Everyone in football knows that at the beginning of each season there is something new for the players to focus on – a new rule. In the past this has been the six second goalkeeper law or the daylight between attacker and defender when judging whether someone is offside. Then, after a short while, these rules a brushed under the carpet and never spoken of again. The latest Premier League plan? Well, players are to be punished if they do not respect the match officials.
Admittedly this is a different type of rule and one which simply promotes better player behaviour towards referees. However, I’m unconvinced about how much it is really going to work. When Chelsea concedes a dodgy penalty in the last minute against Manchester United, are the players simply going to let it go because of the Premier League’s new plan? I don’t think so. It will be like the rule that you are booked when taking off your shirt while celebrating. Players still do it, almost to show that they are so happy they scored, they don’t care if they get booked. Let’s be honest – we like to see that attitude as fans don’t we?
Likewise, I can envisage players surrounding the referee after a poor decision because they are so angry, they don’t care if they get booked or punished in whatever way the Premier League sees fit for this type of behaviour. Again trying to highlight their passionate attitude towards the club they are representing. With managers as well, it’s part of their character to be over critical of referees. It displays their commitment to the cause. Neil Warnock for example – he won’t let a post match interview go by without a ‘kind’ word or two about the officials. I’m not saying this is right, but its part of football isn’t it?
I guess the Premier League’s point is that players and managers were overstepping the mark when complaining to officials on too many occasions. This is what they want to stop. John Terry is on board, (not that he’d criticise the system publicly when questioned, but anyway…) he says that although the passion shouldn’t be taken away from the game, there has to be more ‘respect and communication’. The Chelsea skipper also admitted that his team have been guilty of ‘overstepping the mark’ on occasion. I’d put a lot of football betting money on Ashley Cole’s back turning antics being at the forefront of Terry’s mind upon this admission.
One of the ideas behind the ‘get on with the game’ scheme is that captains should have more responsibility for their own team’s actions. I have to say I agree with this. Captains should be allowed to discuss issues with the referee before, during and after all games. They can be the spokesperson for their side. There shouldn’t be a lack of communication between other players and the officials, but the captain should be the main man when it comes to approaching them.
Like Terry mentions though, it’s not all down to the players. The officials have got to work with them. Too often have I seen a referee shout ‘go away’ to players when they simply want an explanation for a certain decision. Remember Javier Mascherano’s dismissal last season? All he appeared to do was approach Steve Bennett to question Fernando Torres’ booking and then received a second caution himself and was sent-off. It looked like nothing if you were watching it on TV or at the ground, but then again, none of us know what Mascherano said!
That’s why, in my opinion, football should follow Rugby’s lead (stay with me on this one). During Rugby matches, the referee is hooked up with a microphone and everything he or the players ‘surrounding him’ say is there for all viewers to hear. As a result, there is a great deal of respect towards the referee. If footballers knew exactly what they were saying could be broadcast on Match of the Day later that evening, I think they would think twice about it. So it wouldn’t take a brand new researched scheme to make sure players respect officials in my view, just attach a microphone to the match officials. Simple.
Finally for today, I can’t let John Terry’s comments on Manchester United’s season ahead go without mention. The Chelsea captain has questioned whether the likes of Rio Ferdinand and Cristiano Ronaldo can keep up the form they have shown in the last two years. He said that Manchester United’s players haven’t ‘got another level to go’. Undoubtedly a response to Fergies ‘ageing’ comments – good work John. He obviously believes that Chelsea will improve and therefore leapfrog the Champions. An excellent theory in my opinion. This new scheme about respecting referees didn’t say anything about respecting opposition did it?
Thomas Rooney – Freelances Sports Journalist
Blue is the colour
