Source: Daily_Mail
GRAHAM POLL: Fergie once explained, at Old Trafford, you play until they win!
n my after dinner speech I often tell how I got the ‘hairdryer’ from Sir Alex Ferguson on one of my first visits to Old Trafford for not knowing one of the rules of football; at the home of Manchester United you play until they win!
For as long as I can remember fans have had the suspicion that Ferguson has an influence over referees decisions and appointments - a suspicion I cannot share - and with Mike Riley - one of ‘Fergie's favourites’ - having taking over as the head of refereeing for the PGMOL, they will be looking even closer at the referees at the home of the Champions.
However, Ferguson was not pleased at having Martin Atkinson appointed for Sunday’s derby, a man he has still not forgiven for what he believed was a performance that eliminated United from the FA Cup against Portsmouth two seasons ago.
Mark Hughes
Keeping watch: Mark Hughes complains to an Assistant Referee after Manchester United scored the winning goal in added-on time
Maybe after this pulsating game was decided by a late, late winner from Michael Owen, Atkinson will be welcomed back any time.
Laws of the game are specific in saying that “the allowance for time lost is at the discretion of the referee” and so Atkinson cannot be faulted technically for finding an extra three minutes in addition to the four minutes he allowed at the end of the second half.
I struggled to see where the additional, additional time came from which enabled United to score the winner. Alan Wiley, the fourth official showed the time allowed - as decided by Atkinson - as four minutes, which I felt was reasonable given the substitutions and number of goals.
There was one further substitution in the time allowed, Carrick for Anderson, for which 30 seconds is usually allowed. I therefore expected the final whistle at 94.30, as did Mark Hughes.
The Owen winning goal was timed at 95.28 and so I could fully understand the City boss’s frustration. When you’ve worked so hard to come back three times and feel that you’ve earned a point in a key match it must be galling to concede such a goal.
GRAHAM SAYS: Referees are currently forbidden by their employers, the PGMOL, from speaking to the media. I agree that a post match comment would, more often than not, help the situation and used to do interviews to clarify decisions but currently that is not allowed. Mind you I was then accused of being attention seeking so as usual, refs really cannot win!
I would like to see an amendment to the law relating to time-keeping, whereby an independent time keeper actually records the amount of time the ball is in play.
Then once that time reaches 45 minutes the referee is informed and the half ends at the next natural stoppage.
Of course that will never be brought in, with the footballing authorities so adamant that the laws must be the same for all levels of football, but for me it really is time for change.
