Wolves have been given a Suspended 25,000 Fine

[mrska]

Wolves have been given a Suspended 25,000 Fine for fielding a weakend team against Man Utd...

I personally reckoned they should of got hammered, plus compensate all there fans who travelled in good faith to the game.

Id be so embarrassed if Fulham went to Old Trafford waving a white flag before the game started..

Plus i hate Smug Mick McCarthy... 

[Logicalman]

There will always be the argument about what is a weakened team?

Roy has played many of our non-starters in the Europa cup in the earlier stages, to save the main starters for the league, and we were fortunate that they did well.

Wenger has been known to field 'weakened' teams in the past, as have the Poo and ManUre, the only difference with ManUre is that their reserve squad are all internationals as well!! LOL

I guess Mick went a little over the top with his changes, especially as those same players they were rested came back the week later to play the prem game, but it needs to be solely down to the manager and club as to who they field, and if the fans don't like it, they can protest to the club. What on earth does a 25K fine do for anybody? If the club is in such financial troubles that 25K makes that much difference then it's too late for them, and if it's the opposite, then it doesn't matter.

[mrska]

There will always be the argument about what is a weakened team?

Roy has played many of our non-starters in the Europa cup in the earlier stages, to save the main starters for the league, and we were fortunate that they did well.

Wenger has been known to field 'weakened' teams in the past, as have the Poo and ManUre, the only difference with ManUre is that their reserve squad are all internationals as well!! LOL

I guess Mick went a little over the top with his changes, especially as those same players they were rested came back the week later to play the prem game, but it needs to be solely down to the manager and club as to who they field, and if the fans don't like it, they can protest to the club. What on earth does a 25K fine do for anybody? If the club is in such financial troubles that 25K makes that much difference then it's too late for them, and if it's the opposite, then it doesn't matter.

Tony

I honestly haven't got a problem about weakened teams being played in Europe..  i think that experience can be invaluable to so called 'fringe' players.  If you're in Europe..  its time to use you're whole squad.

But for a team to make 10 changes to face Man Utd isn't fair on their travelling support or to Man Utd title rivals...

Simply not cricket old boy... errr  well  i think you know what i mean!

[TonyGilroy]

But we all know that the big 4 do it in League matches occasionally if it suits them before a big European match.

Is it OK for them to make 10 changes but not Wolves just because their squad players are better.

And what's the point of a 25K fine in the context of EPL money.

If there's going to be rules then they have to be specific and heavily policed. Maybe no more than 5 or 6 changes from match to match and points deductions as a penalty.

It would though be ridiculous. These "reserve" players will be on not much short of £1M pa and are entitled to be used for the occasional match.

[Lighthouse]

I think the real problem is a weakened team mucks up the odds for the big betting business that goes on. Otherwise it is up to the manager to pick whomsoever he deems good enough. If he wants to throw in the towel then fine. United and the top teams often play weakened sides in the cup etc. What makes this so different?

When the Sanchez team beat Liverpool, people complained that the Liverpool side was a weak side. It was for them. But it still cost ten times our best team. So what constitutes a weak side?

[Jimpav]

When the Sanchez team beat Liverpool, people complained that the Liverpool side was a weak side. It was for them. But it still cost ten times our best team. So what constitutes a weak side?

Surely a weak side is when you choose not to field your strongest/best players - which is exactly what Liverpool did.

I'm surprised the relegated clubs didn't protest more as we would have gone down if not for this result. I genuinely thought we were going to go down that season and bought tickets for our last game (at Boro') on that basis.

We lost 3-1 at Boro and I don't think we would have ever won that game under the management of Sanchez.

[Logicalman]

Tony

I honestly haven't got a problem about weakened teams being played in Europe..  i think that experience can be invaluable to so called 'fringe' players.  If you're in Europe..  its time to use you're whole squad.

But for a team to make 10 changes to face Man Utd isn't fair on their travelling support or to Man Utd title rivals...

Simply not cricket old boy... errr  well  i think you know what i mean!

Mr. Ska,

I do see your point, very much so, and I agree that it's really not on, though I would still prfer this not to be policed by the FA at the level they do. They have to either hammer the clubs with points deductions, or player bans, or do nought at all.

