"The Referee was awful"

[Ninja Elephant]

Every game, every league, every country, every level, every match.

No matter what has happened, the referee is described as awful. That plonker on ITV just said the referee was "awful" in the Arsenal game tonight, whereas I don't think he did anything wrong. I certainly don't remember him doing anything especially bad, the winner was good refereeing for me, Porto get the advantage for the blatant backpass and if the Arsenal keeper wants to hand him the ball then turn away, that's his own fault and not that of the referee. He had a good game tonight I thought, and I think the constant "the referee was awful" analysis is lazy and predictable.

Is it just me who doesn't really understand what the referee is expected to do in order to have had a good game? I know it's open to interpretation, and atleast one person will say good refereeing is when you don't notice they were there. But I don't think that's universally true, personally.

 

[Martinf]

Agreed. Although I think he got it wrong with the penalty shout just before the back pass fiasco. I do feel sorry for them sometimes. However, I've done my fair share of "ref you beep beep, why dont you beep off' etc.

 

[John Dorian]

Thank the lords !!

Finally, someone stands up and thinks, "what about the referee ?!"

As a referee, no, there is nothing that can be done. Oh, actually, you can just do nothing, but then you are told that you let a lot go, that you went missing in the game. Or you can give everything, stop the flow until the players learn you aren't there to be f***ed about. Either way, and something I learnt very quickly, you aren't there to win.

I watched the game tonight, and imho, I would have brought the free kick back, and made them re-take it. For a start, it was about 5 yards nearer the goal than it should be, and also, it was taken so quickly. Plus, there was no way the referee was in a position to see the play properly. Sure, give advantage for a foul to the team fouled against, but that is ridiculous !! Finally, did Campbell touch it back ?

 

[John Dorian]

However, I've done my fair share of "ref you beep beep, why dont you beep off' etc.

Oh me too !!

 

[Spider]

One of my least favourite stupid quotes is when people say something along the lines of 2a good referee is one you don't notice", which is all very well if the game has no major incidents (and obviously fussy referees are very annoying), but what exactly is the ref supposed to do if he gets three difficult penalty decisions and a player bust up to deal with? It really is a moronic statement.

 

[DerbyGull]

Referees get far too much shit, and far too little respect, for doing an incredibly difficult job.

 

[The Wizard]

The standard of refereeing in past seasons has steadily got worse for me, I'd agree referees don't get praise when they have a good game however it has happened very rarely in the past season or two.

Its the same with everything, like players receive more slack for bad performances than praise for good ones imo.

 

[Gritt23]

Wenger is just so ridiculous it's beyond a joke.

He claims it shouldn't have been a free-kick because it was "an accidental backpass." And then he decides to change the rules by saying th defending team must be allowed to form a wall. NO, absolutely no. The attacking team can choose to get 10 yards for the free-kick, or they can ask to take it quickly. Why do I know that? Because Wengers own team started doing that with the quick thinking Henry on a number of occasions.

Unfortunately, as infuriating as Wenger is when he loses, so is, Fergie, Benitez and pretty much everyone else these days. I for one, am really rather tired of it all.

 

[Ninja Elephant]

Whenever a footballing debate pops up, I always ask myself, "what would Clough think?".

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I think I agree 100% with the great man. It's bloody hard, refereeing, and the players don't do you any favours. I think that is a key point aswell, that the players are all diving all over the show, and claiming for things they know they shouldn't get. Sportsmanship is the reason the refereeing standard is in decline, maybe if more players were more honest there wouldn't be so much of a problem.

Again though, I thought the referee in the Arsenal game was very good. All this, "he's from Norway, he's not good enough" nonsense is lazy punditry for my money. Andy Gray would never say such a thing, and he should be the yard stick imo!

 

[Gritt23]

If anyone ever needed proof that Cloughie was a man ahead of his time, THAT is the proof. The problems he culd see developing in the game back in about 1980, is truly remarkable.

Can you imagine someone talking about a player of theirs who scored the winning goal in the Champions League Final the way he spoke of Francis? Brilliant! He thought HE was overpaid and under-achieving, what would he make of the game today? He must be spinning!

 

[jmsc]

The referee standards in our league have got worse and worse over the last few years!

For example, who was at Orient a couple of weeks ago? That was a penalty and I was the other end of the pitch!

The only way that they'll respect from me is when a) they stand up and book/send players off for dissent
and b) when they stop being afraid of the fans!

 

[Gwylan]

I can't see any managers these days say that Europe is a low priority compared to the League as Clough did.

If he thought there was too much football on TV in 1980, God knows what he'd think now.

He's spot on about refs though.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Blaming the refs is easier than appearing to be a bad fan and having a go at the ref, if you read NSC it appears the only reason Brighton are in the mess they are in now is because of the refs this season

 

[Simster]

Blaming the refs is easier than appearing to be a bad fan and having a go at the ref, if you read NSC it appears the only reason Brighton are in the mess they are in now is because of the refs this season

Now that really isn't true is it?

There have been loads of scapegoats made. Smith, Virgo, El Abd, Adams, Slade, Poyet etc etc. Refs have barely featured except in maybe two games.

 

[keaton]

Wenger is just so ridiculous it's beyond a joke.

He claims it shouldn't have been a free-kick because it was "an accidental backpass." .

That is the rule though?

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Now that really isn't true is it?

There have been loads of scapegoats made. Smith, Virgo, El Abd, Adams, Slade, Poyet etc etc. Refs have barely featured except in maybe two games.

After pretty much each game this season there as been a thread started on how bad the ref was, even to the point people wrote off to the FA.

 

[The Wizard]

After pretty much each game this season there as been a thread started on how bad the ref was, even to the point people wrote off to the FA.

No, there really hasn't. And to be fair, we have had some stinkers this season.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

No, there really hasn't. And to be fair, we have had some stinkers this season.

Look in the "official" match threads

Always people having a pop at the ref, even by people who are not at game.

Its really not just a brighton thing, im sure its the same on every board, but it ecomes tedious. If I was in charge of the refs union I would strike about the lack of respect.

 

[Danny-Boy]

One of my least favourite stupid quotes is when people say something along the lines of 2a good referee is one you don't notice", which is all very well if the game has no major incidents (and obviously fussy referees are very annoying), but what exactly is the ref supposed to do if he gets three difficult penalty decisions and a player bust up to deal with? It really is a moronic statement.

What did Albion say in 1988/89 about the ref at Selhurst who gave 4 penalties to Palace in one game?

 

[Acker79]

Where were all you guys when I was being abused for not blinding blaming our failure to beat orient entirely on the ref?