FA to study Cole's claims
07 Nov 2006 - 16:10:51
- FA to study Cole's claims
The Football Association have confirmed that they are investigating the comments made by Chelsea duo Ashley Cole and Frank Lampard about referee Graham Poll.
The FA will also speak to Poll, his two assistants and the fourth official who were in charge of Chelsea's controversial Premiership defeat at Tottenham on Sunday.
"We are communicating with the four match officials as well as Chelsea and Ashley Cole and Frank Lampard individually regarding the claims made today," confirmed an FA spokesman.
"The priority at this stage is to gather information."
Poll booked six Chelsea players, sent off John Terry and disallowed a Didier Drogba goal during Spurs' 2-1 win at White Hart Lane.
Cole was quoted as saying: "With my booking, I said to him (Poll), 'I'm more than 10 yards. Why should I go back if I'm more than 10 yards?'
"And he said, 'Because I said so.' I said, 'But I' m more than 10 yards', and that was it. Yellow card. No warning or explanation. I'm not moaning, I'm really not but we really shouldn't lose a game like that.
"Once again we scored a goal that was fine. I've seen it on TV and once again the referee has robbed us because if we'd gone to 2-0 then the game would have been dead."
Newspaper reports alleged Poll made the remarks and suggested he told Chelsea: "Your discipline is out of order".