PLAYERS’ union chief Gordon Taylor has questioned the Football Association’s decision to charge Liverpool’s Ryan Babel over his Twitter post on Sunday, suggesting they have “much more serious” issues to focus on such as the assault on Stevenage player Scott Laird.

Holland international Babel was charged with improper conduct after posting a picture and comments about referee Howard Webb on Twitter after Sunday’s FA Cup defeat at Manchester United.

He sent out a mocked-up picture of the World Cup final referee wearing a Manchester United shirt and also wrote: “And they call him one of the best referees? That’s a joke. SMH (shaking my head).”

Babel, who has yet to respond to the charge, later apologised via his Twitter account.

Taylor, chief executive of the Professional Footballers’ Association, understands the governing body’s response but suggested the FA have “much more serious” issues to contend with.

Taylor said: “I didn’t feel it was that serious but you can understand from the FA’s point of view that they have a job to protect referees.

“I thought a warning letter would suffice but it may be they need to put a marker down because these sites are accessed by the media.”