'we'll take it up with uefa'
PAULO Sousa is considering complaining to Uefa over Swansea City's treatment by referees after yet another big call went against them last night.
Swansea's hopes of automatic promotion to the Premier League look all but over after West Bromwich Albion won the top-of-the-table collision 2-0 at the Liberty.
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The second-placed Baggies are now 12 points clear of Swansea after a victory which came courtesy of what the home side felt was a dive by Giles Barnes. With the game heading towards a goalless draw, the winger went down under Angel Rangel's challenge and Graham Dorrans converted the 79th-minute penalty which resulted.
Ishmael Miller sealed the win with a second as Swansea threw men forward at the death, but the spot-kick was the game's big turning point.
It is the latest in a succession of decisions to have gone against Swansea — and a beleaguered Sousa admitted he could now grumble to the authorities.
"From my angle on the touchline, I thought the referee was going to give the West Brom player a yellow card for diving," said the Swansea boss.
"And after seeing it from a number of different angles, I know my first feeling was right.
"These decisions are something we are used to now — I don't remember us having any luck with referees this season.
"I cannot keep complaining all the time, although when I do it's only for the good of football.
"Mistakes happen — to referees, to managers and to players. But some of the time this season I don't think they have been honest.
"Clubs work very hard and players work very hard and they deserve more respect. I will fight with all my arms to get that.
"The next step maybe is to expose all the decisions we have had this season — the mistakes which have cost us important points.
"We are thinking about exposing these to the English FA and to Uefa."
Sousa refused to discuss Swansea's top-two prospects after this defeat — although he pointed out that he has never talked about them.
"People have believed it is possible and with better decisions we could have talked about the top two," Sousa lamented.
gareth.vincent@swwmedia.co.uk
24 Comments
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by claire, townhill
Saturday, March 20 2010, 10:40AM
“take to the top sousa,we're with u all the way !!
sick of being robbed,make em see whats going on ---blow the whistle on the whistle blower !!”
by paul, NEATH
Friday, March 19 2010, 10:01AM
“TIP TOP SWANSEA WELL SAID LOL WHERE R WE IN THE LEAGUE WHAT CROWNDS HAVE BEEN COMEING TO WATCH US THIS SEASON COME ON NOW YOU SILLY FOOL I THINK YOU HAVE BEEN WATCHING CARDIFF IM TALKING ABOUT SWANSEA HERE WE MUST HAVE SCORED GOALS BECAUSE HOW HAVE WE WON GAMES ??????WE WOULDNT BE 5TH IF WE HAVENT WON GAMES AND AS I SAID WE MUST HAVE SCORED GOALS TO WIN. SWIM AWAY SWIM AWAY SWIM AWAY”
by Tip top, Swansea
Thursday, March 18 2010, 11:59PM
“Well Paul! That was a convincing rant! Sadly you miss the fundamental points in a similar way to how Swansea city fc regularly miss the net! The recent issue of blaming the ref/refs is sadly a cover to disguise a bigger and more alarming problem- an inability to score goals...or even show any genuine attacking intent! Take away the penalty and we would still have lost! It's not as if when a goal behind we threw caution to the wind and got caught throwing players forward!
The style of play is flawed! It has got us as far as it can, and at a time when we need to push on, this team-as good as it can be at times- is now so afraid of making mistakes that it sits too deep and plays too negatively, and ranting that all fans should somehow tow the line, whilst what they are seeing is sadly lacking entertainment value is niave and deluded!”
by paul, NEATH
Thursday, March 18 2010, 10:52PM
“ALEX EVENS FROM NEATH SORRY U MUST HAVE BEEN WATCHING A DIFFERNT GAME HAVE YOU SEEN THE REPLAY YET ALSO THERE WAS WBA FANS IN THE MORFA LOUNGE AND THEY TOO SAID HE DIVED AND JIFFY REYNOLSTON WHAT GAME WAS YOU WATCHING 1ST HALF WEST BROM WERNT ON THE PITCH 2ND HALF IT WAS STILL US IN CHARGE UNTILL HE DIVED .SIMPLES SWANSEA ID LOVE TO SEE U ON THE PITCH OR NO U R NOT GOOD ENOUGH THATS WHY YOU ARE WATCHING FROM THE STANDS .OK I KNOW WE ARE BLAMEING THE REFS BUT WHOS MAKEING THE WRONG DECIONS EM THE REF AS SEEN ON TV REPLAYS PROOF IS THERE TV REPLAYS SHOW WOT HAPPEND SO IF YOU ALL GET OFF YOUR HIGH HOURSES AND WATCH THE REPLAYS YOU WILL SEE THE MISTAKES THE REFS HAVE MADE . ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????”
by p HERBERT, NEATH
Thursday, March 18 2010, 6:40PM
“shame on you all this is the time to get behind the boys and sousa look where we are .iv also been to all the home and away games win or lose we should get behind the team we LOVE play poor play great its still the team we LOVE IF YOU WANNA HAVE A GO AT THE TEAM AND MANAGER GO UP THE ROAD TO CARDIFF it dont matter if we bottom of league 2 or top of the premiership we stick behind our team. WHO ARE WE”
by Cwmdareboy, Cwmdare
Thursday, March 18 2010, 6:18PM
“It makes you wonder what this woman Sousa is all about
I don't know if it's possible to go to Uefa directly over the English Football League. But the Club wants to remember that if that was to happen, then I'm pretty sure the Football League will not take to kindly to it and will remember it, if in the future Swansea needed their help
I might be wrong here, but my understanding is that the two Welsh Clubs are in the English Football League by invitation only. I also get the impression that the majority of the other Clubs in the League would be only too glad to see the back of us
P Herbert, Neath
So what is it that you can¿t express an opinion if for one reason or another you haven't seen many games this season?
Myself I've missed only 5 in total home or away, but I wouldn't think for one minute that someone that has seen the Swans but for only for a few games, hasn't the right to express an opinion
I personally believe that Sousa is acting like an old woman about the penalty on Tuesday night
I didn't hear him complain about the penalty given to us in the Peterborough game when Cotterrill dived in the box a couple of weeks ago.
In the games I have seen, there¿s been as many ¿iffy¿ penalties for us as against us”
by simples, swansea
Thursday, March 18 2010, 5:01PM
“P Herbert - Neath. Sadly, i have been to every game this season, and for many more over the last 30 years! Please refrain from making patronising remarks! Ive earned my stripes attending some of our greatest victories and lowest times - way back at the vetch, so I think Im entitled to an opion...or two!
Football - a simple game where the idea is to put the ball into a net at one end of the field, whilst preventing the team you are playing from putting the ball in your net!
Should you fail to succeed in the former, then lose your ability in the latter - you usually lose!
simples”
by m.clarke, swansea west
Thursday, March 18 2010, 10:19AM
“charlotte swansea the f a have
just turn down video cameras
i agree 100% with you but f a
are a law to they self and got
they favourites with the money
in the game today why no help to the ref in big issues”
by mark thomas, swansea
Thursday, March 18 2010, 8:00AM
“come on boys you can do it. the defence and midfield are great pity about our forwards they can,t score for toffee”
by p herbert, neath
Wednesday, March 17 2010, 10:51PM
“I take it everyone who has commented on here as not been to many games this season come on get behind sousa and the boys dont put them down come on premiership here we come .
and the refs are all english so that says it all .who are we”