Hasenhuttl charged by FA for Dean comments after Chelsea loss

News Desk
Ralph Hasenhuttl following a draw against Man City

Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl has been charged by the Football Association over his comments about video assistant referee Mike Dean following his side’s defeat at Chelsea.

Hasenhuttl was unhappy about the sending-off of James Ward-Prowse during the 3-1 defeat on October 2.

The midfielder was initially shown a yellow card by referee Martin Atkinson for a late tackle on Jorginho, but it was upgraded to red after Dean told his colleague to review the incident on the pitchside monitor.


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An FA statement read: “It is alleged that comments made by the manager during two post-match interviews constitute improper conduct in that they questioned the integrity of the VAR match official and/or implied bias and/or bring the game into disrepute.”

Hasenhuttl, who has been charged with two breaches of Rule E3, has until Tuesday, to respond.

Ward-Prowse’s dismissal came in the 77th minute of the match, with the score at 1-1, before Chelsea scored twice against 10 men to seal victory.

Elsewhere, recent reports have suggested Saints players are ‘expecting’ Hasenhuttl to be sacked in the coming weeks

Southampton are currently 17th in the Premier League – winless in their opening seven fixtures – drawing four and losing three.

Their poor start to the season has increased the pressure on the Austrian manager, who has been at St Mary’s since December 2018.

And according to Football Insider, there is a “strong feeling” within the squad that Hasenhuttl will not be at the club much longer.

The 54-year-old has earned plaudits during his time in England for implementing a positive style of play. However, his side have been on the wrong end of some disastrous scorelines.

If Hasenhuttl is dismissed, ex-Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe would be ‘keen’ on becoming the Austrians successor, the report adds.

Howe has been out of managerial work since leaving the Cherries at the end of 19/20 following their relegation and the 43-year-old is happy to bide his time to get the hot seat at St Mary’s.