POLL: Time for the 'experts' to learn the law...
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GRAHAM POLL: Time for the experts to learn the law... Nemanja Vidic deserved to escape red card at Wembley
In the spotlight: Gabriel Agbonlahor is brought down by Nemanja Vidic
The most annoying aspect of refereeing televised fixtures is when you are criticised despite making the correct decision in the laws of the game.
Opinions are vital for good debate but the facts need to be stated correctly. During the Carling Cup final, I listened to experts claiming the law says that as a goal scoring opportunity was denied when Nemanja Vidic pulled Gabriel Agbonlahor's shirt, a red card should have followed.
During the game Sky Sports' Andy Gray couldn't see any reason why 'last man' Vidic was not dismissed. Might it be that the phrase 'last man' does not appear within the laws?
Frustrated with Gray's analysis, I turned over to the BBC for the half-time words with Gary Lineker. Alan Shearer, Alan Hansen and Gareth Southgate all agreed that ref Phil Dowd was wrong not to dismiss Vidic.
Shearer, the master scorer, understandably applied his own logic to the position that Agbonlahor was in. Shearer himself would probably have scored from there.
But that is not the point in law, which states that the player must be heading towards goal when he is fouled. This point was finally offered by Southgate but that was quickly passed over.
Referees really don't mind when they are criticised after making a mistake – as long as law is correctly quoted.
In this case the analysts could have quoted all of the law, noting that there is no mention of any 'last man', and conclude that Vidic should have been sent off as it was only his presence that resulted in Agbonlahor heading away from goal – after all football is a game of opinions.
Fury: Martin O'Neill (left) was frustrated with Phil Dowd
But to quote law incorrectly for me is inexcusable. They should be informing and educating the public but to do so they need to know law themselves and along with current players, the experts analysing the game just don't feel it necessary to learn and understand the laws of the game they claim to love.
So, despite the 'controversy' in the first five minutes at Wembley, the final was an entertaining game which Dowd refereed well enough.
He was a little inconsistent with his yellow cards but that is no reason to highlight him in his first major final.
Fifa Laws of the Game.
http://www.fifa.com/flash/lotg/football/en/menu.htm
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i think the diff in interpretation is whether the team involved is a big club or not.
frankly i have the general impression referees are intimidated be SAF.
he chews referees for lunch.
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Like Poll said... after all football is a game of opinions. So I guess everyone is entitle to one, even the so call 'experts', what about us the layman... But it's those who have gone through the referee courses that are more aware of it...
To be honest, I wasn't aware there isn't a 'last man' rule either until now if Poll have not mentioned it... But I guess many players and ex-players are unaware of it too... lol.
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Originally posted by dragg:
i think the diff in interpretation is whether the team involved is a big club or not.
frankly i have the general impression referees are intimidated be SAF.
he chews referees for lunch.
well, he got "unstruck" with Wiley, and we know what happen after that..