Jantje
9th November 2006, 08:47 AM
Referee Graham Poll is at the centre of controversy again after Everton's James McFadden was sent off against Arsenal in the his side's Carling Cup defeat.
Everton boss David Moyes claimed the fourth official told him McFadden was dismissed for calling Poll a cheat.
But while the striker said he queried Poll's decision not to give a penalty, he added: "I didn't call him a cheat."
Poll was already in the spotlight after his much-criticised decision to dismiss Chelsea's John Terry against Tottenham.
Terry said later that he had been given two different versions of why he was issued with a second yellow card in Sunday's game, while team-mate Ashley Cole accused Poll of bias against his club.Other people are talking about our player when they should be keeping their mouths shut. He is being punished
Wednesday's incident came after Everton striker Andrew Johnson was brought down by Philippe Senderos in the penalty area.
As Poll waved away the hosts' penalty appeals, McFadden was seen to speak angrily to the referee and was then sent off in the 19th minute.
"The fourth official told me that he had been sent off because he had called the referee a cheat but James refutes that," said a furious Moyes, who took the unusual step of bringing McFadden to his post-match news conference to give his side of the story.
"And Andy Johnson told me afterwards that he felt he was fouled in the box and it was a penalty. I now feel he is being punished for what other people are saying about him."
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger and Sheffield United counterpart Neil Warnock have both questioned Johnson's apparent willingness to go down in the box too easily.
"He is definitely suffering because of what is being said," said Moyes.
"Other people are talking about our player when they should be keeping their mouths shut. He is being punished."
Is poll a top referee or is he an ego maniac who wants to be the centre of attention?
Everton boss David Moyes claimed the fourth official told him McFadden was dismissed for calling Poll a cheat.
But while the striker said he queried Poll's decision not to give a penalty, he added: "I didn't call him a cheat."
Poll was already in the spotlight after his much-criticised decision to dismiss Chelsea's John Terry against Tottenham.
Terry said later that he had been given two different versions of why he was issued with a second yellow card in Sunday's game, while team-mate Ashley Cole accused Poll of bias against his club.Other people are talking about our player when they should be keeping their mouths shut. He is being punished
Wednesday's incident came after Everton striker Andrew Johnson was brought down by Philippe Senderos in the penalty area.
As Poll waved away the hosts' penalty appeals, McFadden was seen to speak angrily to the referee and was then sent off in the 19th minute.
"The fourth official told me that he had been sent off because he had called the referee a cheat but James refutes that," said a furious Moyes, who took the unusual step of bringing McFadden to his post-match news conference to give his side of the story.
"And Andy Johnson told me afterwards that he felt he was fouled in the box and it was a penalty. I now feel he is being punished for what other people are saying about him."
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger and Sheffield United counterpart Neil Warnock have both questioned Johnson's apparent willingness to go down in the box too easily.
"He is definitely suffering because of what is being said," said Moyes.
"Other people are talking about our player when they should be keeping their mouths shut. He is being punished."
Is poll a top referee or is he an ego maniac who wants to be the centre of attention?