Coventry City manager Mark Robins has criticized the Football Association’s suspension rules as ‘poor’ ahead of his team’s clash with Premier League giants Manchester United in the FA Cup.
The Sky Blues will be without midfielder Kasey Palmer, who received a one-match ban after accumulating two yellow cards during the tournament.
The first yellow came for a tackle against Sheffield Wednesday, while the second was for entering the pitch to celebrate their dramatic comeback against Wolves.
Robins expressed frustration with the rule, highlighting the case of Manchester United’s Amad Diallo, who served his suspension for two bookable offenses in a league match rather than the subsequent cup fixture.
Despite reluctance to discuss the suspension previously, Robins addressed the issue in his pre-match press conference.
“It really is difficult. I think in the moment it was a reaction that we all made on that day at Wolves when you don’t necessarily think too much about it. It was just in the moment and he got a booking, which is difficult.
“We were talking this week about the scrapping of replays and we ended up playing a replay and an extra game, surely that should have been taken into account. It is really poor but the rules are the rules and we have to abide by them, and unfortunately for him and us we can’t use him.”
Regarding Palmer’s absence, Robins emphasized the disappointment but also noted his character and experience, suggesting he could still contribute positively to the team off the pitch.
“I think Kasey has handled it as well as you could expect. He’s devastated that he can’t take part in it, and feels aggrieved but the rules are the rules, it’s as simple as that. He has to deal with it, and he will deal with it and he can be around it, and it will be good to have him around everyone.
“It’s just how he deals with it on the day because when he sees everything and goes in there and sees and feels the atmosphere he’ll definitely feel a sense of disappointment. It’s just really, really sad for him.”
With Coventry City facing a challenging encounter against Manchester United, Robins’ criticism of the FA’s suspension rules adds an additional layer of complexity to their preparation for the high-stakes fixture at Wembley.
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