Soccer: Nelsen fined for criticising ref

Ryan Nelsen. Photo / AP

Toronto FC manager and former All Whites captain Ryan Nelsen has been fined by the MLS for criticising a referee following his side's 2-2 draw against Sporting Kansas City last week.

Nelsen commented on a referee's decision to give Toronto defender Steven Caldwell a straight red card when the New Zealander felt it was only worthy of a yellow.

"If they gave Steven a yellow, nobody would have blinked an eyelid, nobody would have worried about it," Nelsen told MLSSoccer.com after the game.

"But because (referee Baldomero Toledo) has set a precedent throughout his refereeing career that he always likes to influence games, he decided to give a red for what was really a yellow card."

Nelsen was fined an undisclosed amount following the comments.

Nelsen also complained about a penalty called against Toronto defender Doneil Henry, which Kansas City scored to take a 2-1 lead late in the game.

"In all honesty, there's not one person who has seen the replay that said that was a penalty," Nelsen said. "So when you're down to 10 men, in the 84th minute, you have to be 100 per cent certain that it's a penalty. One hundred per cent certain. The referee will watch the replay and he will say to himself 'It's not a penalty."'

Nelsen's job was on the line following his first season in Toronto after the side finished in ninth placed out of 10 teams in the Eastern Conference.

However they have had a much stronger start to this season, following some big off season signing, sitting three points outside the playoff spots with three games in hand. Nine games into the season Toronto have won four, lost four with one draw.