Source: Daily_Mail
GRAHAM POLL: Why it's time to follow the Aussie example to clamp down on the thugs and divers
Retrospective disciplinary action is a possibility this season after FIFA said that they will not stop the Australian federation from banning players who are caught diving to win penalties. I would hope that this statement does not just cover diving as there are more serious offences missed. Our own FA has always said that if a referee saw an incident then, due to FIFA legislation, they were powerless to act even in the most blatant of circumstances. Stunned: James Collins is treated after being caught in the face by Miodrag Dzudovic More from Graham Poll. 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 Graham Poll: Tetchy final made it impossible for referee Webb to shine11/07/10 Howard Webb: Made in England . but he's schooled by Italian master ref08/07/10 VIEW FULL ARCHIVE Think of Sheffield United's Chris Morgan fracturing the skull of Iain Hume with a sickening swing of his elbow. In that case two seasons ago the FA did not charge Morgan as referee Andy D'Urso had showed him a yellow card, suggesting that he had seen the incident. That farcical situation could now be a thing of the past. Looking more recently there were two incidents in Euro 2012 qualifiers that should have resulted in red cards for violent conduct. The first was in the England game when James Milner was flattened with a forearm smash by a Bulgarian opponent who was not even cautioned by Hungarian referee Viktor Kassai. Earlier on Friday, Aston Villa defender James Collins was smashed in the face by the elbow of Montenegro's Miodrag Dzudovic. These acts of violence must be wiped out because of the threat of serious injury and I would like to see UEFA set the example by suspending both players for at least three matches. These acts of violence are relatively easy to determine when video replays are allowed to be used and referees certainly do not feel undermined when justice is done.The game moves quickly and it is impossible for referees to detect everything. The issue that could come up once this retrospective charging takes place is that referees - when unsure - will do nothing and rely on the replays to do their jobs for them. In cases of violentconduct that would not be as damaging as it would be with diving. Wild swing: Chris Morgan famously injured Iain HumeOnce an elbow has been thrown the injury is suffered irrespective of the arbiters action. However, a dive which is not detected can lead to a penalty and the only goal of the game. Retrospective suspensions - two matches in Australia - are all well and good but the match result will stand and in effect the cheat will have prospered. Still, one step at a time and this one, if adopted in England, is a move in the right direction. Good week for.Martin Atkinson and Mark ClattenburgBad week for.John Toshack The pair successfully handled tricky Euro 2012 qualifiers at the weekend. Atkinson had the Sweden v Hungary game, while Clattenburg oversaw the fascinating 4-4 draw between Portugal and Cyprus. Now it's time for Howard Webb to start his season.Not only did the Wales manager watch his team lose in Montenegro but he ludicrously suggested that appointing a Greek referee was unfair. The two countries don't even share a border, not that it matters - trust the referee and UEFA in their appointment system.