As we get to the business end of the season, the whinging about referees has started to increase in volume and frequency.
Kenny Dalglish as a menager during pre-season friendly Vålerenga v. Liverpool on 1st August 2011 at Ullevål. Result: 3-3. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
One can hear the petulant shriek (it’s just not FAIR!) of managers across the land, be it the whining of those facing relegation such as Mark Hughes, the perennial moaning of the title favourite Alex Ferguson or the excuse-making and swivel-eyed conspiracy theories of a manager under pressure such as Kenny Dalglish. We all love to have a scapegoat, someone to deflect the blame onto in order to mask our own deficiencies and for football managers the referee is just that.
But the truth is that refereeing standards are pretty decent. Yes, there are mistakes made, but then referees are, to use a worn cliché, only human and where humanity exists then mistakes and imperfection exist. Players and managers themselves are not perfect. A striker will not score with every chance, a player will not complete every pass (unless he’s Xavi) and a goalkeeper will not save every shot. Referees cannot be expected to get every call exactly spot on given the pace of the game and the interpretive nature of many of the rules.
Over the last decade there has been a lot of talk about using video technology. It’s been successfully brought in with other sports such as rugby and cricket and has generally been effective in producing better decisions. However it has made referees more cautious and more reliant on it to make the tough decisions. Video tech can also ruin those pure moments of joy when a wicket is taken or a try scored, as everyone waits for confirmation. In the end you get two celebrations, both muted, which does not make for a better spectacle or for more enjoyable games. Due to football’s more fluid nature when compared to the more stop/start way that cricket and rugby works you do wonder whether integrating video technology would work. Plus, the football authorities and to a certain extent many major media outlets just haven’t had an open and constructive debate about how it would work in practical terms.
If a manager is so concerned or incensed about poor refereeing then why are they not putting some of the formidable resource of their football clubs to bear on the matter? Players are trained and drilled to the nth degree ahead of matches so the opposition is known. Why do managers not have an informed view on whether the referee is likely to be inconsistent or susceptible to the roar of the home crowd. What are the areas of weaknesses in the way he applies the rules. If a ref is particularly fastidious about diving, for example, then managers should know and pass this on to the players as part of their match preparation. If it’s that important then it seems it would be worthwhile to employ a referee scout to stockpile dossiers on them.
But simply put, there is no grand conspiracy against any particular club by referees. Refs are easy targets who aren’t allowed to talk to the press about their decisions, so can’t talk back and defend themselves. And can’t offer criticisms of the way that managers and players act during the game, though I’m sure referees would have a lot to say about some of the diva-style behaviour if given a chance.
Anyway you look at it, a manager who whinges about the referee but hasn’t done anything to plan and mitigate around an inconsistent referee and the resulting impact is, frankly, a chump.
The reappearance this week of Paul Scholes and Thierry Henry in English football has given the Premiership a distinctive ‘Back to the Future’ feel. But all the media circus and excitement of fans got us wondering here at 1FITG towers what other players we’d like to bring back to the Premiership to spice up the league.
So here’s our top 6 players, who we reckon – for one reason or another – would be guaranteed to make the division “interesting, very interesting….”
Matt Le Tissier
One of the finest players players England has ever produced, certainly the Channel Islands at any rate. Le God was the arguably the last of the “lazy playmakers”. Midfielders whose outrageous level of talent allowed them to stroll through games pinging 60 yard passes onto teammates toes, mug off defenders with a silky touch, and dribble past opponents as if they were in slow motion. All without breaking a sweat. Sadly ‘modern’ football with its high tempo pressing has no room for these players. But just consider his stats. A goal every two and half games. From midfield. For Southampton. And they weren’t exactly tap ins either.
With apologies to fans of Leeds United and Crystal Palace, there are some players whose passage through English football gives much schadenfreude to the neutral observer. Players who you thank God aren’t at your club, but who bring great amusement to you through the hell they rain down on the poor club that employs them. In Brolin’s case it wasn’t so much what he contributed to the Premiership as what he didn’t.
