Lille fume at Fergie 'tricks'

February 21, 2007

PUEL: Argues with officals

UNITED manager Sir Alex Ferguson has been accused of trying his 'usual tricks' to put pressure on Lille during last night's controversial Champions League clash.

The French club's manager, Claude Puel, reacted angrily after Ferguson branded their response to Ryan Giggs' winning goal "a disgrace".

Giggs' goal, a quickly-taken free-kick in the 83rd minute while home goalkeeper Tony Sylva was lining up a wall, came soon after Lille's Peter Odemwingie had a goal ruled out for a push on United defender Nemanja Vidic.

Lille's players were so incensed the goal was allowed to stand that they kicked the ball out of play from the restart and then headed to the touchline on the orders of their goalkeeping coach Jean Noel Duse.

Ferguson was furious with their behaviour, but Puel is adamant that he was merely engaging in mind-games of his own.

"It is Sir Alex Ferguson's usual trick, and it is his way of putting the pressure on," said the former Monaco coach.

"Sir Alex Ferguson can think what he wants. I don't understand how this man allows himself to have such thoughts. He could have avoided (saying) them.

"My players simply wanted to make a complaint on a fact of the game. It wasn't laying it on thick. They didn't want to leave the pitch."

Complaint

Puel added: "In France, you must express a complaint after the first stoppage in play which follows the decision. It is for that reason we stopped the game.

"In the Champions League, it is different. You can intervene after the match.

"Quite simply, two refereeing decisions went against us in a very good match between two excellent teams. I am sorry for that."

Lille president Michel Seydoux believes Giggs' matchwinner would not have been allowed to stand if United had conceded it.

And he claims he will be speaking to newly elected UEFA supremo Michel Platini about the incident.

"I will call Michel Platini, who says he defends the beautiful game and the little teams," he said.

"We have developed a beautiful game and we are a little team."

Puel was delighted with his team's efforts throughout the game, despite being hit by the sucker punch at the end.

Lille were particularly strong in the second half and were arguably on top before Giggs' disputed winner.

"I don't think the players deserved this finish," he added. "I thought we played very well, with great quality.

"Manchester United were dangerous on the counter-attack. But I am very proud of my players, because they showed that they aren't here by chance.

"We are here as competitors."

What do you think? Have your say.

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Utd-For-Life, marseille ex-stretford (21/02/2007 at 15:05)

abit rich him having a pop at fergie for his comments. It wasn't his fans getting crushed in stadium, or his players having lighters thrown at their heads. neither was it our team that threatened to walk off the pitch. I can imagine fergies shaling in his boots because this guys gonna call his mate platini. Platini v Fergie would be a no contest. Should be fun though watching a heavyweight pummel a lightweight.

Birdy, Ireland (21/02/2007 at 15:21)

Theyre a shower

Demo, Glossop (21/02/2007 at 15:28)

What a muppet this guy is. These lille representatives are only adding fuel to the fire in making my mind up that Lille are absolutely dispicable! They dont deserve to be part of the competition nor be professional footballers. The team, manager, coaches, fans and police were all out of order and brought reproach on the game

NEIL, DROYLSDEN (21/02/2007 at 15:29)

SOUR GRAPES

Freddie, Stretford (21/02/2007 at 15:35)

Is it any wonder the French are so unpopular,you see the same antics from the Arsenal players,throwing Pizza etc.

Andrew Lee, Singapore (21/02/2007 at 15:59)

Argh (dismissive*) Puel shd start worrying about disciplinary actions taken against their appalling behaviour than turn what is simply a natural reaction into a conspiracy theory. SAF has every right to blow his top. The atmosphere was winding the bench up. The fans were getting mistreated and players were getting things thrown at them. Lille touch fraca simply burst the seams. SAF had no tolerance for this as he suggested that his team shd just take the throw in and score the 2nd goal. Though i doubt it is really in Englishmen blood to do such a thing.

Frank, Old Trafford (21/02/2007 at 16:05)

Lille should fine every player and coach that doesn't know the rules of the game that they're supposed to be playing.

redpete, salford (21/02/2007 at 16:14)

Time for Fergie to go ... if carrick is a footballer I'll eat my ...

the match was boring.

Andrew Lee, Singapore (21/02/2007 at 16:14)

However strongly i felt SAF was right to react. i ve my reservations on his reaction to gary neville. To lamblast your captain in front of his team and rival team esp when he is not the protagonist in the saga might be a tad too high handed or insensitive. He was fuming at the touchline fraca but he shdnt make g.neville a slight show in front of the mutiny. Maybe asking G.neville to let the Lille players be was applying reverse psychology in that the listening lille players might worry abt the implication of their actions. But, the show on g.neville might be a little upseting for him, i reckon. Wld the reaction be the same if that was Roy Keane?

