Lee warned by FA

Liverpool assistant manager Sammy Lee has been warned about his future conduct at an FA Regulatory Commission hearings today. The Football Association issued improper conduct charges against Lee following a verbal altercation with fourth official Stuart Attwell. The incident happened in the dying moments of the Premiership defeat to Spurs after referee Phil Dowd waved away a series of Liverpool penalty claims.

The FA statement says: "Sammy Lee was warned as to his future conduct. Lee admitted a charge of improper conduct relating to his behaviour towards fourth official Stuart Attwell during Liverpool’s match against Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane on 16 August. In reaching its decision the Commission took into account Lee’s admission of the charge, his apology and his exemplary previous disciplinary record over many years."

The FA charged Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez with improper conduct yesterday, following the comments he made to the media after the same game.

Benitez charged with improper conduct by FA

The FA have charged Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez with improper conduct. The charge refers to the comments he made to the media following the opening day defeat at Tottenham on August 16th. Liverpool were awarded one spot kick after keeper Heurelho Gomes' clumsy challenge on Glen Johnson, but referee Phil Dowd waved away a second blatant penalty claim after Spurs left back Assou-Ekotto shoved Andriy Voronin to the ground denying the Ukrainian a goal scoring opportunity. Assistant Sammy Lee was so enraged by the injustice of the decision that he was sent off following a verbal altercation with fourth official Stuart Attwell. Lee was later charged by the FA for this incident.

After the Tottenham match, Benitez had this to say:

"I think everyone could see there was a penalty, especially to Voronin."

"The third one, you could excuse, you can say that the hand was to the ball or the ball was to the hand. But the other one was so clear that it was unbelievable."

Asked by the press if it was possible to win two penalties away from home, Benítez added:

"No, with this referee I knew that this was impossible."

The FA who had imposed new rules prior to the new season, intended to stop managers calling into question a referee’s neutrality and integrity, had revealed it was investigating the incident on Aug 21. The Telegraph says the Footballing Association "requested “all available materials” of Benitez’s comments, including television footage and newspaper reports, and later wrote to the Spaniard to ask him to explain his remarks."

The investigation has resulted in the FA charging Benitez. A brief statement says: "The charge relates to comments made about the match official immediately following the match at White Hart Lane."

Benitez has until 15 September 2009 to respond

Liverpool Physio has England role blocked by United

Manchester United have "blocked the proposed promotion of a Liverpool physiotherapist to work with the England team in a move that demonstrates the distrust that exists between the country’s top clubs," reports the Times.

Reds football physiotherapist Dave Galley, who has more than 25 years’ experience had expected to be part of the England medical staff for the friendly against Slovenia on September 5 and the World Cup qualifier with Croatia four days later.

However Galley has now reverted back to his previous role with the England Under-21 squad after what the Times says "the intervention of David Gill, the Manchester United chief executive," and "Liverpool are understood to be far from impressed with the situation."

A policy designed to ensure that only independent medical staff are appointed to work with the national team introduced by the FA last year, had "raised concerns about a rival club’s physiotherapist having access to valuable information about the fitness of players from other team’s."

Strangely United don't appear bothered by the current physiotherapist Gary Lewin appointed in August last year, and full time doctor Ian Beasley. "Both had previously worked for the FA on a part-time basis with their regular employment being provided by Arsenal," says the report.

Now Galley has returned to his role with the under 21 squad after Gill questioned "the wisdom of the appointment of Galley to work with Fabio Capello’s squad and the FA backed his opinion."

The FA say: “Dave has reverted back to the Under-21s after one game.” said an FA spokesman. “There should be no questions against his professionalism, We must be clear that there is an agreed board policy that has nothing to do with Manchester United that the medical staff should be independent.

“Franco Baldini (Capello’s general manager) and Rafael Benítez (the Liverpool manager) discussed the matter yesterday and it was explained we wanted to see Dave working with the team in the friendly this month. We refute any suggestion that we have been pressurised by Manchester United.”