At the top level, the refs are coached to ‘give what the game expects’. The YC would just be accepted. Rightly or wrongly, the reality is, he’d have had a hard job on the day convincing the players quickly that no card at all is the right decision. This then leads to further aggravation, players arguing, dissenting future YCs as ‘you didn’t even book the GK earlier’. I’d back the ref any day for making a sound common sense decision.
Football culture is at fault - in rugby the ref could calmly explain why, in law, no card was necessary in this case and it would be accepted immediately. In football, if he doesn’t give a decision in two seconds, he’s surrounded by hysterical players, coaches screaming, etc. (as you can see from the clip). These decisions are the consequence.
Then the culture of football needs to change. A strong FA needs to start at the top and rid the game of this insidious and unacceptable behaviour. This would be preferable to referees pandering to players who have no incentive to change their behaviour nor to understand the finer points of the Laws of the Game which gives them such a good living.
Home
Forum
Search
Contact
Login
Register
