The pace of the game is important when considering the decisions referees have to make. Thanks to Sky the armchair fan is used to seeing the same incident in super slow motion from five or six different angles. After all this analysis they will then make their assessment on whether the decision was correct.
The referees have none of that. They make their decision based on one viewing at normal time and have to make it in a matter of seconds. It is inevitable that they will make mistakes.
Managerial pressure is another aspect of the game that referees have to deal with. Alex Ferguson has made a career out of questioning the official’s decisions but, in the case of Martin Atkinson (him again) he actually questioned the official himself: ‘You want a fair referee, or a strong referee anyway… when I saw who the referee was I feared it. I feared the worst.’ But Fergie is by no means the only one. As stated earlier Wenger has been hyper-critical over the years, and in the short space of time Kenny Dalglish has been back in the Anfield dugout he has complained about the reds’ treatment, especially this season.
The FA has tried to instil a respect for referees. Managers are no longer able to question the men with the whistle, although they can still criticise the decision. In 2008 they announced a scheme which would see them pump in £44million a year into grass roots schemes, one of which was the retention of referees. There has also been the much-maligned ‘Respect’ campaign.
But sometimes it is undeniable that referees have only themselves to blame. I recall in 2008 Javier Mascherano being sent off at Old Trafford. His offence was to continue his complaints at the referee, Steve Bennett even after being instructed to move away. Despite team mates and his manager trying to get him to end his protestations, he carried them on until Bennett showed a second yellow card. At the time I agreed with the decision.
Mascherano was warned and failed to heed that warning and the referee should be shown more respect. However, in the ensuing weeks Bennett took varying levels of abuse in other games from different players without giving so much as a free kick. What this did was to undermine the original decision and set the campaign back.
Premier League referees are paid upward of £90,000 a year. Put against the salaries of the footballers around them it appears a small sum, but when compared to the national average wage (around £25,000 a year) it is a good level of pay. This may go some way to answering the question of why these men put themselves through it (Sunday league referees pay is insignificant again, but neither do they have to deal with the media scrutiny).
As we have found all too often in football, money can transform itself into arrogance. Referees have been seen turning up to games in fancy sports cars with personalised registration plates (a number of which feature the word ‘ref’). Many fans have also seen referees signing autographs as if they are somehow part of the entertainment.
In his autobiography, Jeff Winter wrote of his final game (at Anfield): “I played a little bit of extra time, waiting until play was at the Kop end, before sounding the final shrill blast . . . the fans behind the goal burst into spontaneous applause. It was longer and louder than normal, even for a big home win. Did they know it was my final visit? Was it applause for me? They are such knowledgeable football people, it would not surprise me.”
I see that police are investigating the gambling around a Motherwell game were a player was sent off – wonder how much Atkinson had on an Everton player being sent off? The game is corrupt and the FA just sweep it under the carpet – they are as bad as FIFA
if refs come out and said they made a mistake 6 out of 7 refs in liverpool games would of done so how bad would refs look then,i think the forth official should advise them it would only take few more seconds.