Neil tells it straight after Reading clash
leedsunited.com
7/4/12United manager Neil Warnock was full of praise for the attitude shown his side after Friday's clash at Reading, despite suffering defeat.
Despite losing out to two late goals, the boss found plenty to take heart from after a fiery clash.
United had Zac Thompson sent off early in the game, but a no-nonsense approach from Warnock's side and a real workmanlike display saw Reading's usual attacking flair stifled.
"The players were fantastic under the circumstances," said the boss.
"We had a makeshift team and I didn't think they had a shot on goal until they scored.
"We played really well under the cosh and I was pleased.
"But I've never seen players surround the referee like they did there. It does influence him. We're told not to do it but everybody seems to.
"Straight away he gives the red card and I thought the kid was unlucky, having watched it three or four times. The ref only sees it once but when you've got the crowd and five or six players around you straight away, you tend to react.
"I don't think it's a red card, not when you see it in slow motion. I thought Pugh's tackle was worse. He should have been sent off and Hunt's challenge on Lonergan was a disgrace.
"All credit to my players though. I couldn't have asked any more from them.
"To get a man sent off so early on made it difficult. It throws everything off but we tried to be tight and break when we could. I thought we had the best chances."
As the game entered the final 10 minutes the outcome was still finely balanced, but the boss was disappointed with what he felt was a foul during the build-up to Adam Le Fondre's opening goal for the Royals.
"I was disappointed with the winning goal or what I'd call the winning goal - the first goal," said the boss.
"I thought Becchio was fouled in the build-up to it. Gorkss is clever. He's gone up and pushed Becchio with his arm before playing the ball. When you've played the game you know Gorkss is fouling Becchio and you know that's a free-kick.
"Bill Shankly used to say that 'the referees know the rules but they don't know the game.' With things like that, referees and linesman need to be educated. They've got to know what they're looking for and I don't think they do.
"For me that's the biggest disappointment of refereeing today. But in general, one referee teaches another so it's difficult to improve without bringing ex-professionals onto the scene.
"When you see Hunt's knee go right into the goalkeeper's ribcage, that's at least a yellow card. The referee didn't even see the knee going in. I had to tell him about it. He just thought the goalkeeper flapped at the ball."
The TV cameras also zoomed in on the United boss talking to young midfielder Thompson after he was dismissed early in the game.
The manager said: "I haven't said too much to him. What can you say? He's had an opportunity and he's blown it in some respects. But he's a good lad and he needs to learn from this.
"The trouble is, he set off with two feet. But he landed before he made contact and then slid in with one leg.
"What the assessors say is that if you've got two feet off the floor then it's a red card but I don't think it's a red card when he's not hurt the kid. Not when you see it in slow motion. Obviously the referee doesn't get the benefit of that."