THE most important men on view at Loftus Road and Anfield today will NOT be
John Terry, Anton Ferdinand and Patrice Evra.
They will be Mike Dean and Martin Atkinson.
Recent events and allegations will inevitably thrust certain players into the
spotlight when QPR welcome Chelsea and Liverpool host Manchester United in
this lunchtime’s FA Cup fourth-round showdowns.
But when it comes to preserving the status and standards of the famous old
competition and English football in general, the two men at the sharp end
will be Dean and Atkinson.
Both referees and their assistants will have a huge responsibility today.
Not only must they ensure that two potentially explosive encounters do not
ignite, as they have done previously this season.
They are also charged with the responsibility of showing the world that our
match officials are still the best on the planet.
And that will not be easy after the catalogue of poor decisions given in big
games this season.
It seems that hardly a game goes by without the officials making a wrong call.
And I do not just mean a minor incident, but a major game-changing one.
You only have to look at the penalty Phil Dowd awarded Liverpool in their
Carling Cup semi-final against Manchester City on Wednesday.
The ball did indeed strike City defender Micah Richards on the hand but only
after it had rebounded up off his right leg.
Richards could not have intended to do something like that if he had meant
it, he should work as a magician! It was never a penalty.
And then there was Mario Balotelli’s stamp on Scott Parker at Manchester City
v Spurs last week.
I must admit on first viewing I thought it was an accident but, after closer
inspection, changed my mind.
Ref Howard Webb did not see the incident and Balotelli has now been handed a
four-game retrospective ban.
They are two most recent controversies on a list of bad decisions that could
go on and on.
Refereeing of late has been sub-standard, no doubt about it.
But you cannot blame the referees, as they are doing their utmost with the
tools at their disposal.
As the Balotelli incident proved, the modern game is now too quick for three
pairs of eyes to control.
Ideally, the officials need technology to assist them.
I have long been an advocate of this to give assistance with goalline
decisions and big calls in and around the penalty box, which prove the most
costly.
The introduction of a video ref could even add a new dimension to the
beautiful game in the same way it has enhanced sports like cricket, rugby
and tennis.
The drama as crowds stare intently at the scoreboard as they wait to see
whether a batsman is out, a try has been awarded or a serve was in or out is
Hollywood stuff.
More importantly, behind all the excitement and tension, the correct decision
is reached.
Sadly FIFA seem dead against the introduction of new technology.
So if they will not go with Hawkeye, what about bringing in an extra pair of
eyes?
The game might be too fast for one ref but what about two?
If the law-makers refuse to allow video technology then they should bring in a
second referee.
We could have a ref in each half and they could be responsible for the
action in their respective areas.
One of them would also have to be deemed responsible for officiating when the
ball is on or near the halfway line.
But in the absence of technology, this is surely the next best thing.
FIFA obviously think this is the way forward as they have trialled the
introduction of an extra linesman behind each goal in Europa League matches.
But those extra assistants are toothless. Why not bring in another ref with
real clout to try to help ensure the correct decisions are made?
The officials could continue to communicate through microphones and ear-pieces
as they currently do and I am sure they would welcome the support of an
extra man.
And they would not be affected by the pace of the game as they would have a
colleague in the other half ready and waiting to take control of the game
when a lightning-quick counter-attack is made.
No more would we see the sight of a 45-year-old bloke trying to keep up with
the likes of Gareth Bale or Aaron Lennon.
Referees would also get a breather when the ball is up the other end, allowing
them to remain fresher.
The men in the middle get a lot of stick so it is time they got a helping hand
and an extra pair of eyes.
Article source: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/sunsport_columnists/4092880/Terry-Venables-column-We-need-two-refs.html
Related posts:
