Anxious wait for Strachan

Gordon Strachan was today facing an anxious wait to discover not only his own immediate future at Southampton but also whether he could be hit with a Football Association misconduct charge.

If last night’s defeat at Highbury was Strachan’s last game in charge of Southampton, with Glenn Hoddle widely tipped to replace him, then at least the passionate and fiery Scot went out in character.

Having struggled to restrain himself on the touchline as key decisions went against his side, he had to be shepherded away from referee Neale Barry at the final whistle.

He was then said to have continued his protests after the match.

His anger had not abated when he rowed with television reporters duty-bound to ask him about his future, amid reports that his plans to take a sabbatical this summer could be speeded up by Hoddle's controversial potential return to the south coast.

When he spoke to newspaper journalists Strachan’s frustrations erupted once again as he criticised linesman Mike Tingey for his part in Arsenal’s first goal.

Strachan, who admitted he felt “some injustice”, declared: “You’ve got to understand that there’s plenty of history between myself and Mr Tingey.

“Five years ago, I got sent off and he accused me of starting a fight because he had seen it clearly.

“But I took a lawyer to the Football Association hearing, and there was camera footage that showed I didn’t start the fight and it was impossible for him to see me. They got me instead for getting out of my technical area.

“Mr Tingey was kind of embarrassed five years ago, and we’ve had more history since then. My players suffered because of that history, I think. (Arsenal goalscorer Thierry) Henry was three or four yards offside.”

That effectively seemed to accuse Tingey of some sort of bias – the sort of claim that the FA would normally take seriously. Whether they hit Strachan with a misconduct charge, especially if he could soon have a lengthy break from the game in any case, remains to be seen.

The FA were today waiting for the official reports from the game from not only referee Barry but also fourth official Steve Bennett.

But when asked last night if his comments could get him into further trouble with the FA Strachan asked: “Have I said anything out of turn?”

Asked if he had complained to the officials after the game, the Scot added: “You can’t get near to the officials – it’s easier to get to the Pope!

“If I’m in London next time and I get mugged I hope the same amount of people turn up – there were six police officers, four stewards and a United Nations peace observer.”