http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/dec/27/roberto-mancini-harry-redknapp-fa-referee Both managers are a disgrace to their profession. There are better ways of conducting yourself, look at Ferguson who kindly berated and castigated a referee and match officials throughout the match
"The referee changed the linesman's mind." "He said it was an own goal. But if you see it again, and the referee can't, the guy is in an offside position, then he pulls Evans's arm. "If that is not interfering, what is? I think it was a bad decision." "We had a lot of bad decisions against us in the first half." - Ferguson 26/12/12 "It really it should have been a foul for us when the defender fouled Van Persie but the referee has had one of those games." "I know he is a young referee but dear me what a performance that was." "Robin van Persie is lucky to be alive. It was a disgraceful act from their player." - Ferguson 23/12/12 As these comments are clearly "question the capability of match officials" and both were made in post-match interviews, so there's no requirement on behalf of the ref to mention it in his report, I'm struggling to see the difference.
It's the FA's nutty policy. You can question the decision and the performance, but not the referee. So you can say the referee was wrong or had a bad game, and the decision was poor and that it's all a disgrace, but if you imply the referee himself is poor then it's a ban. ****ing stupid rule, the only thing you can say about the FA is they do actually apply it quite consistently.
"I know he is a young referee but dear me what a performance that was." Is that not calling him poor, then?
In which case Mancini and Redknapp have no case to answer, as the former suggested that the ref was having an off day and the latter claimed that the officials got things wrong. Neither said that the officials were poor in a more blatant way than Ferguson did. Completely inconsistent.
SAF only wanted an explanation from the officials. He said they got it wrong in his opinion. Nothing wrong with that. Mancini casted doubt on the ability of the ref because of Xmas