Source: Daily_Mail
GRAHAM POLL: Sorry Fabio, but referee was spot on with Robert Green's red
Fabio Capello was the latest manager to criticise an official, despite the referee Damir Skomina’s correct decision on Robert Green’s red card in Ukraine.
Capello was fuming after it appeared that the Slovenian ref had showed Rio Ferdinand – rather than Green - the red card after awarding the home side an obvious penalty for the denial of an obvious goalscoring opportunity.
POLL'S POSER
QUESTION: Graham, do you think the FA should introduce a standard punishment for
managers who blatantly criticise refs?
- Derek Jacobs, Maidenhead
GRAHAM SAYS: Derek, I would love to see an adjustment to the current system of charging managers to bring in an open, consistent approach which all can see is fair no matter which team you manage. At the moment there is no clarity, and therefore suspicion and accusations of
preferential treatment for high-profile coaches.
Referees have no problem with managers stating opinions, such as thinking the ref has had a poor match or that they feel a penalty was harsh. However, if a manager questions the fitness, integrity or suitability to officiate at their level then a standard three-match ban would be appropriate. The charges also need to be dealt with much more quickly.
The penalty decision was correct, and the mistaken identity was corrected by the fourth official as permitted in law. This is despite Capello’s belief that it is contrary to FIFA regulations.
I struggled with Capello’s mindset for the first time since he has taken over as England boss.
Surely the criticism would have been better levelled at Ferdinand for another lapse which affected the matches of both Green and the unfortunate Aaron Lennon, who was sacrificed to allow David James to take over in goal.
No doubt that criticism was saved for the privacy of the England dressing room, as it will have been done for Ashley Cole after he was caught in possession in a key area and then unfortunately deflected the ball for Ukraine’s winning goal.
I admire the restraint which managers show in rightly failing to criticise individual players publically and just wish that they could show the same restraint when it comes to officials. Let’s not forget that it was a clear penalty and that Green had to be dismissed.
While referees might not want to dismiss the keeper as well as awarding a penalty, that is the law – and for good reason.
Sven Goran Erikkson, who was working as a studio pundit on the internet coverage of the match, stated at half-time that he felt that both a dismissal and penalty are too harsh in such instances.
But given that only 75 per cent of penalties are converted in the Barclays Premier League, you can see that if the penalty was the only sanction then more players would be tempted to bring down opponents as they were about to score.
It is vital that referees correctly differentiate between a goalkeeper bringing an opponent down with a mistimed tackle and an attacker forcing contact with a prone goalkeeper.
There really was, if you’ll excuse the pun, no defence for Robert Green. The West Ham man will now have to watch on Wednesday as David James tries to regain the No 1 jersey before the trip to South Africa.
Enlarge Damir Skomina dismisses Robert Green
Off you go: Damir Skomina dismisses Robert Green
James came on for Green after the red card and that took so long that I felt sorry for Andriy Shevchenko, who had to wait for what seemed an age while the referee identified the correct player to be dismissed and England made the necessary substitution.
No wonder he missed and without the red card England would have prospered by foul means.
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