Drogba should be banned says PFA chief

A three-match ban for Chelsea striker Didier Drogba is the only appropriate response to last night's coin-throwing incident, players' chief Gordon Taylor said today.

Drogba is under fire after throwing a coin back into the crowd while celebrating his 27th-minute goal against Burnley in the Carling Cup fourth-round tie at Stamford Bridge.

Investigations into the incident have been launched by the Metropolitan Police and the FA

Drogba received a yellow card from referee Keith Stroud but it is understood the booking was for a "one-fingered" gesture to the visiting fans.

Chelsea were dumped out of the competition 5-4 on penalties by the Coca-Cola Championship side and although the Ivory Coast hitman issued a post-match apology for his behaviour, it may not save him from further action.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: "I can confirm we are investigating the incident. An inquiry is being conducted by the Football Unit at Fulham police station. No-one has been arrested."

An FA spokesman added: "We are investigating. That's all I can say until we have had a chance to look into it further."

Drogba could face a lengthy ban for his troubles. In 2002, Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher was red-carded for throwing a coin back into the crowd.

He received a mandatory three-match ban but the FA did not punish him further and the police took no action. However, the club fined the defender and warned him as to his future conduct.

Taylor, the chief executive of the Professional Footballers' Association, believes the precedent for Drogba's misdemeanour is already there, and that a similar punishment should be expected.

"It's there for all to see, he's done something that's against the rules required of players, and a similar situation resulted in a three-match ban for Jamie Carragher," he said. "So it would be very difficult to avoid an accusation that they (the FA) are inconsistent if they don't follow that line."

It is the second high-profile coin-throwing incident in a month after an assistant referee was struck during Aston Villa's match with Portsmouth at Villa Park.

But while Taylor expressed sympathy for the situation in which Drogba found himself, he accepted players must rise above such mindless behaviour from supporters.

"For Didier Drogba, he's been injured, he's come back, he's got a good goal but he got wrapped up in the situation, and it is a fact for footballers that they're not supposed to celebrate in front of opposition supporters," Taylor added on Sky Sports News. "This is the second coin-throwing incident we've had now in the last few weeks, which is a matter of some concern, but the last thing that players need to do is respond in that way. In fairness to the lad, he knows he's done wrong, he apologised immediately after the game, but this happened in the heat of the moment and unfortunately there will be consequences now."

Meanwhile, Burnley goalkeeping hero Brian Jensen hailed his penalty shoot-out heroics as the biggest achievement of his career.

Jensen, nicknamed the "The Beast" by his team-mates because of his size, earned Owen Coyle's side a place in the quarter-finals thanks to shout-out saves from Wayne Bridge and John Mikel Obi.

The giant Dane has now won all four of his penalty shoot-outs with Burnley but Jensen insists the Chelsea victory tops the lot.

"This is definitely the biggest achievement in my career," said Jensen. "Chelsea had lost one of 86 games at home and yet we came here and turned them over, which shows that anything can happen in football. It still hasn't sunk in yet, but I haven't lost a penalty shoot out with Burnley and I was determined to keep it that way."

Chelsea had gone ahead through Drogba's first goal of the season but veteran striker Ade Akinbiyi pounced to equalise with 20 minutes left.

Now 34-year-old Akinbiyi, a veteran of 11 clubs during his career, insists Stamford Bridge is not a place to fear any more.

He said: "People were talking about Liverpool beating them but the manager told us to come here and enjoy ourselves. We weren't going to come here and lay down low. Being relaxed helped us a lot. I was surprised how little they threatened in the second half. They seemed to get tired towards the end."

Chelsea coach Luiz Felipe Scolari is concerned at the effect three recent defeats at the hands of Liverpool, Roma and Burnley will have on the players.

"Every time we lose it's a problem for us. We need to try again with the confidence for the players," he said. "We are in a good position in the Premier League, we are in a good position in the Champions League, but now we are out of this cup. Burnley deserved it, they took better penalties."