Arriving at Leeds in 1995 he swiftly fell out with manager and fans for showing more interest in Yorkshire’s pie industry than in the team. His pudgy faced and paunchy waistline finally departed the EPL in 1998 after an embarrassing spell at Palace which epitomised the fact that any interest in football had completely disappeared. He effectively retired from football then, but not before a bizarre 15 minute appearance in goal for a Swedish semi-pro side.
It’s the classic scenario – a former World Player of the Year decides to give you a call completely out of the blue and decides your team is ideally placed to pick up an amazing player for free. In this instance, the victim of the prank was then Southampton boss Graeme Souness, who was tricked into thinking he was signing George Weah’s cousin. Subbed on after an injury to Le Tiss in the first half, Dia was then subbed himself towards the end of an appalling debut and released two days later. Dia by name, dia by nature. But everyone deserves a second chance, and 53 minutes as a sub is hardly enough time to make a conclusive judgment. He might be 46 now, but he certainly can’t look any worse than he did in 1996 and everyone deserves a second chance, right?
No, not the successful England keeper – it’s time for the return of Calamity James, the other goalkeeper that graced the Premiership. Never was the prospect of a hopeful cross into the box so exciting – it was the golden era for average wingers. Popular with most fans of his opponents, he was The People’s Calamity. His foray into proper goalkeeping saw this persona disappear for a long stretch. But all is not lost. The ageing James has shown a few signs this season at Bristol City of returning to his much-loved comedy routine, and what better way than to harness this further through a return to top-flight football.
Pound for pound the greatest striker the premier league has ever seen 1998™. After a fantastic season for Barnsley, where Ward scored 20 goals in 46 games, Ward got his big time move to then UEFA Cup challengers Blackburn.
His style and technique would not be out of place in the current Blackburn team, the (lack of) speed and (huge) physical presence would give the Yak a hell of a foil. They would ‘literally’ be the pound for pound heaviest strike force in the Premier League. I’m sure Venky’s would make profit purely on their chicken sales alone!
If you’re reading this Venky’s please do contact us, we’re happy to give you very good rates for this transfer….better than you’ll get for Ronaldinho or Becks.
Literally. I’d love to see him using these balls now making them literally explode off his foot. I’m sure he’d literally leave players for dead. Though it would literally be a miracle if he could play 90 minutes these days – then again sometimes you get a label and it literally sticks.
Be great to see him literally dominating that centre circle though.
There will be other more knowledgeable and much more touching things you will read about the tragic loss of Gary Speed over the weekend.
The outpouring of messages expressing people’s shock and grief have been almost overwhelming. Gary was clearly a man who was liked and respected throughout football. Here at One Foot In The Game, we’d like to express our sorrow at such a loss.
From a personal perspective as a Welsh fan, Gary played a large part in many of my most vivid memories of Wales. He was in the squad that nearly qualified for the 1994 World Cup and was instrumental in the side that nearly qualified for the 2004 European Championships. Then recently as Wales manager he was in the process of creating a gifted and fluid side blessed with talents like Aaron Ramsey and Gareth Bale. For me, Gary Speed was a footballing constant, one of those rare Welsh players who was consistently at the top of the game, playing in the top flight, in European competition and winning a record number of outfield caps for Wales.
Ever since I started watching football he was involved somewhere. As a Welshman I always looked out for him in matches. When he started managing I was excited that he could maybe be Wales manager one day. When he became manager it felt right, that someone who for me was so entwined in the Wales set-up throughout my life was now in charge of the national side.
Even so, I’ve been surprised at how hard the news of his death has hit me.
After all, I never had the privilege of meeting Gary Speed, let alone knowing him. But the news on Sunday morning left me genuinely reeling and upset. The messages of shock and sadness that I saw on social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter showed me that I wasn’t alone in feeling like this. While talking to friends about it a number of conversations have consisted of long periods of stunned silence as we try to comprehend it all.
These messages and sentiments, and the effect that his passing has had on so many people who appreciated him, are a tribute to how well liked he was. So, on behalf of all of us at One Foot In The Game, thank you Gary Speed for everything you gave to us.
Diolch yn fawr. Our thoughts go out to Gary’s family and friends at this tragic and incredibly difficult time.
