Igor Tudor has been charged with misconduct by the Football Association following comments he made about referee Thomas Bramall after Tottenham’s 2-1 Premier League defeat at Fulham on March 1.
The FA said Tudor “allegedly acted in an improper manner during a post-match interview by making comments that imply bias and/or question integrity and/or are personally offensive in relation to a match official.” He has until Monday to respond to the charge.
The Croatian head coach had been incensed by Fulham’s opening goal, which came after what he believed was a push by Raul Jimenez on Radu Dragusin before Harry Wilson put the ball into the net.
Speaking after the match, Tudor made no effort to disguise his frustration. “I didn’t like the referee today, too much of a home team referee. I didn’t feel well with him. All the decisions were on their side. He doesn’t understand football, the feeling of what is wrong and what is right.
“He was not thinking about the ball, he was thinking how to cheat, he cheated the player, was pushing, it was cheating and it’s a foul. Ninety-nine of 100 people will say it’s a foul, it’s so obvious.”
Wilson’s goal was allowed to stand following a VAR check by Craig Pawson. The decision drew further scrutiny given that Spurs had a similar effort ruled out the previous week in their 4-1 loss to Arsenal, where Randal Kolo Muani was penalised for a foul on Gabriel.
The Fulham defeat was Tudor’s second game in charge following the sacking of Thomas Frank and extended Tottenham’s winless league run to ten games.
Two further defeats followed, including a calamitous 5-2 Champions League first-leg loss at Atletico Madrid, which led to speculation that Tudor himself could be replaced before he had been in the job a month.
With eight league games remaining, Spurs sit 16th, one point above the relegation zone. Having spent all but one season in the top flight since 1978, it has been estimated that relegation to the Championship could cost the club more than £250m.
