Source: Daily_Mail
Graham Poll: I got it wrong at Goodison... and 10 years later, so did Martin Atkinson
Martin Atkinson refereed the game of the weekend - Everton 3 Manchester United 3 - with a great deal of common sense. He didn't rush to caution, giving players every opportunity to settle into the game. [LNB]However, his decision to blow the final whistle when he did, whether due to the pressure of the pulsating end to the game, fatigue or something else, was ill-judged. [LNB]David Moyes certainly thought so, which is why he marched on to the field to show his displeasure. Atkinson had allowed Man United to take a corner in stoppage time, Everton had cleared it and had broken away. [LNB] Rage: Everton manager David Moyes argues with referee Martin Atkinson[LNB] More from Graham Poll... Graham Poll - The Official Line: Attwell is not ready to ref in the Premier League12/09/10 Graham Poll: Why it's time to follow the Aussies to clamp down on cheats06/09/10 GRAHAM POLL: There's nothing wrong with using your physical presence in the box, Arsene26/08/10 Graham Poll: Blatter must end farce and introduce goal-line technology 22/08/10 Graham Poll: Refs in the spotlight at the weekend... but who got it right?22/08/10 Graham Poll: Shut it, Steve! Why Bruce got it wrong over Cattermole16/08/10 Graham Poll: Cole deserved red but Koscielny should never have departed15/08/10 Graham Poll: How referees can learn from Holland's bully-boy tactics12/07/10 VIEW FULL ARCHIVE As Phil Jagielka prepared to shoot Atkinson decided to blow up - the ball was saved by Edwin Van der Sar. Of course as the referee is sole timekeeper in law he was not wrong and he is certainly not the first referee to do such a thing and others had more significant consequences. [LNB]The most notable was Clive Thomas who, in the World Cup of 1978 blew as Brazilian Zico's goal-bound header flew into the net, leaving the South Americans level with Sweden. While Brazil qualified, Thomas did not - evidence that FIFA did not support the Welshman's timing. [LNB]More recently, I fell foul of this basic error also at Goodison Park, during a Mersyside derby. With the game goalless, Liverpool goalkeeper Sander Westerveld collected the ball in the final seconds.[LNB] I jogged back to the centre circle, checked my watch which showed that time had elapsed and blew my whistle as I thought Westerveld had booted the ball upfield. [LNB] Unfortunately, he had kicked it into Don Hutchinson and the ball was on its way into the Liverpool goal. I stood firm and the 'goal' did not count. [LNB]I was wrong back in April 2000 and have to apologise to any Everton fans that I meet even now - they never forget! I never repeated the act of blowing at an inappropriate time. [LNB]Similarly I think that Atkinson should learn from his experience and be more sensible when blowing the final whistle. Either he should have stopped play as soon as Everton cleared the corner or waited for their attack to end. [LNB] Flashback: Everton players surround Graham Poll 10 years ago[LNB]The timing of a game and the amount of time a referee allows for unnatural stoppages is not an exact science and so the referee really can have some latitude. [LNB]I would like to see a law change so that an independent timekeeper sounds a hooter to say that time had elapsed, rather like in rugby, and the game ends at the next natural stoppage in play. [LNB]However, until then, there is nothing in law to say that the referee has to wait for the ball to be in a neutral position before blowing for time - just the need for a little common sense. [LNB] Good week for... Howard Webb Bad week for...Mike Riley [LNB]Webb was back in action for his first Premier League game since the World Cup final. It was reported that the home crowd continually booed him and chanted 'World Cup and you ****ed it up!' While Howard would not have expected a standing ovation, I really think he deserved better. They chanted the same to me four years earlier proving how undiscerning football fans are. Undeterred he played a great advantage which led to West Bromwich Albion's equaliser. I bet they still didn't appreciate his quality![LNB]Refs boss Riley saw a great deal of inconsistency with regard to foul challenges and his less experienced referees did not fare too well. He didn't do much for his own credibility earlier in the week in a 5 Live show when he claimed that referees do not send players off as they don't hear the abuse screamed at them due to the crowd noise. That's absolute rubbish. I used to hear, the same as my former colleagues still do. Until Riley accepts this and tells his refs to dismiss players, things will not improve. [LNB] [LNB]
