Referees

[timeoutbigbar]

I've just noticed this article, apologies if it has been brought up elsewhere.

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12040_6845079,00.html

'Clubs have unanimously backes a crackdown', well ain't that a touch hypocritical from some...

[villa1]

Respect is a two way thing. A lot of referees get it right but i've been on the receiving end when one didn't and ended up in front of a BCFA disciplinary panel. I even had a witness from the opposition who attended and stated that the referees report was untrue and that they heard him swear at me.

I was found guilty of inappropriate behaviour towards a match official; the only time in 25 years of playinh and coaching football.

Refereeing is a very hard job, and one that I am happy to admit i've never wanted to do, but they should also be accountable for their actions and not be allowed to hide behind the respect campain at times.

Craig Bellamy clearly told the referee, in the match against England, to "fuck off". Caught clearly on camera. His punishment? Nothing. Not even spoken to.

They need to stamp that out, and stop kids seeing it, rather than targetting the grassroots game only.

[Legion]

They need to stamp that out, and stop kids seeing it, rather than targetting the grassroots game only.

Spot on.

[Legion]

I've just noticed this article, apologies if it has been brought up elsewhere.

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12040_6845079,00.html

'Clubs have unanimously backes a crackdown', well ain't that a touch hypocritical from some...

Link is blocked at work due to 'gambling'. Could someone please copy and paste the text here?

[lovejoy]

The FA stand up to the clubs? Some sort of April Fools Day joke surely.

[Nev]

I assume Ferguson is still reeling from the latest punishment.

Pathetic and cowardly.

[rjp]

I've just noticed this article, apologies if it has been brought up elsewhere.

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12040_6845079,00.html

'Clubs have unanimously backes a crackdown', well ain't that a touch hypocritical from some...

Link is blocked at work due to 'gambling'. Could someone please copy and paste the text here?

Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore has revealed that clubs have unanimously backed a crackdown on abuse of match officials.

The Football Association has a Respect campaign designed at addressing the behaviour at all levels of the sport, but 'unacceptable' conduct remains an issue.

Scudamore, who heads the Premier League, a separate body to the FA, claims that clubs are determined to address the incidents following a meeting of club chairmen on Thursday.

There have been a number of high-profile incidents this season, most recently when Sir Alex Ferguson received a five-match touchline ban for his television outburst at referee Martin Atkinson after Manchester United's defeat at Chelsea.

But Scudamore has told Sky Sports News chief news reporter Bryan Swanson that there will be a combined effort to address the indiscipline from the start of the next campaign.
Unacceptable

"It is too early to say what is going to be done, but it does start with an education programme and a communication programme," said Scudamore.

"We have got to get through to the participants.

"Every single human being is capable of losing their rag or doing something very petulant or doing something that they are probably not proud of."

Scudamore also said: "The clubs unanimously backed the idea that at the start of next season we want to raise the bar, we want to improve behaviour.

"I think we do need to concentrate on the player and manager relationship with the referee this time, as everyone of us knows that there have been elements of unacceptable behaviour.

Vitriolic abuse

"As to what we think is unacceptable; it's vitriolic abuse towards match officials and that has on occasions gone unpunished; the surrounding of referees is unacceptable; the goading of referees into trying to get opponents sanctioned we think is unacceptable; and also the undue criticism, where it spills over into questioning the referee's integrity or his honesty is also unacceptable."

Scudamore said the League Managers' Association has already signalled its support.

He added: "We are at a point in the game where we do have to rein back from some of this undue criticism of match officials.

"The debate will come and we will have it in consultation with managers, and remember the managers are also employed by the clubs so the unanimous support of the clubs today is important."

But Scudamore does not believe that there needs to be a reconstruction of the rules which govern football.

"I don't think we need any law change. I think the law is there. I think the referees have the power and the authority," he said.

[Shaggy]

I assume Ferguson is still reeling from the latest punishment.

Pathetic and cowardly.

I though that I heard on last nights news that Ferguson was bleating on about how he should be entitled to say what he thinks about a ref after a game.....

As with all good comedy, it's all about timing

[Greg N'Ash]

ferguson's a wiley old dog. not sure he even cares about the ban that much, but by bleating about it in press he ensured that the spotlight will be on the refs in their run in. I wouldn't want to be the ref who has to give a borderline decision against them in in the run-up.

[Rip Van We Go Again]

As usual Ferguson put's the referees under pressure.
They're terrified of him at the best of times, as are the BBC and most of the national media.

[Archbishop Herbert Cockthrottle]

First swear word that goes in the direction of a ref gets a yellow card, second instance, a red.

Rooney would last about three minutes.

[Bad English]

Yes, all refs are going to start pulling out cards for swearing, crowding, or whatever. It's simple. Refs just need to apply the Law and use a zero tolerance policy. That'll sort them.

There'll be no backlash, in public or in private,  from multi-million pound clubs, Federations, Associations, media interests, gaming interests, players, managers, oh no.

[davevillan]

I think part of the problem is football is such big business these days, with more or less wall to wall coverage in the media, wether it be, tv, radio or the press. Every key decision is scrutenised then the ref is slaughtered if he is seen toi have got it wrong.
People go on about the refs being accountable, but they are. If they dont perform they get demoted. Refereeing at the top level is very professional, and they do strive all the time to get things right and to improve desicion making, some may laugh at that, but i know its fact. I have friends who are on the Football League as officials, and the day after a game, they have a warm down routine to do, and they have to download and send to the league to prove they are training properly, failure means no games.
Every one involved at the highest level has a responsibilty, as what is shown on tv filters down to grass roots football, and one of the biggest problems we have faced at that level is the retention of new refs. With the mentoring scheme now in place,  this problem is being dealt with.
It does make me laugh when i read the comments on the sky page from the different fans saying a refs decision could relegate a team or cost them the title. What about all the goals missed by the stikers, the defenders gifting golas etc during the season, but its easy to forgive your own players, but blame the ref for one honest mistake!!!!!

[hawkeye]

The refs have bought this upon themselves, they have the power to deal with abuse, to stop players tugging shirts, to punish diving.  they have alllowed the situation to get out of controll

[brian green]

It all started getting out of hand when the referees became celebrities in their own right.

It the old days it was just a bloke in black, now they are as well known and as well publicized as the players and they love it.   The officiating and control of a game of football should be as robotic and detached as possible.   Bad foul in the first thirty seconds - red card, Man U defender pulls shirt of opponent in the box in the last minute of injury time and Man U leading one nil - penalty.   No emotion, no interpretation, no balancing things up, just a robotic and consistent application of the rules of the game.   End of.

It is only when referees are allowed discretion to amend or vary the strict interpretation of the game that all this shambles gets a hold.   If you treat referees like celebrities they will act like celebrities.

If you pay a plumber to mend a burst water pipe in your loft you don't praise the way he extended the loft ladder or rolled back the loft insulation.   It's his job.   Find pipe.  Mend pipe.  Go home.   It should be the same with referees.