RateTheRef

Quote from: Adam on Thu 13 Apr 2023 20:20

No further action for Hatzadakis

Absolutely ridiculous. Good sport from Hatzadakis apologising but again if this was the other way around, there'd be uproar!

It wouldn’t be the other way around though would it? Officials don’t approach players aggressively,grabbing their arm do they ? If someone grabs you then naturally you would pull away ,the evidence points to this being what happened, only those with a different agenda will try and turn it into something else.

That is exactly what did not happen in the Man Utd game a few weeks ago.  No card was forthcoming and the general view on here was that this was a tacit encouragement for players to grab match officials ... and here we are.

I suspect the "direct conversation" between player and AR reached a mutually acceptable outcome because the alternative for both was unappealing.  The player would have faced a charge for making the initial contact with the AR and the AR would also have faced a charge for his reaction.  Both have found a piece of carpet sufficiently large enough for this matter to be completely swept under. 

That is good for both of them, but I am not sure it is good for the game as a whole.  If this was followed by a "line in the sand" statement from the FA today setting out what is and what is not acceptable going forward, along with the sanctions that would follow if the line was crossed, then we might be getting somewhere.

Edited to fix the quote thingamajigga, bmb.

Quote from: Midlander on Fri 14 Apr 2023 11:12

The FA would do well now to set very clear boundaries to all about physical contact with match officials and get this situation under control to avoid any further incidents.

Quote from: Leggy on Fri 14 Apr 2023 11:22

If this was followed by a "line in the sand" statement from the FA today setting out what is and what is not acceptable going forward, along with the sanctions that would follow if the line was crossed, then we might be getting somewhere.

This is so desperately needed.

Absolutely, and it would be so simple to do.  A brief statement saying that any player making unwanted contact with match officials will be sent off and then suspended.    Don't think they could say the length of the suspension as it would obviously vary based on the nature of the offence, although they could say a minimum number of games.

That said, I don't think it will change player behaviour.  Having seen what has happened to Mitrovic, any player grabbing a match official must have rocks for brains, they know he is facing at least 8 games and quite possible a lot more.  Robertson would no doubt claim it is the passion of the game that took him over, but while ever that excuse is peddled and accepted it will never improve.