Source: Daily_Mail
Portsmouth boss Grant charged by FA over half-time rant at referee Friend
The Football Association have charged Portsmouth manager Avram Grant with improper conduct for confronting referee Kevin Friend at half-time during the 1-1 draw with Sunderland on Tuesday. [LNB]Grant squared up to Friend after the half-time whistle after seeing two penalty claims turned down and having Ricardo Rocha dismissed for conceding the penalty which led to Darren Bent's 12th-minute opener at Fratton Park.[LNB] Rage: Avram Grant (second left) confronts referee Kevin Friend[LNB]Grant also ranted after the game about decisions going against his side, but an FA statement today confirmed: 'The charge relates to Grant's behaviour towards referee Kevin Friend at the conclusion of the first half of Portsmouth's match against Sunderland at Fratton Park on February 9.' [LNB]Grant has until next Thursday to respond to the charge, which will be heard by March 5.[LNB]Banished: Grant in the stands[LNB]Friend also dismissed Lee Cattermole and David Meyler for the visitors but Grant felt his side were still on the rough end of the decisions. [LNB]'Referees are honest but they go with the atmosphere and they also read the papers, so it is easy to do it,' Grant said after the game. [LNB]'I cannot fight against the whole world. For me, the Premier League decided on a (transfer) embargo that did not give us an equal chance. [LNB]'Then in the last 10 days there is the referees. Against Manchester City there was a clear penalty and a goal from offside.[LNB] Against Fulham there was a clear offside against Bobby Zamora. Against Manchester United it was 1-0 and there was no penalty when (Patrice) Evra used two hands. [LNB]'Against Sunderland, two clear penalties against us. I can fight against everything but sometimes it is too much. Maybe it is too easy to do things against us.'[LNB] Portsmouth 1 Sunderland 1: Angry Avram makes an enemy of FriendManchester United boss Ferguson backs troubled Pompey manager GrantTHE FIRING LINE: Avram is tops of the league... of managers on their way outPORTSMOUTH FC
