Marco Silva has called for more respect for referees amid the recent online abuse directed towards Michael Oliver and David Coote.
Police investigated threats and abuse aimed at Premier League official Oliver this week after he sent off Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly.
Coote, meanwhile, revealed that he received death threats in an interview with The Sun and Fulham manager Silva expressed his concerns ahead of his side’s clash with Newcastle United.
Silva said: “We need to do more as a society. It’s not just managers, players, journalists, or social media.
“We understand that the fans are sometimes not happy, but we have to respect the people involved in the game.
“Football is about emotions, and during the 90 minutes we have emotions, and share them with the officials. But after the game stops, we move on.”
Fulham have been involved in a number of controversial decisions, most recently in their 1-0 loss to Manchester United on Sunday.
Goalscorer Lisandro Martinez was perhaps fortunate to still be on the pitch after he jumped into a challenge with winger Adama Traore two-footed.
But Silva criticised the role of social media in the abuse of Coote and Oliver, a sentiment echoed by numerous managers this week, including Mikel Arteta.
He said: “Why didn’t we beat Manchester United? Because we made mistakes, and it’s the same with referees.
“The referees are going to analyse their job, and we will analyse as well, but everyone needs to stop and behave because the abuse is not going to change anything.
“We all know that right now social media is not easy to control, but it’s for other people to deal with.
“We have to respect each other at the end of the game, and during the game, because in the end, we are all professionals.”
Silva will be hoping for no controversy against Newcastle, especially after last season’s 3-0 defeat at St James’ Park, which featured an early red card for striker Raul Jimenez.
However, he will be without Harry Wilson, who is ruled out for 10 weeks following a stress fracture in his foot that he suffered against United.
Tenth place Fulham haven’t made any senior signings in the transfer window, and now have limited time to find replacements for Wilson and the injured Kenny Tete.
Although Reiss Nelson has recovered from a hamstring problem, Silva said the Newcastle game came too quickly for the winger to feature.
The Cottagers will look to emulate Bournemouth’s stunning result from two weeks ago, as they ran out 4-1 winners against a side who’d won nine on the bounce.
Eddie Howe will be without striker Callum Wilson, who continues to recover from a hamstring strain, while Harvey Barnes remains a few weeks away from returning.
The fifth-place Magpies have not strengthened yet in January, but Paraguayan international Miguel Almiron has returned to his former club Atlanta United on a permanent deal worth around £8m.
Saturday’s game kicks off at 3pm.
Picture credit: Rishi Tanna
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