Western Sydney Wanderers coach in hot water with officials

Australia's football governing body has issued Western Sydney Wanderers head coach Markus Babbel with a 'show cause notice' on Wednesday for breaching its National Code of Conduct.

Stemming from post-match comments made after his side's 2-1 loss to Wellington Phoenix on Saturday, the citation from Football Federation Australia (FFA) is the second Babbel has received in just one month, reports Xinhua news agency.

Angered by the match officials' decision to award a late penalty to the Phoenix for a handball, the 47-year-old German manager told New Zealand television, "You can't tell me this is bad luck."

"This is too often now, too often against us, and there's something behind it, that's my opinion. We have to understand that we play not against 11 but against 12 - this is a trend now. I really feel sad for the boys but it is like it is and we have to work harder."

Reprimanded for an almost identical incident after Wanderers went down 3-2 to Melbourne City FC in November, Babbel used "offensive language" in a post-match interview to blast referees for awarding a controversial penalty.

Although the former Bayern Munich and Liverpool defender later went on to apologise for the fiery exchange, it appears the pressure of the job may be weighing on Babbel.

Taking the reins in May 2018, the Wanderers have only managed nine wins from 35 A-League games and as a result, a number of local media outlets are claiming Babbel's departure from the club is now imminent.

"Sanctions applicable for a breach of the FFA National Code of Conduct include a reprimand, a fine and/or suspension from participation in a match or matches," the governing body said in a statement, adding that Babbel now has the opportunity to provide a submission on the matter by Monday, December 16.

( With inputs from IANS )