Exclusive: Fulham boss Marco Silva faces sanction amid explosive Ipswich fallout

01/06/2025 08:55 AM

Fulham manager Marco Silva could face a fine from the FA for his comments about referee Darren Bond after his side’s 2-2 draw with Ipswich Town, Keith Hackett has said.

The former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA official exclusively told Football Insider that the 47-year-old should have expressed his frustrations about the officials differently to what he did.

There were plenty of controversial moments in the match at Craven Cottage on Sunday (5 January), and Silva did not hold back with his verdict on Bond after the game.

Now Hackett believes that could land the Fulham boss in trouble with the FA, even if he does have some sympathy over those frustrations.

Marco Silva could be punished for Fulham vs Ipswich referee comments

While they were awarded two penalties in that draw with Ipswich, the Cottagers were far from impressed that the first of those, for a foul on Harry Wilson, needed a VAR review to be given.

There were also suggestions Fulham could have been given a third penalty after Luke Woolfenden handled inside his own area.

The hosts were also left frustrated that Leif Davis was booked rather than sent off after he brought down Wilson with the Welshman seemingly through on goal.

Speaking after the game Silva was far from happy with the performance of referee Bond, claiming the referee was not at Premier League level and relied on VAR (BBC).

Now Hackett has suggested the FA could move to punish the Fulham manager for those comments, even if he has some sympathy with him over the officiating.

Speaking to Football Insider about those claims from the former Hull and Everton manager, the ex-referee said:

“I mean what you have to understand is he’s obviously had a public go at the referee. I think there’s been a reluctance generally to do that over the last season, I think to some degree looking from a distance there’s been a supression of managers being able to voice their opinion.

“I think the manager has every right to voice his opinion and we’ve got to recognise that 30 minutes after the game the manager can knock on the door and get into the referee’s dressing room and discuss the shortcomings that he thinks of that match performance.

“He can then further talk with the match delegate, who is the representative of the Premier League, a former manager or player at the game, and discuss the referee’s performance.

“So there are channels in which he could use, or should use in order to vent his frustration at the referee’s performance, rather than going public.Now he runs the risk of a fine from the FA in terms of his go at the referee.”

The draw has left Fulham ninth in the Premier League table, six points adrift of a top four spot as things stand.

Ipswich meanwhile are 18th, and currently only remain inside the relegation zone on goal difference.

In other news, an update has been issued over Fulham and West Ham's interest in James McAtee.

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