By Alan G
March 16 2007
Paul Jewell has hit out at the FA after being charged with “improper conduct and/or bringing the game into disrepute” following his criticism of referee Phil Dowd after the controversial 2-1 defeat at Arsenal on February 11th.
This new charge
relates to the comments he made about Dowd after the game. Latics
complained to the FA and Premier League about Dowd's conduct, and
also to referees' chief Keith Hackett, with Latics claiming
"that a number of their players were verbally abused in an
aggressive and menacing manner by Mr Dowd".
Jewell faces a
hearing at the
"You can
criticise the Pope, the Queen and the Prime Minister - quite
rightly in my opinion - but you cannot criticise referees,"
rapped Jewell.
"If I am
asked a question, I will try to give an honest answer. Isn't that
what democracy is all about?
"All I am
doing is answering questions from the heart, so if they fine me
for doing that, then there is something wrong with the game.
"Maybe I
should start doing my interviews in Portuguese instead, because I
would probably have been all right in that case?"
Jewell has also
admitted the he has contemplated taking the matter of free speech
to a higher authority. He added: "Taking it to a higher
level, a court of law, has crossed my mind.
"Other
managers I speak to say the same, but we're all waiting for
somebody else to do it."
Jewell continued:
"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."
Jewell has
already admitted an improper conduct offence for confronting Dowd
after the game. He has requested a personal hearing over the
incident and has until 30 March to respond to the new charge.
You will remember
that Jewell was furious that Dowd failed to give a penalty when
Mathieu Flamini appeared to bring down Emile Heskey when Latics
were leading 1-0, and stormed on to the pitch at the final
whistle to remonstrate with the referee.
Camara
Speculation
Reports are
surfacing that Martin Jol could be preparing a summer swoop for
Latics striker Henri Camara, re-uniting him with the lovely
Pascal Chimbonda.
Camara has
refused to comment on this speculation.
Carlo Nash and
his orange face
Super-tanned
David Dickinson rival Carlo Nash has extended his stay at Wigan
Athletic, keeping him at the JJB Stadium until April 15th.
Jewell angry
at City link
Jewell has
expressed his dismay at the English press linking him (and Sam
Allardyce) with the
"I am not
saying I would never want the
"We get too
excited when things are going well and are far too critical when
things are not going well. Stuart was touted as one of the best
young managers in the Barclays Premiership and all of sudden he
is no good.
"Somewhere
in between is probably the right answer." He said, rather
undiplomatically.
Rag Apologises
A local rag
apologises for its pitifully inaccurate journalism in the
reporting in a young Latics’ fans death. It’s not the
first time such shoddy work has gone to print, and it won’t
be the last. Read Ye Olde Tree And Crown’s eloquent story here.
View a Printer Friendly version of this Story.