Moutinho Loses His Cool

Mar 2 2008 By Gordon Waddell

FALKIRK boss John Hughes stormed down the tunnel after petted-lip Pedro Moutinho threw his shirt into the Bairns' dugout - then claimed he was just going to the loo!

The Portuguese striker was a surprise victim of the Hughes hook with 10 minutes left and Moutinho tossed his top at the bench and headed straight down the tunnel, closely followed by his gaffer.

But Yogi insists anyone expecting the frontman to get a caning would have been disappointed. He grinned: "I was heading to the toilet anyway!

"Listen, I've done it myself and felt that kind of frustration. I understand why he did it. Anyone who gets subbed should feel a bit of that.

"I only went down there to tell Pedro he should come back out to support his team-mates for the rest of the game.

"That's the way it should be. I don't think he did, right enough - although there were only minutes to go by then." The second half saw a massive improvement from the Bairns on their previous two games but Hughes insists he needs money to spend if he's to take his side forward.

He said: "We need more quality to take us that next step. The last two games I've had to watch guys in the opposition I've tried to sign but couldn't afford.

"To get them will take an injection of cash because the reason we lose out is we don't spend the big bucks on wages."