Marco Tardelli, 1982 the passion of being the best in the world
The passion, the tears, the beating of the arms like king kong, the relief of months of stress.
Italy had taken a huge beating from the media pre tournament and had gone into media blackout. Rossi was back and misfiring in the early group stages where Italy drew their 3 games (sound familiar?). After beating Argentina and arguably the best Brazil side ever, Italy beat West Germany in the final. Tardelli eyes bulging lets off months of stress in what, in my opinion is the great celebration ever. Still makes the hairs stand up on end.
Robbie Fowler in his pomp. Cheeky, bending over infront of Le Saux and banging them in for fun.
This celebration would probably lead to 4 weeks suspension and a sending off nowadays. Back then it was just great fun (this blog doesn’t promote drugs in any way).
Best bit about this celebration was that manager Gerard Houllier, suggested it might be a Cameroonian grass-eating celebration, picked up off team-mate Rigobert Song. Yeah…right.
1994 World Cup…Stand up (or knee down) Mr Finidi George.
The 1994 World Cup was full of great celebrations. Maradona (see below) and Bebeto’s now legendary baby swinging celebration (the baby that celebration played for the Brazil U17’s last month).
But our favourite was Finidi George, scores a goal for his country and then goes to the corner flag to urinate like a dog. Unbelievable stuff.
Henry’s arrogance
I didn’t like the vast majority of Henry’s celebrations, actually I hated them all. But something about this celebration was great.
About 35 yards out the referee is telling Henry to put the ball further back, after swinging in a fantastic goal he stands still, Ballotelli like and just asks (shouts) at the ref – is that enough? Is that enough.
Diego smacks it up
As mentioned above 1994 had so many great celebrations, this was probably one of the defining moments in Maradona’s footballing career.
After shedding weight and getting back into the team, Maradona picked up where he left off in 1990. Little did we know he was high on a cocktail of drugs.
The celebration was a hint though…
Sticking a flag in hell
Before he was a mild manners pundit Souness was not only a great player but also a less good manager. This celebration wasn’t after a goal he scored but after the Turkish Cup Final against the bitterest of bitter rivals Fenerbache.
Most people would want to get in, get the result and get out. Not Graeme. Souness decides that putting the Galatasary flag in the middle of Fenerbache’s pitch was the best way to play down the tension…Fantastic to watch though.
Gazza
So many Gazza celebrations, so little time that it could be a blog on their own (tweet us if you want to write it).
“Sure I saw him forearm the lad McCarthy. But what can I say I’ve always been a Manchester United fan so I was never going to send Rooney off.” So says Mark Clattenburg explaining his decision to turn a blind eye to a seemingly obvious red card offence.
Speaking later in the week Martin Atkinson explained his decision to send Nemanja Vidic off in the dying moments of the game: “Every time I have a game with him he’s always bitching and moaning about this or that decision. I’d been looking for a chance to send him off all game and teach him a lesson. He tugged the shirt, I thought, thank you very much and pulled out the red.”
Of course none of this happened. I made it all up. The referees in question said no such thing. Unfortunately, they abide by the rules of their employers and maintain a stoic silence as Alex Ferguson ignores the rules applying to him about questioning referees integrity. So much for the FA’s respect agenda.
The trouble is referees are an easy target for managers for the simple reason they can’t answer back. You can heap abuse and derision upon them, and if you’ve got a big enough reputation like the Govan gobshite Fergie then you’re probably not even worried about getting punished.
But what if referees could answer back? And what if referees could actually fire the opening salvos in a war of words with a manager?
Imagine if Howard Webb, ahead of Manchester derby, spoke about how Rio Ferdinand had harangued him in the tunnel after the last game. “I hope Rio doesn’t try tackling in the box. Any excuse to give a penalty and I’m pointing at the spot.”
If referees were allowed to mark the card of players and referees I think we’d find there’d be a sudden a new found respect for the match officials. I’m guessing managers would find themselves having a new found sympathy for that difficult offside decision. All for fear of antagonising the same referee at any future fixture. The FA could even start choosing referees on the basis of promoting their respect agenda. Courteous behaviour could be rewarded with a sympathetic referee.
