Dean Smith - Confirmed

[dave.woodhall]

As I'm sure I once read, rugby referees understand the spirit of the game but not the laws and in football they understand the laws but not the spirit.

[dave shelley]

As I'm sure I once read, rugby referees understand the spirit of the game but not the laws and in football they understand the laws but not the spirit.

Indeed that is a truism Dave.  There used to be a provision in the laws of the game to award an indirect free-kick if in the opinion of the referee a player(s) were not playing within the spirit of the laws of the game.  Call it a cover-all for anything not specifically covered.

[Virgil Caine]

Will he still get a touch line ban given that the effect of that would be nullified due to lockdown and no crowds?

[brian green]

You two Daves are braver Daves than I am.  My rustic grasp of rugby refereeing is what has always defined good Art..  It is whatever you say it is with the acceptance that it could be the opposite.  Union Rugby has always winged it by saying the laws are negotiable depending on the interpretation of them by the appointed referee.

[paul_e]

As I'm sure I once read, rugby referees understand the spirit of the game but not the laws and in football they understand the laws but not the spirit.

Sounds about right but i'd add that the rugby bit is specifically about the scrum and ruck, loads of refs don't really understand that and just do the best they can, which is fine because they normally go back to common sense and, as you say, the spirit of the game.

[Footy-Vill]

As I'm sure I once read, rugby referees understand the spirit of the game but not the laws and in football they understand the laws but not the spirit.

Sounds about right but i'd add that the rugby bit is specifically about the scrum and ruck, loads of refs don't really understand that and just do the best they can, which is fine because they normally go back to common sense and, as you say, the spirit of the game.

Staying purely with association football. I would say that many football players don't know and understand all the laws. Is it ever taught to them?  And some proabbly don't have the ability to grasp.

The incident other night not one ex players of pundits Keown, Savage , Richards, Ferdinand,  Owen, Lineker and Hargreaves as well as Guardiola and Smith were unaware of the law.
Really the officials amd officiating body the FA and premier league should be communicating and assisting all clubs players and coaches all rules of the game of football before each season kicks off.

[mrfuse]

No apologies needed we all enjoyed reading that post and appreciate the knowledge.

Spot on comments.

Thanks Dave Shelley

[Drummond]

It appears that Smith now accepts he was wrong about the law and accepts it was a correct decision.

Bizarre

[GordonCowansisthegreatest]

Just like nodding your head and thinking "What a bunch of wankers"!

[Mister E]

I would almost gamble everything I own on all referee's not knowing the laws of the game one hundred percent.  Some of  the laws of the game are ambiguous and therefore open to interpretation...

As a former ref (not to your level, Dave), your point is really well made.
IMHO, what is often forgotten is that the laws of the game are - at their essential - pretty simple. It's the interpretation of them that makes them bewildering!
One, however, which is both simple and not bewildering is the law on retreating 10 yards from a free kick; the not-doing of which should result in a yellow card. It does my head in that this is simply ignored.
If referees don't want to adjudicate on it, change the friggin' laws!

[eamonn]

It appears that Smith now accepts he was wrong about the law and accepts it was a correct decision.

Bizarre

Boooo, Smith out!

[villa `cross the mersey]

It appears that Smith now accepts he was wrong about the law and accepts it was a correct decision.

Bizarre

Boooo, Smith out!

Perhaps a guilty plea in return for a lighter sentence?

[baddowvillans]

I don't interpret it like that all.  To me Smith has accepted the FA charge against him that his remarks to Job Moss were abusive, but not in any way is he accepting that Rodri was not offside? 

 

[olaftab]

Martin, they had time to read and digest the Encyclopedia Brittanica let alone the referee's chart (laws of the game).  All joking aside though, there are times in our lives when it is necessary to think on our feet, and refereeing football matches is one of them.  What VAR has done, is to give ref's the chance to actually do that.  What boils my piss over this is that none of the buffoons chose to take full advantage of the opportunity.  What Moss should have done IMO was to have flipped the situation and given the offside and then let the law-makers see what a shit interpretation their original idea was although in fairness this scenario would not have entered their heads.

There's an old adage within the refereeing fraternity and it's this:. Better to give a bad decision than a bad goal.  Moss and the rest would do well to remember that.

But Dave I don't see how, now, under instructions to not raise flag for offside Moss could have whistled for offside? And if he had there was no decision to me made other than a freekick to us. What Moss did was to allow play to go on and wait for VAR check which never came.

[SheffieldVillain]

I don't interpret it like that all.  To me Smith has accepted the FA charge against him that his remarks to Job Moss were abusive, but not in any way is he accepting that Rodri was not offside? 

 

Yes, that's how I read it too.

There's no way he was going to get off the abusive and insulting remarks charge anyway, regardless of the justification for it, so I'd imagine he just thought 'sod it, can't be bothered with them'.