Sir Alex Ferguson has defended his on-field confrontation with the referee Mike Dean and launched a tirade at Newcastle United’s Alan Pardew, accusing him of hypocrisy and describing him as a manager of a “wee club in the north east”.
The Football Association announced on Thursday that no action will be taken against Ferguson following Manchester United’s 4-3 home win over Newcastle on Boxing Day. Ferguson was furious after Dean overruled his assistant Jake Collin to allow Newcastle’s second goal to stand, approaching Dean as he made his way out for the second half, before rounding on the fourth official Neil Swarbrick and Collin.
Pardew said on Thursday that Ferguson’s conduct was worthy of a dismissal, adding that Dean will have been “slightly disappointed” he did not take action at the time. On Friday, Ferguson hit back.
“Alan Pardew has come out and criticised me,” he said. “He is the worst at haranguing referees. He shoves them and makes a joke of it. How he can criticise me is unbelievable. He forgets the help I gave him, by the way.
“I was demonstrative but I was not out of order. The press have had a field day. The only person they have not spoken to is Barack Obama because he is busy. It is unfortunate but I am the manager of the most famous club in the world. Not Newcastle, a wee club in the north east.
“I was demonstrative. I am always demonstrative. Everyone knows that. I am an emotional guy. But I was not abusive. I shouted Mike over. We walked towards each other. I was only on [the pitch] three or four yards. That has been overplayed. The problem for me is that the profile of this club is huge.”
Pardew was given a two-match touchline ban and fined £20,000 after accepting an FA charge of improper conduct for pushing an assistant referee earlier this season. He was sent off during the 2-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur on 18 August when he pushed Peter Kirkup after claiming the ball had gone out of play during a Tottenham attack.
Meanwhile, Ferguson could hand Shinji Kagawa a place on the substitutes’ bench for Saturday’s visit of West Bromwich Albion. The Japan international has been absent since injuring his knee in October but managed a solo training session at Old Trafford ahead of United’s win over Newcastle.
“He wanted to do a warm-up on Wednesday and we will see what he is like,” Ferguson said. “I could put him on the bench tomorrow. It depends on who we have available.” Wayne Rooney definitely misses out with a knee injury, but Ashley Young and Danny Welbeck could be fit after missing the Boxing Day game.
Ferguson also launched a passionate defence of Ryan Giggs, who has encountered criticism for his performances this season. “How can people criticise a player like that?” the manager asked. “He has given us 20 years and has done so well. It is a problem for him because he wants to play more but at his age I cannot afford to risk that. He was amazing on Wednesday and it is simply beyond belief that anyone can criticise that.”
theGuardian
