Slaven Bilic charged with improper conduct by FA following red card in Everton loss
FA: "It is alleged that the West Bromwich Albion FC manager's language and/or behaviour on the field of play at half-time of the Premier League fixture against Everton amounts to improper conduct"
Tuesday 22 September 2020 10:25, UK
West Brom manager Slaven Bilic has been charged with improper conduct by the Football Association.
Bilic came onto the pitch at half-time in Albion's 5-2 defeat to Everton on Saturday and was shown a red card by referee Mike Dean for his protests.
The FA has now decided to charge him over the incident.
"Slaven Bilic has been charged with a breach of FA Rule E3," a governing body statement read.
"It is alleged that the West Bromwich Albion FC manager's language and/or behaviour on the field of play at half-time of the Premier League fixture against Everton amounts to improper conduct."
The FA statement added that Bilic had until Thursday to respond.
Bilic came onto the pitch following the first-half dismissal of West Brom defender Kieran Gibbs for pushing Everton's James Rodriguez in the face.
Bilic said of the incident that led to his own red card: "As a manager I should be in a situation to ask the referee what's going on.
"I didn't swear. I asked him in a frustrated way but I didn't go over the line but he just ignored me and gave me red. I told him if you want to kill us, kill us. That's all."
Bilic was fined £2,000 in August 2019 after being sent to the stands during a Championship match against Derby.
In February 2017 he was fined £8,000 after admitting an FA misconduct charge during his time at West Ham. He was sent off for protesting about a goal scored by West Brom, throwing a television mic to the ground in frustration.
West Brom are in Carabao Cup action on Tuesday when they host Brentford (kick-off 7pm), before welcoming Chelsea to The Hawthorns next Saturday in the Premier League, live on Sky Sports (kick-off 5.30pm).
Lack of discipline costs West Brom
Charlotte Marsh writes in this week's Premier League Hits and Misses...
When Grady Diangana tested Jordan Pickford inside three minutes before scoring a superb goal shortly after, you expected West Brom to take the game to Everton after a demoralising 3-0 defeat to Leicester on the opening weekend.
But what transpired at Goodison Park was more of a blow because it was West Brom's own ill-discipline that cost them. The easiest place to rest the blame would be with Kieran Gibbs for his unnecessary sending off at the end of the first half for striking James. While it may have been out of character for the former Arsenal defender, it was petulant and certainly warranted a straight red.
He was swiftly followed by manager Slaven Bilic after his on-field protests to referee Mike Dean, which is not allowed under Premier League rules. The Croatian is experienced in the English game and knew his confrontation could lead to a sending off, which is just what happened as he watched on from the stands for the second half.
With a defender and manager down, it was not going to be long before the wheels came off for West Brom, even if Matheus Pereira's superb free-kick hauled the Baggies level immediately after the break. Everton went on to score three more while West Brom's attacking bite from the first half evaporated.
It is not just Gibbs and Bilic who must shoulder the blame, the defending overall was well below par. Calvert-Lewin scored twice from tap-ins right on the goal-line, as did Michael Keane, and there was not enough cohesion in the West Brom defence to keep out Everton's talent. There is already plenty for Bilic to work on and the Baggies need quick improvement.
