two bookings last Sunday — should have been awarded a straight red in the first half.
He said: “Mark actually does them a favour because he should have sent Torres off in the first half. He was trying to keep a lid on it but by sending him off for a second yellow card Torres only misses one game, so he is free for the next two league games.