You've got to play by the rules

Just a quick thought on Sir Alex Ferguson and his moan about the FA. While I have little good to say about the FA myself, I wonder what the Man Utd players think when he criticizes the governing body for censuring him.

In truth they probably don’t give it a second thought, but isn’t there a little hypocrisy in it all?

He apparently said some nice things about a referee before a game and was hauled up for doing so which he, in turn, objected to. But surely rules are rules and you have to stick to them.

I can’t imagine Fergie letting it go if a player ignored the rules he expects them to abide by at Old Trafford or at the training ground at Carrington. So why does he think he can break the FA rules without being brought to task? Surely only an absolute ruler or dictator is above the rules or laws laid down for everyone else to follow.

And if the defence is: He wasn’t criticizing the referee, merely complimenting him - I’m afraid that doesn’t wash. Sir Alex as his mind games go well before him and he’s played them so often, others are within their rights to cast suspicion on anything that comes out of his mouth. The reason you don’t say ANYTHING about a referee before the game is because you could just as easily be currying favour as attacking them.

Respect them or not (and, as I’ve indicated in previous posts, I don’t), the FA rules are there for everyone, whether you are a Sunday morning footballer or, arguably, the best manager that English football has ever seen.