The somewhat paltry 25K fine, as well as being suspended, indicates to me that they are simply pandering to the complainant (Wenger wasn't it?), and are showing they really don't care for the fight. I hope that Wolves appeal this, and so we can have the issue settled properly.

[GoldCoastWhite]

I think that this could open a huge can of worms. It's a bit like the old one sub rule when the sub could only replace an injured player. If all players are registered and legally entitled to play for a particular club then I imagine the manager has a legal right to use pick whatever side he sees fit ? I'd undoubtedly feel short changed as a supporter, or as an opposition manager if it affected my team's chances, but I can't really see what grounds the FA or Prem have for fining the club concerned.

[Lighthouse]

If a weak side is considered not that clubs strongest then will Brede ever be allowed a rest? Will BZ ever be allowed a rest? Will Man Utd have to play their strongest team against Yeovil in the Cup, a few days before playing Real Madrid in Europe? In which case why have managers picking the team. I could do it?

Managers manage - stop telling them and fining them for picking their sides. Fans will complain soon enough if it gets out of hand.

When Liverpools weak side that cost ten times Sanchez side, lost, why didn't we have more complaints? Simply because that Liverpool side was ten times better on paper than Fulham. Why have squads if you have to play the best 11. Just injury?

[mrska]

All very good valid points..  my gripe was he made 10 changes!!!  4 or 5  maybe...just,  but 10!

I do feel for the away support who paid good money to watch their side midweek at Old Trafford..  perhaps the 'fine' money could go back into the pockets of the Woves travelling fans...

Away travel  is a drain on your HARD EARNED as you we all know...

[WhiteJC]

was it the next game that we beat manure 3 - 0 at our place? what if we had fielded a weak team?

I agree with mrska, the fans should take the club to court for false advertising, they didn't get what it said on the tin!

[Jimpav]

Would the fans have been bitching though if McCarthy had fielded his strongest side against Man U and lost - and then fielding the same (knackered side) against Burnley and losing again?

I don't agree with what he did but 3 points is 3 points when you are in the relegation mix.

[mrska]

Would the fans have been bitching though if McCarthy had fielded his strongest side against Man U and lost - and then fielding the same (knackered side) against Burnley and losing again?

I don't agree with what he did but 3 points is 3 points when you are in the relegation mix.

Surely its a pride thing...   If Fulham  /  Woy had done it  i'd of been so ashamed.

[Jimpav]

That is true. I would rather lose two games on the bounce than see us throw in the towel from the off.

On a separate note does the suspended fine mean that they don't have to pay this on the condition that they do not field a weakened side within the next 12 months?

[finnster01]

Very wrong for the fans. Also wrong for the integrity of the competition. Wolves can't make 10 changes in the lineup facing the Champions. The league had to do something.

However, I can't see on what legal grounds one can enforce something like this, which is why I think the fine was both small and suspended. I think the league wouldn't like to take this one to the courts.

[TonyGilroy]

How many changes could McCarthy have legitimately made then?

If its the number of changes then its necessary to set a legal limit. If not at what point would the team be deemed to be too weak. Would it be OK only if players were injured? Would medical certificates be required? What about players who could play but were deemed fatigued. A 20 year old can play 3 games a week perhaps but can or should a 30 year old.

Is it OK if the replacements have significant first team experience? How many games constitute "significant". Can youngsters only be selected if accompanied by a specified number of experienced first teamers? How many clubs are subject to this rule as clearly it doesn't apply to the big 4?

Whether McCarthy should have picked a weak side is a subject for discussion but for the football authorities to penalise a team as weakened without any apparent specific guidelines is nonsense.

[SoCalJoe]

Unless Wolves started the groundskeeper or parking lot attendant then I don't think they should be fined (these were paid footballers weren't they?)

The traveling fans were robbed and the club should make some sort of restitution with them (be it refunds, ticket discount, free coaches, etc.)

A little surprised McCarthy didn't lose the locker room over this. The underlying message he told the first team was "you aren't good enough to get a result, so you are going to be rested". I would imagine there were some angry players. These guys play their whole lives to walk out onto the pitch at Old Trafford, and the gaffer benching them could not have sat well.