Wiley Considered Quitting After Fergie Blast

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Quote :: Alan Wiley was so distressed after Sir Alex Ferguson branded him 'unfit' that he considered quitting.

Friends of the referee revealed that he was tempted to walk away from football over the Manchester United manager's astonishing attack.
Ferguson criticised Wiley following United's fortunate 2-2 home draw against Sunderland on Saturday and the FA, after debating whether to charge the manager, have asked him to explain his comments.

Quit threat: Alan Wiley was left so distressed by Sir Alex Ferguson's attack that he contemplated blowing the whistle on his career as a Premier League referee

An exclusive Sportsmail analysis of Wiley's performance shows Ferguson's criticism was unjustified and the official is understood to have had second thoughts about quitting after receiving strong support from colleagues.

Ferguson said about Wiley: 'It took him at least 30 seconds every time he booked a player and I think that was because he wanted to take a rest.'

In fact, the analysis shows Wiley covered more ground than most players, and his performance has been praised by the Professional Game Match Officials.

Trouble ahead: The FA are investigating Fergie's rant

As revealed in Sportsmail on Monday, the Barclays Premier League see Ferguson's comments as a slur on the refereeing community and would like to see him charged. But there is a fear among referees that Ferguson will not be hit with a sufficient deterrent to discourage such attacks in the future.

Sir Alex has run into trouble with his comments before, including a two-match touchline ban in August 2003 following an attack on fourth official Jeff Winter, a similar ban in November 2007 for criticising referee Mark Clattenburg and two more games and £10,000 fine for an outburst against Mike Dean a year later.

Alan Leighton, national secretary of professionals' union Prospect, who represent referees, said: 'Sir Alex made comments about other referees and said about European referees being as fit as butchers' dogs.

'But all of our referees pass stringent fitness tests at the start of the season. If Alan Wiley or any other referee were not fit they would not be refereeing.'

I did think fergie was out of order, we lost - drawn i mean because of the players not the ref.

Even though wiley is one of the poorest refs there is

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Have you now seen the referee union want to take this matter over the FA's head and up to UEFA(because as you say they fear he will get a lenient punishment ie probably yet another touchline ban). If they do this and UEFA uphold their complaint then he could receive a coaching ban!(No contact with team in stadium on matchdays! No travelling on teambus! No travelling with team in any shape or form to or from matches ! All of these would also include all european games ie the oh so important champions league games! For possibly the rest of the season!) The other alternative is to get him suspended from employment!
The referees are out to get fergie and to be fair it is about time they were biting back especially considering they are still supposed to be running their respect campaign!

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Also why is it he only ever critices refs when man utd lose or draw NEVER when they win.

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lazyitus wrote:: Also why is it he only ever critices refs when man utd lose or draw NEVER when they win.

I agree

when they lose it is refs fault Mad

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Fergies a bad loser just like any good manager but sometimes he takes it to far.
I dont know what he was blaming ref for last saturday, blame your players they were awful.
Rooneys got baby on his mind worst ive seen him play for a while, the midfield couldnt pass a ball, anderson did well when he came on, i dont like all this rotating fergie does, he does it to much.. and giggs our best player this season he rests him which i dont understand, theres an international break an giggs doesnt play international anymore so that was weird but not as much as playing welbeck on the left of midfield, whats he thinking.

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Copy and pasted from BBC sport website

'The head of the referees' union wants Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson banned for claiming match official Alan Wiley was not fit enough.

Ferguson has since apologised for any embarrassment his remarks after the draw with Sunderland may have caused.

But Alan Leighton, head of officials' union Prospect, told BBC Radio 5 live the apology was "half-hearted".

"A punishment should be a Uefa-type coaching ban, which is more than a touchline ban," said Leighton.

"A Uefa ban involves a ban for a greater period of time during, before and after a game."

ALSO

My only intention in speaking publicly, was to highlight what I believe to be a serious and important issue in the game, namely that the fitness levels of referees must match the ever increasing demands of the modern game, which I hope will now be properly addressed through the appropriate formal channels," added Ferguson in his statement at the weekend.

Leighton responded: "I think it probably exacerbates the position rather than resolves it.

"He clearly hasn't retracted his statement about Alan being unfit so it's not an apology to Alan for the main offence caused. He then widens it to question the fitness of other referees in the select group.

"He seems to be opening another can of worms, which I don't think is helpful at all."

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He will just get a touchline ban - because its sir alex ferguson.
But he should be hoping all the refs dont make a complaint agaist him for saying there all unfit lol