Sousa’s Reaction To Cup Farce

Paulo Sousa shares his views after watching 3 of his players get sent off against Scunthorpe United.

Garry Monk and Angel Rangel were shown straight reds and Gorka Pintado a second booking. Not only will we miss those 3 players, but also Stephen Dobbie and new signing Besian Idrizaj who suffered injuries.

Sousa told BBC Sport:

‘There were very bad events that happened. Of course I don’t appreciate it. I appreciate football completely different without the things. But I don’t like to speak about this as we have ways to do this.

‘However, we talk about how it is important to try and protect and players and when it doesn’t happen and when it changes situations and when players are being provoked it is difficult.

‘But of course they can’t react like that, they have to keep focus and be alive to play our football. But it is not easy for the players who are doing the right thing when from the beginning they are being provoked.

‘We have our opportunity to write to the FA about the referee’s performance but at this moment we do not know what offences the players have committed.

‘I never wanted the match abandoned but Idrizaj should not have gone back on the field but as we were then down to only six players the referee put pressure on us to get him back on.’