Moyes calls for clarity

Everton boss David Moyes has called for clear guidelines on the use of swearing in football.

Toffees striker James McFadden was at the centre of a storm on Wednesday after being sent off in the Carling Cup defeat against Arsenal.

Referee Graham Poll claimed the Scot was sent off for calling him a cheat, but McFadden merely says he swore at the official.

Either way, McFadden's comments fit under the category of foul and abusive language which merits an automatic red card.

However, Moyes feels some referees are prepared to tolerate swearing and has called for a definitive answer to the issue, despite the current rules.

"We shouldn't swear, we know that," Moyes told Sky Sports News. "Industrial language, which is used, if you do pull players up for swearing we're going to have to send an awful lot of players off.

"I do understand the way it's said, and the way it's passed on sometimes, can be interpreted differently.

"We hear it in every game, it's not right, but we hear it. Referees don't send players off for it all the time, but on this occasion the referee did.

"All we've asked for is clarification. Do you get sent off for swearing at the referee?

"Some have levels of tolerance that are much greater than others. We need something that's black and white, so that if you do swear, you get sent off and fine.

"If there's not and they are quite tolerant of it, like most referees are, then it comes down to the word cheat, which Graham Poll says he's used or the different word McFadden has said he used."