Hull City manager Steve Bruce has revealed that he has been charged by the Football Association after criticising the referee following his side’s Premier League loss at Tottenham Hotspur.
Spurs’ winning goal in the game on Sunday came from the penalty spot after Hull midfielder Ahmed Elmohamady was adjudged to have handled the ball by referee Michael Oliver.
The ball struck Elmohamady on the arm after ricocheting off his legs and Bruce branded the decision “a joke”, adding: “I have to ask the question, would we have got it? In my opinion, he (Oliver) couldn’t wait to give it.”
Speaking after his side lost to Spurs again in the fourth round of the League Cup on Wednesday, Bruce revealed that he had been charged by the FA for his comments, but struck a defiant tone.
“I’ve been charged,” said the former Manchester United defender.
“Mike Riley (head of the Professional Game Match Officials Board) rang me on Monday morning telling me they’ve made a huge mistake. What am I supposed to say?
“What is the law and what is it supposed to be? I’ll argue my case. It will cost me a few quid (pounds), but I’ll do it.”
He went on to allege that Hull’s matches are not being officiated by the country’s leading referees.
“We don’t get the big referees. Are we not as important as the big clubs?” he said.
“Although I suppose Michael Oliver is supposed to be one of the top referees… But I can’t seem to remember Howard Webb coming to Hull very often. We’ve had a bad decision and a bad couple of days, but we’ll see what the FA say.”
Spurs progressed to the League Cup quarterfinals at Hull’s expense after edging a tense penalty shootout 8-7. The game at White Hart Lane had finished 2-2 after extra time.
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