Cape Town City coach Benni McCarthy will have to watch his words in future after being fined R50 000 by South Africa's Premier Soccer League for calling a match official a "cow'.
McCarthy was charged along with his club and pleaded guilty to the charge, with his R25 000 of his fine suspended until the end of the 2018/19 season, the PSL revealed in a statement.
McCarthy has had a running battle with referees all season and made a number of disparaging remarks against match officials in post-match interviews.
He feels the standard of the men in the middle is dragging South African football down, venting his frustration at the end of November in one of many rants.
"The referee is telling my players to f*** off, and we must say the referees are good? That's what is causing the problem because if we had good officials, we will have matches that are fair. Teams will run away with games.
"Most referees keep teams in the game. We don't have officials who are taking care of the game because they are worried about their own egos, and as coaches and players, it is frustrating standing on the side. We see it happening week-in and week-out.
"Every game it is the same thing, and we as coaches must bite our tongue and keep quiet because if you don't, you get fined or suspended. That's what is causing the league to draw so many games.
"We don't have the best officials. Our referees need to be f***ing better man."
http://kwese.espn.com/football/south-african-premiership/story/3291031/psl-referees-in-the-spotlight-more-than-ever/
McCarthy called referee Tinyani a "cow" in the wake of his side's 2-1 loss at Chippa United last October.
Despite his problems with the officiating, City lie second in the league this season, four points behind leaders Mamelodi Sundowns.