Source: Daily_Mail
GRAHAM POLL: Silly Richardson had to go... but the red cards are tumbling
Before a referee pulls out a red card, they think long and hard about the incident because of the need for certainty.
Often the question asked of them is 'do you have to?', or whether or not they couldn’t apply just a little common sense.
Alan Wiley dismisses Kieran Richardson
No other option: Alan Wiley dismisses Kieran Richardson at Old Trafford
POLL'S POSER
QUESTION: If referees in England give more free-kicks, would this not encourage players to simulate?
- Felix, Stockport
GRAHAM SAYS: It is a bit more complex than that. If a referee is encouraged to operate in an understanding and moderate way then he will award less free-kicks and issue fewer cards. Ask him to improve detection rates of strong challenges and/or penalty offences and it is likely that the number of free-kicks for all offences will increase, as will the cards. I do not believe that this would affect simulation in any way.
Thankfully, there is growing acceptance that the blame for the red card is actually with the offender and that was clear to see at Old Trafford on Saturday when Kieran Richardson, already on a yellow card, stupidly kicked the ball away after clearly impeding the progress of an opponent.
Referee Alan Wiley was left with no alternative other than to show Richardson his second yellow card and therefore the red, and Sunderland were forced to defend their 2-1 lead for the last five minutes with 10 men.
The Black Cats need to have a look at this pointless offence as Anton Ferdinand was also cautioned for the exact same thing earlier in the game.
The act itself is usually done to prevent the opponents from taking the free-kick, in order to allow a defence to organise itself, but sometimes is an act of dissent in order to demonstrate disagreement with the referees’ decision.
Either way, it is as senseless as ripping off your shirt after scoring a goal. Players know that despite their tolerant attitudes to many transgressions of law over the past two seasons, referees will always give a yellow card for these offences - especially when as obvious as those of Ferdinand and Richardson.
That tolerance - some would say leniency - towards offences has resulted in fewer red cards over this and last season. Richardson’s was only the fifth of the season, although there was another for Fulham’s Kagisho Dikgacoi on Sunday taking the tally to six from 75 games.
That is still only half the rate of last season’s 63 in the 380 Barclays Premier League fixtures. The FA has understandably claimed that their Respect campaign is working and I have to say that it is a contributory factor. However, a closer look reveals many more factors.
Premier League referees are awarding an average of only 24 free-kicks per game, compared to 45 in other major leagues such as Italy and Spain. Our guys clearly prefer to keep play moving.
Spectators may well favour this but as a result there are often times when the momentum in a game can cause ugly challenges as players seek retribution or fail to control tackles at the high pace this style encourages.
Enlarge Kagisho Dikgacoi
Row: Kagisho Dikgacoi pushes his hand into Scott Parker's face
Look at Dickson Etuhu’s challenge which put Phil Neville out for many weeks or Emmanuel Adebeyor's stamp on Robin Van Persie following the Arsenal forward's initial wild challenge. None of these offences were detected as the referees let the games flow.
The assessment of referees seems to encourage the attitude of not seeing offences rather than acting and occasionally making a mistake. This is great when you're looking to reduce red cards but consider the clear penalties that are not detected every week.
Teams work hard to create these chances and when they are denied clear penalties by lenient referees something needs to be looked at.
And as for respect, I am still seeing plenty of abuse aimed at officials going unchecked as it has done for years and years.
GOOD WEEK FOR...
Martin Atkinson
Atkinson is currently our No 2 referee in FIFA and UEFA circles but appears to have some strong backing to pressurise No 1 Howard Webb. Atkinson who has already handled the Manchester derby and was also appointed to the Chelsea v Liverpool game, acquitting himself well. Atkinson can’t make South Africa 2010 but he’ll certainly be pushing fellow Yorkshire policeman Webb all the way in the future.
BAD WEEK FOR...
Massimo Busacca
The referee has been banned for three Swiss league matches after making a hand gesture at fans during the game between FC Baden and Young Boys. Busacca, 40, was one of the 21 referees at the last World Cup and is on the shortlist for South Africa 2010. He will be disappointed that he dropped his guard in such a way. Referees take stick every week and know that to reply is a mistake, however tempting.
