Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has apologised to Alan Wiley, but still insists the fitness of referees must be addressed.
But United boss still wants fitness levels addressed
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has apologised to Alan Wiley, but still insists the fitness of referees must be addressed.
Ferguson launched a scathing attack on Wiley in the wake of the Red Devils' recent 2-2 draw with Sunderland at Old Trafford.
The Scot claimed in a post-match interview that the experienced official was 'not fit enough for a game of that standard' and accused Wiley of 'walking up the pitch for the second goal needing a rest'.
The Football Association have contacted Ferguson to ask for an explanation of his comments, while representatives of the professional referees have condemned his outburst.
Ferguson has now issued a public apology to Wiley for any embarrassment he may have caused, and intends to contact the referee personally in the coming days.
However, he has not backed down from his viewpoint that the overall fitness of referees in the Premier League needs to be addressed given the ever-increasing pace of football in England.
Apologise
In a statement issued on the club's
official website, Ferguson said: "I apologise to Mr Wiley for any personal embarrassment that my remarks may have caused and to the FA for going public with my views.
"In retrospect, I accept that this could be deemed as expressing those views in an inappropriate forum.
"It was never my intention to bring the focus of intense media attention on Mr Wiley. I intend to contact him personally after I return from a trip overseas during this international break.
"I would wish it to be noted that I have always respected Mr Wiley's integrity and that I did not state or imply:
:: that Mr Wiley is a bad referee;
:: that he was in any way biased;
:: that decision-making generally during the game was poor, or
:: that he missed any key incident during the game.
"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."
