Cardiff City will be without manager Omer Riza for their next three matches after the FA imposed a ban on the 45-year-old.
The ban relates to acting ‘in an improper manner’ during the South Wales Derby against Swansea City, which was won comfortably by The Bluebirds 3-0.
Ban And Fine Imposed
Riza was sent off in the final moments of the game in Cardiff after entering an altercation with Swans midfielder Goncalo Franco near the technical area. The Turkish manager admitted afterwards that he was unhappy with his own behaviour, but believed the Portuguese player had targeted him ‘three or four times’ during the match.
The game came less than two days after the death of his father, and Riza had pleaded with the governing body to ‘show compassion’ amid those circumstances. Riza was handed a three-game ban by the Football Association and a £3,500 fine, meaning he will miss the matches against Leeds United, Stoke City and Portsmouth.
It is the second FA sanction handed to a Championship boss in as many days after Blackburn Rovers‘ John Eustace was fined £4,000 and given a warning following comments in the media after their game against Leeds.
Writer’s View
Omer Riza would surely not have been in the right frame of mind during the South Wales Derby following the passing of his father and it does give important context to his behaviour on the day. Ultimately he was involved in multiple altercations with Goncalo Franco and that rightfully led to a sending-off and Riza has since accepted the verdict handed to him by the FA. Touchline bans are not really going to affect much for the club as the necessary staff structure is in place and The Bluebirds boss will still be able to communicate his message across to his players over the course of the next few games.