Pepe, in the Red Caribbean... (21/02/2007 at 16:37)

I think SAF never seen something like this is his 20+ years at ManUtd , and he did what other manager will do. What Lille must be doing right now it's sacking their coaches and manager. I hope Platini teach them the hard way:to get them out of the competition. I am so angry even 24 hours after the incident no matter that we won.

Nick, New York (21/02/2007 at 16:38)

Can't wait to see what stiff penalty Platini hands down for Lille's behavior. Might as well let the Italian FA take care of it.

Eric, Altrincham (21/02/2007 at 16:40)

What is this nonsense about contesting a decision during the first stoppage following the decision? The decision was to allow the goal, play was therefore stopped prior to the kick off, so surely the complaints could be made then! Am I missing something?
Still, it was hilarious the way he hoofed the ball off the pitch from the KO.

Loyal to the End (31 years, City Fans, 31 years..), Malaysia (21/02/2007 at 16:52)

Andrew, Fergie was right, we shouldn't have got involved with the mayhem at the touchline.. Another bad blot in Gary's book, what he should have done was encourage the lads to take advantage of Lille's disappointment and knock in the killer second away goal, not go in there and be a UN ambassador!! I am sorry, but as much as Gary is a true bred Red, he isn't skipper material..

Sparky, Salford (21/02/2007 at 17:05)

Redpete - what have you been smoking. Carrick has really transformed us. Compare our form this season with last and that of Spurs if you want extra evidence.

Andrew - Fergie was absolutely correct. Why were our players getting involved? It was a classic powderkeg which could have gone off and the ref overreacts by flashing the red card and we lose a player for 2-4 games - crazy.

mark, rochdale/gosport (21/02/2007 at 17:05)

it was the highlight of a yet another boring game,i laughed my **** off.

seamus, vanisle ex-stretford (21/02/2007 at 17:07)

Here's an interesting comment from an article in a Brit paper ( don't think M.E.N. edit police will allow me to mention the name of it !).
"Lille, meanwhile, have lodged a formal complaint to Uefa, regarding the match officials' handling of the game. Coach Claude Puel said he did not know what would come from the complaint about the refereeing, but told reporters: "I think United really lacked fair play", and Uefa confirmed they would also look into an "alleged technical error when Manchester United scored the only goal of the game".
Talk about United lacking a sense of fair play! What technical error, it was perfectly legit? How can Uefa even suggest that they would be looking into this allegation?
Wow, what's with this Lille team anyway? Get over it Puel, the only team in the wrong was Lille, given their childish behaviour, and it is they who should be investigated and punished. Still, they aren't an English team are they, so little or no punishment is on the cards.Perhaps United will be fined, and their fans banned for daring to win an away game in the CL. A warm welcome no doubt awaits them at OT for the reurn leg. No pizza for these babies.

derek, hattersley (21/02/2007 at 17:13)

I agree with Lille

Liam, Manchester (21/02/2007 at 17:16)

Perhaps it is a French tradition to protest at a break in play but as someone has pointed out that would have been when the goal was allowed. It was pretty obvious that the coaches were waving the players to come off the pitch so to deny it afterwards is an even bigger disgrace. I suppose we should have expected it though if Arsene Wenger is any yardstick of how French managers react to big decisions - ie. whinge like hell or plead ignorance depending which way it went.

Jeff, Manchester (21/02/2007 at 17:22)

Hmm.. sounds like Puel's been taking lessons from Wenger

Andrew Kanchelskis, Bristol (21/02/2007 at 18:14)

Freddie, spot on.

de Meester, Amsterdamned (21/02/2007 at 18:17)

SAF - "dirty tricks"?!!,...Ã‡Ã©st impossiblÃ©!!
Smoke screen Monsieur Puel!
Not difficult to realise he's a Wenger pupil!!
This should make the 2nd leg all the more interesting!
Nothing like this since Oporto!
Come On You Reds

de Meester, Amsterdamned (21/02/2007 at 18:25)

Nick, New York
My fears exactly!
Anyhow don't the italians run Fifa?!!I think they'll get slapped wrists and given a bye to the QF's!
No seriously (even more!), I think they'll just get slapped wrists and we'll get fined BIG!!!
By accounts all our fans "are animals".
We'll see how Platini's going to handle this!!

de Meester, Amsterdamned (21/02/2007 at 18:31)

+ nb; Correction Fifa should of course read - Uefa!

jb, audenshaw (21/02/2007 at 19:01)

Hmm.. sounds like Puel's been taking lessons from Wenger
Jeff, Manchester
21/02/2007 at 17:22

And Sir Alex himself who if we reds are honest is no stranger to reacting like that himself .

Sonny Drysdale, Riker's Island, NY - USA (21/02/2007 at 23:44)

A brilliant "smash-and-grab" job on United's part! For once, we did it to someone else instead of having it done to us. Glad for the win and the fact that we ultimately got our team and all our supporters out of that wretched stadium safe and sound. We should punish these cry-babies in the return leg at OT....on the pitch of course.

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