Wolves get suspended fine for team selection

[TFF]

Fcuking outrage imho. All the players were from his first team squad weren't they?

Wolves have been hit with a £25,000 suspended Premier League fine for fielding a weakened team for their 3-0 December defeat at Manchester United.

Boss Mick McCarthy made 10 changes to the side that beat Tottenham 3-0 as he rested key players ahead of the game against Burnley, which Wolves won 2-0.

McCarthy, whose side are 16th, recalled nine players to face the Clarets.

He accepted the verdict but said he aimed "only to pick a team that was in the best position to get a result".

McCarthy, whose side are currently only one point off the relegation zone, defended his team selection at the time but was much criticised by his club's travelling fans, plus United were not then in the best of form.

A Premier League statement read: "The Premier League Board has issued Wolverhampton Wanderers FC with a suspended £25,000 fine after deciding that the team fielded in their league fixture against Manchester United on 15 December 2009 was not full strength and therefore in breach of Rule E20.

"The board also deemed that the club had failed to fulfil its obligations to the league and other clubs in the utmost good faith and was therefore in breach of Rule B13.

"The board considered submissions from Wolverhampton Wanderers FC and had sympathy for the explanation submitted by the club in relation to similar cases from previous seasons.

"However, the board ruled that this case could be differentiated from the other matches cited and that disciplinary action was warranted."

The League's E20 rule stipulates that clubs must field a full-strength side in all top-flight games.

However, goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann was the only name on the Old Trafford team-sheet that had started the victory over Tottenham at White Hart Lane three days earlier.

Former Republic of Ireland manager McCarthy said at the time: "We had a great result at Spurs and every player rated it 9 to 9.5/10 in terms of how hard it was.

"I need to protect them. If you have another match of that magnitude, you can't cope. We have big games coming."

However, his team selection prompted a furious reaction from some Wolves fans, with many of the 3,000 that travelled to Manchester asking for their money back.

Other observers claimed the selection was unfair to United's title rivals and could set a dangerous precedent.

The Premier League seem intent on ensuring clubs do not field second-string teams in the future.

Their statement continued: "In coming to this decision the board also wants to put clubs on notice that any future rule breach of this nature would be subject to a disciplinary commission that would have available a full range of sanctions."

Reacting to the fine, the Molineux club's chief executive Jez Moxey added: "This ruling may now lead to a wider discussion regarding the issue of squad rotation and the Premier League's rules.

"We look forward to fully participating in any such debate at future Premier League meetings."

Moxey, meanwhile, gave his backing to his manager, and stated: "One thing that's never been in question is the integrity of Mick McCarthy.

"He picked a team that, in his view, was in the best possible position to get a result in that particular game.

"He made it unselfishly and with the best interests of Wolves in mind."

[26-10-06]

How do they decide what is the first team? Is it based on how many changes from previous game, surely not?

Bit tight on the players coming in? haha

[TBM]

So how come the likes of Man Utd, Arsenal, Liverpool etc dont get fined for doing the same in the Carling Cup.............oh thats right, cos they bring shit loads of money in and they dont want to piss the "big 4 off"

So does this mean all team selections have to be passed by the PL now?

What if Wolves had won - would they still be fined? - would it still be a "weakened team"?

[PieEater]

Cup games are different though, the issue here wasn't the result of the game - it was the effect that doing this has on other teams competing in a league.

There's no black and white of what you strongest team is, but McCarthy was clearly taking the piss and has deservedly been punished. This was an extreme case so quite easy to pull them up on, however why didn't the PL do the same when Pompey changed half of their squad to rest them for the FA cup final and them losing at home to Fulham effectively relegated us.

[Wax Jacket]

I think the punishment is about right tbf - it's not loads of money and is suspended in any case

[T.R.O.L.I.]

Don't remember Sheffield united getting a fine (suspended or not) when they did exactly the same thing at Old Trafford in 06/07.

[Big Foot]

/Spacey mode on/

When did Wolves beat Spurs 3-0?

/Spacey mode off/

[Hoop Blah]

Bit undecided on this.

I think McCarthy went too far and I don't like teams doing this as it does kind of devalue and call into question the integrity of the league and this specific fixture. You can't just have teams basically forfitting games like this as it would just mean nobody really bothered taking on the bigger teams and so they'll get an easier ride than they do already.

At the same time, I don't think you can have an external body dictating team selection to the club managers, and I think Wolves are being pulled up on something that others have done before and got away scott free.

[gh7901]

Absolute joke tbh. I know the punishment is nothing but its still stupid

Yeah he did play a weakened team. The only people who should be angry at that is Wolves supporters. But hes still well within his rights to play whoever out of his squad he wants. What if most of a first team are not technically injured, just exhausted from another match, would a manager be punished for resting them? If the PL are so concerned, why dont they start picking the teams? Oh yes, because its the managers job, no-one elses!

As someone said, its not a black and white issue so there just cant be any punishment for it. Especially when its happened lots of times before and nothing has come of it

[TheMaraudingDog]

Rafa's been playing a weekened side all season but he gets away with it

[Hoop Blah]

The only people who should be angry at that is Wolves supporters.

Or perhaps anyone connected to Arsenal or Chelsea, or even Liverpool, who have had to play against Wolves first team.

[Smoking Kills Dancing Doe]

Rules are rules.

The FA had to do something.

£25k suspended is no punishment at all, which is what Wolves deserved.

[TheMaraudingDog]

Rules are rules.

The FA had to do something.

£25k suspended is no punishment at all, which is what Wolves deserved.

I thought my b8 was good enough to get a nibble from you ybf.

[Ian Royal]

Ridiculous decision. Loads of teams have done it and got away with it in the past. Wolves get punished for just doing exactly the same.

Utterly farcical.

[1871 Royal]

Rafa's been playing a weekened side all season but he gets away with it

Tis not a choice for Rafa though

[leww_rfc]

Such a bad decision he's the manager, let him field who he likes.

[Rex]

Perhaps the FA now have a toe in when deciding team selection. Wrong move as far as i'm concerned.

[FiNeRaIn]

Absolutely disgusting. Who the hell are the FA to tell clubs what teams to pick? I am absolutely outraged how they have the audacity to poke their nose in and punish people for decisions that are nothing to do them. There has to be some sort of protest, I hate wolves but these morons who run our game cannot be allowed to do whatever the hell they like and make up laws as they go along. The FA are a fascist regime, we should have a democratic regime which is voted in like the government.

[Tails]

Squad game for the big clubs but not for the lesser teams.

[Royal With Cheese]

Squad game for the big clubs but not for the lesser teams.

Precisely, as if the top teams need a bigger advantage.