RONNIE WHELAN is waiting anxiously for a referee's report knowing it could save his job as manager of Southend.

The former Republic of Ireland and Liverpool midfielder was suspended by the first division club yesterday and his assistant, Theo Foley, dismissed.

Southend acted after the pair were banished to the stand by referee Graham Laws during Saturday's 3-0 defeat by Manchester City. They had been angered by a tackle from City's Georgi Kinkladze on Phil Gridelet.

Laws' report is due at the English Football Association's headquarters either today or tomorrow, and Whelan has been suspended on full pay pending receipt of that document.

Whelan was unavailable for comment yesterday, but Foley confirmed the reasons for his sacking. "The chairman felt that I, being an elder statesman, should have controlled Ronnie."

Asked whether he thought Whelan had a future at the club, he replied: "Do you want me to answer that honestly? No I don't think so."