Referee criticism

[Reverend Gooner]

The FA's stance on this one of the most neurotic I have ever seen in sport. Just say 1 thing which kind of, vaguely, slightly, insinuates that the referee was biased in his calls and it is a warning or even hauled in front of the FA, even if the referee was biased.

It is always the manager bringing the game into disrepute, never the referee who gave all those crappy calls.

It is so aggressive, makes me wonder what they are so afraid of.



A part of me has always thought that FIFA and some of the bigger leagues are against video technology because it would make these biased matches harder to ref but maybe I am being too sceptical.

Either way the old chestnut is that being a ref is the hardest job in football but that is not even close to being true, the hardest is being a premier league manager and they should be allowed to say if the ref had a shocker.

Thoughts?

[Fenice]

I agree. I think if a referee has a blatant bias, it is almost ridiculous to ignore or not talk about it. Are they magical, infallible beings? I never understood why they are untouchable. Players and managers put a lot of hard work into training they have every right to call out a poor ref. That Chelsea PSG match was just the newest example of favoritism.

[Yorkyblue]

Video technology doesn't always work. We got f***ked over at the weekend because the camera didn't cover the middle of the field and the player on the wing on the camera side. Couldn't prove he was onside even though it's clear from the run made. Cause the technology can't show a still picture of it, it's disallowed and cost us the game.

So even if they bring it in, there will still be moaning to go on. Things like this are still going on and we brought it in with Rugby League and still can't get it right.

But on the other subject. It's harder for refs these days. Players are always trying to con them all the time and every decision is looked at over and over again all over the internet.

One thing they should take from Rugby League is respect for the referee. It gets drilled into you at a young age to call the ref 'sir' and the respect seems to stick. I also like that the ref has a headset on and you can hear him on SKY. You can see/hear such a good relationship with him and the players, even if a player doesn't agree with the decision.

[UFGN]

It goes a long way back. Its always been the case that to accuse a referee of bias is taboo.

I do though think that managers should be able to criticise referees without getting punished. The FA and Premier League want their cake and eat it. They want to insist on managers doing TV interviews, and also censor what they say. That is wrong.

On the other side of the coin, I want to see referees shown more respect on the field. Players and all coaching staff should refer to officials as "sir" at all times, and all this shouting in the referee's face etc should be stopped.

[Vinny]

The FA's stance on this one of the most neurotic I have ever seen in sport. Just say 1 thing which kind of, vaguely, slightly, insinuates that the referee was biased in his calls and it is a warning or even hauled in front of the FA, even if the referee was biased.

It is always the manager bringing the game into disrepute, never the referee who gave all those crappy calls.

It is so aggressive, makes me wonder what they are so afraid of.



A part of me has always thought that FIFA and some of the bigger leagues are against video technology because it would make these biased matches harder to ref but maybe I am being too sceptical.

Either way the old chestnut is that being a ref is the hardest job in football but that is not even close to being true, the hardest is being a premier league manager and they should be allowed to say if the ref had a shocker.

Thoughts?

Initial thoughts.
I do think that managers should not be allowed talk about refs in a disparaging manner.
There is a process for clubs to protest and appeal and referees have their own internal disciplinary system which helps negate any bias, perceived or real. Managers are trying every trick in the book to manipulate referees and I despise the practise to be honest.

A managers words carry a lot of weight, influencing so many people, and can be used in an extremely deceitful way ala Mourinho and Frisk which led to one of the top referees and his family receiving numerous death threats and him retiring from the game.

[CukiZeGerman]

I don't know what happened to the times when players weren't allowed to touch the referees at all. IIRC players instantly got yellow cards if they touched the man. Nowadays everyone is around him, hugging him, giving him a tap on the shoulder etc.

10-15 years ago, the referee was the big authority figure. You're not allowed to talk back to him, you're not allowed to touch him or you get in trouble. Nowadays nobody gives a crap about the refree.

[Vinny]

I don't know what happened to the times when players weren't allowed to touch the referees at all. IIRC players instantly got yellow cards if they touched the man. Nowadays everyone is around him, hugging him, giving him a tap on the shoulder etc.

10-15 years ago, the referee was the big authority figure. You're not allowed to talk back to him, you're not allowed to touch him or you get in trouble. Nowadays nobody gives a crap about the refree.

