Football: Merrick expects to be sidelined

Phoenix coach Ernie Merrick expects to be on the sideline to watch his side take on Melbourne City. Photo / Getty

Wellington Phoenix coach Ernie Merrick expects to be on the sideline to watch his side take on Melbourne City at Westpac Stadium on Sunday despite a potential FFA sanction looming over him.

Merrick was issued a "show cause" letter from the FFA this week with regards to the comments he made about the officiating following his team's 2-1 loss to Adelaide United on November 15.

The Phoenix have responded on Merrick's behalf and the FFA were considering Wellington's stance on the matter before deciding whether Merrick had breached the FFA's Code of Conduct.

"The process is still ongoing," an FFA spokesman said. "Once that process is finished we'll make a determination and advise Wellington accordingly.

"There's a potential sanction in there, which includes a reprimand, which ranges from fines to suspensions and that sort of thing."

Merrick was less concerned and was only worried about preparing his side to meet Melbourne City.

"I don't think anything will happen in the short term and given there's no clarity around it, I don't think there will be any change for this game," he said.

"I don't even know what a show cause notice is. I don't even know what I've been accused of ... I don't actually know what I've been cited for; legal speak is too hard for me."

Merrick's tongue was likely placed firmly in his cheek today but the FFA were not pleased that Merrick suggested after the loss to Adelaide that A-League referees favoured the bigger clubs.

"You can't worry about referees' decisions but I have discovered since I've been at the Phoenix, it's pretty tough," Merrick said in the post-match press conference after the game against Adelaide.

"When I was at the Victory I found I had a better run, I have to say ... I'm discovering it happens more at this club than at my previous club. I don't know why that is."

Merrick said today he felt he was merely speaking his mind with regards to the standard of refereeing in the competition, which has come under fire more than once in recent seasons.

"I have never ranted in my whole life. I don't get carried away and have emotional outbursts," Merrick said. "I'm very careful, logical, factual and measured in what I say and what I said regarding specific actions on the field was justified by the referee's review panel and the director of referees after the game."

Strebre Delovski, who refereed the Phoenix's loss to Adelaide and was involved in a handful of controversial calls, wasn't appointed to an A-League fixture last weekend, although he will be in charge of Brisbane v Perth tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Spanish midfielder Albert Riera has signed a two-year contract extension with the Phoenix that will keep him at the club until the end of the 2016-2017 season.

"The Phoenix gave me an opportunity I never expected and there is no way I would have turned my back on the club," the 30-year-old said.

"From the moment I arrived in Wellington the boys made me feel at home and they are now all my friends."