Source: Telegraph
Sir Alex Ferguson's rants put officials on their guard says Jeff Winter
Winter claimed that top-flight officials were now put on their guard as they prepared to officiate at United games because of Ferguson's attacks on their profession but warned that his denigration of referees could backfire on the Scot. [LNB]"In my day, referees used to look forward to getting Manchester United games and you used to raise your game accordingly but now officials are understandably wary about taking charge of their games," Winter said. [LNB]Sir Alex Ferguson says Manchester United reserves will go full tilt"And who can blame them because they know that if the game does not go Sir Alex Ferguson's way there will be an angry reaction from him towards the referee, and that is something that seems to be happening on an increasingly regular basis."[LNB]Winter, who once sent off Ferguson during a game at Newcastle, continued: "I'm not a psychologist so I don't know how that has affected referees' performances in the past or what impact it will have in the future when it comes to debatable decisions. But it is fair to say that it can't be a healthy situation when he gives referees so much stick and human nature is bound to be a factor so his criticism could rebound on him."[LNB]Winter, who officiated at United's 2004 FA Cup final win over Millwall, claimed that Ferguson's latest rant had demonstrated the Old Trafford manager's contempt for the football authorities. [LNB]"When things have gone badly for his team, Alex Ferguson chooses his post-match words very carefully to have a go at referees and his remarks are generally very cutting like they were after the Chelsea game," said Teesside-based Winter. [LNB]"But this latest attack is nothing less than him sticking two fingers up at the Football Association. [LNB]"He is now facing punishment for saying that Alan Wiley was unfit but even though he is still to be dealt with he still comes out and has a go at referees." [LNB]Jeff Winter's view of the three key incidents at Stamford Bridge[LNB]John Terry's challenge on Antonio Valencia[LNB]The action replays have shown that John Terry did pull Antonio Valencia's shirt but he been very clever because he fouled him on the blind side of the referee and his assistant. So there is no way that the officials could have spotted the infringement in the heat of battle with the naked eye. It was only after the incident in the television studios that the foul became apparent.[LNB]Darren Fletcher on Ashley Cole [LNB]It's commonly argued that if a player gets a bit of the ball then that will absolve him of any guilt when he goes in for a challenge but that view-point is wrong. You can still be penalised if you go in with your studs showing, like Darren Fletcher did on Ashley Cole. The referee got this one spot-on. In European football any player who goes in studs up will expect to be penalised.[LNB]Goal challenge on Wes Brown and Didier Drogba offside[LNB]OK, there might well have been a push on Wes Brown, but the trouble is these days that any referee could give five penalties or five free-kicks the other way when players start jostling with each other at set-plays. [LNB]It was unfortunate for United that the prone Brown played Drogba onside because they were level. Otherwise, Drogba would have been offside and the goal disallowed because of the way his leg flapped around in front of Edwin van der Saar.[LNB]