Would agree with this.
Would love to see football learn from Rugby in this regard, where the referee is the authority on the pitch and demands respect.
Players do not mess with him because they would be penalised.
I see it in underage football with kids and parents effing and blinding at referees.
Just wrong.

[StokeFan]

Could we steal your PR team please? After the character assassination of Ryan Shawcross, I figured the best we can do is the same for Figueroa after his horror tackle on Ireland...

Actually, f**k that, we're better than that

[Cripps]

Hope Ireland is ok and he takes his year off visiting his dead grandma who isn't dead.

[StokeFan]

Hope Ireland is ok and he takes his year off visiting his dead grandma who isn't dead.

Wow, that's dark mate. You're mocking a guy who suffered depression after his wife had a miscarriage.

Well, just when I thought Arsenal fans couldn't sink any lower, Cripps is on hand to lower the bar just that little bit further. Congratulations buddy.

Let's hope you're wife/girlfriend never suffers the same eh? Or if she does, let's hope work are more understanding about giving you a little bit of time off.

[Cripps]

How is this turned around on me? I'm not the one faking my grandmothers death to get some time off work.

[StokeFan]

How is this turned around on me? I'm not the one faking my grandmothers death to get some time off work.

Do you not consider the fact it's people with your despicable ignorant views that cause people like Gary Speed to kill themselves? Clark Carlisle to attempt it? A total misunderstanding about depression and how it affects the mind. It is one of the darkest illnesses that people don't talk about, and when it has you, it won't let you go. Imagine if your kind of views were shown to someone like David Rocastle who died of cancer.

When you're in a foreign country and you get a phone call from your girlfriend to tell you that your unborn baby has just died, I'm pretty sure you're not thinking 100%, don't you? I guess as a 14 year old thick-as-fuck prepubescent little shit, you've never had a girlfriend to actually test the Science behind it, but I'm sure someone as dumb as you can still understand the emotional trauma it causes. Ireland didn't invent the dead grandma story, his girlfriend did, because Steve Staunton refused to allow her to speak to him directly (I assume it's a no-WAG zone or whatever). The dead grandma story allowed her to speak to her husband and tell him news far more important than a f***ing football match.

Cripps, how far are you going to lower this bar mate?

[Cripps]

How the f**k does cancer and shit come in to this?

You're actually going to go as low as using someone with cancer to belittle me and failing by the way as well as defend someone who faked his grandmothers death?

Why am I surprised though? Stoke fans are known as neantherthals for a reason. Sickening.

[GoonerAlexandre]

Could we steal your PR team please? After the character assassination of Ryan Shawcross, I figured the best we can do is the same for Figueroa after his horror tackle on Ireland...

Actually, f**k that, we're better than that

I don't remember us leaking pics of injuries to influence supporters and create hate

[StokeFan]

How the f**k does cancer and shit come in to this?

You're actually going to go as low as using someone with cancer to belittle me and failing by the way as well as defend someone who faked his grandmothers death?

Why am I surprised though? Stoke fans are known as neantherthals for a reason. Sickening.

Look at your reaction, it perfectly sums up my point Thanks Cripps. By the way, school started a few hours ago, get off your phone d***head otherwise Mrs Whittle will take it off you in Maths class.

For what it is worth, I didn't use cancer to belittle you. I said, "imagine if people were ignorant of cancer in the same way you're ignorant of depression". Perhaps it'll take an Arsenal player/fan to get depression before you understand. That's the life of a 'modern' fan I suppose, a johnny come lately, someone who's only supported since the invincibles and thinks the world shines out of Thierry's arse. Keep going chuckles.

I suppose if you don't understand depression, you never will. Hope it never affects anyone in your family though, by the time you find out, it might be too late. r***rd.

Could we steal your PR team please? After the character assassination of Ryan Shawcross, I figured the best we can do is the same for Figueroa after his horror tackle on Ireland...

Actually, f**k that, we're better than that

I don't remember us leaking pics of injuries to influence supporters and create hate

Actually, the photos were leaked to demonstrate how poor Neil Swarbrick was.

Nah, no photos, just lots and lots, and lots, and even more, and even more, interviews talking about it by Arsene, and Ramsey, and various other people in your club. Suggestions by AW that he should be banned for life etc. You played the media very well, it's fair to say right? You should be proud of your media assassination. I would be