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Ebbsfleet United boss Dennis Kutrieb says he won’t be easily silenced on sidelines as he completes second touchline ban of the season

05:00, 24 November 2023

Manager Dennis Kutrieb is refusing to take his emotions away from the dugout despite being hit with his second touchline ban of the season.

The Ebbsfleet boss was handed a two-match suspension after picking up his sixth yellow card of the campaign against Oxford City last Saturday.

Ebbsfleet boss Dennis Kutrieb will be missing from the dugout at Oldham on Saturday. Picture: Keith Gillard
Ebbsfleet boss Dennis Kutrieb will be missing from the dugout at Oldham on Saturday. Picture: Keith Gillard

Kutrieb had a point after the officials missed a blatant foul by Lewis Coyle which would have earned the Oxford man a second yellow card before half-time.

He didn’t feel the punishment fitted the crime but still had to watch Tuesday’s Maidenhead game from the stands, and will be sat away from the dugout again for this Saturday’s trip to Oldham.

“The big frustration which can’t be any bigger is how I got a yellow card last Saturday for what I have said,” explained Kutrieb.

“It’s nothing negative, I said nothing abusive, I wasn’t shouting in someone’s face.

“I got up from my chair and walked towards the fourth official and halfway in my dugout, which everyone knows is small anyway, I stopped and went back. Then the referee came over and booked me.

“This is my frustration but I’ve said it already. I need to accept that they want to take the emotions out of the game. I’m struggling because I’m a very emotional coach on the sidelines and I’m struggling massively with that because they try to take the emotions out of me, which is tough for me to accept.

“I can’t change it. I’m frustrated about receiving the yellow card as it’s just ridiculous. But it is what it is, I have to accept it.”

Has Kutrieb considered watching more games from the stands to avoid confrontations with the fourth official?

“I think I have to be there,” said the Fleet boss. “Maybe in the bigger picture I won’t be there at some point as they don’t want managers to show emotions, obviously.

“It’s not about the words which I say as there is nothing abusive or negative at all. I said ‘how is that not a yellow card?’ which would have been important as it was a second booking and he would have been [sent] off.

“This is not like we play here for fun. I think sometimes about the referees that they come here smiling and then go home and think I’ve done my job but they smile regardless of what happens when I think ‘you’ve had such a bad game, how can you go home smiling?’.

“I can’t control it after it but I need to control it before so I will try to improve when I am back in the dugout.”

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