And unapologetic recalcitrant’s like Ferguson? Well they could find themselves with Martin Atkinson every week.
Being feted as Britain’s brainiest footballer is akin to being lauded as the least corrupt member of FIFA or Bulgaria’s most beautiful shot-putter. In short: it’s not really something worth bragging about.
That said, Clarke Carlisle performance on this weeks Question Time was nothing short of revelatory. In a week where Jermaine Pennant was dumb enough to forget he even owned an £98000 Porsche left rusting away for 5 months at a Zaragoza train station, to see Clarke holding his own amongst senior political heavyweights was a refreshing surprise.
In the company of such seasoned orators as George Galloway, Alistair Campbell and David Dimbleby, Carlisle displayed an intelligence and loquaciousness that make him look like the John F. Kennedy of the footballing world.
Carlisle has previous though. He won a one off game show called “Britain’s Brainiest Footballer” in 2002 which had such intellectual colossi as Alan Brazil and Malcolm MacDonald amongst its contestants. He also appeared on Countdown in 2010 and won his episode.
“I can’t say it’s better than winning a big football game – but it’s up there.”
Apart from his day job as Burnley’s centre-back he is also Chairman of the PFA. Not bad for a guy who was struggling with the alcohol abuse as recently as 2003.
Whilst tempers were fraying with Galloway accusing Campbell of having Iraqi blood on his hands in his sexing up the “dodgy dossier” and Campbell accusing Galloway of sucking up to former dictator Saddam Hussein, Clarke maintained an air of cool dignity. When the time came to make his point he made an impassioned speech stating that he would like to see anyone responsible for sending our brave soldiers to war being held accountable should that war be found to be illegal. As his own cousin is currently serving in Afghanistan it was obvious that this wasn’t idle politicking.
He even managed to get some football related metaphors on the topic of NHS reforms.
“One area that did catch my eye was the cutting out of the middlemen for GPs. Now this is something akin to my own industry, it’s like putting a director of football in a football club to control player acquisitions. He might see a player he thinks is valuable, buy him for the team but the actual manager doesn’t believe this guy fits into what he needs for his team. Now this can cause friction between manager and board level.”
On the subject of the uneasy Con-Dem coalition there were more sporting comparisons
“The best teams and most successful teams are the ones that have every worker pulling in the same direction. You have to compromise when you have conflicting views and as we’re finding with this new coalition, when you compromise you come to some very unhappy results.”
Afterwards Clarke openly admitted that appearing on the programme was:
“Way out of his comfort zone”.
And
“Probably the scariest thing he has ever done”.
Surely not as scary as playing away at The Den on a cold Tuesday night though, eh Clarke?
Van Persie and Torres: Poor man's Stephane Guivarc’h?
And so it comes down to this. A man to man battle to between two Premier League stars to find out who wins the coveted Stephane Guivarc’h award for most disappointing World Cup winning forward 2010.
Oddly, both Spain and Holland have got to the final carrying their two star number 9’s. Both have been playing with 10 1/2 men.
So much was made of both these players. Pundits wax lyrical on their technique, pace, strength and clinical finishing. In reality, Torres and Van Persie have both looked slow, clumsy, weak and wayward. Torres, plagued by injury all season, has never really looked like the player who scored for fun in Euro 2008 or the Premier League (though admittedly not last season). Surgery and a lack of match practice in a team devoid of confidence has made him a appear like a shadow of his former self.
Van Persie, on the other hand, has always been plagued by injury. One of the most technically gifted players in Europe, he has looked well off the pace in South Africa. The touch and vision is still there, but the legs aren’t working how they should be. So who has been most disappointing? It’s obvious really. But here is a stat attack from FIFA:
Robin Van Persie
Attempted 152 passes, 90 of which have been successful (59% completion rate).
15 shots in total
Offside 9 times
1 goal
2 assists
Torres stats make for painful reading. But here they are:
Fernando Torres
Attempted 64 passes, 31 of those were completed, (48% pass completion rate).
13 shots in total
Offside once
No goals
No assists
The offiside statistic for Torres is remarkable. He usually plays on the shoulder of the last defender, and his goal against Germany in 2008 was a great finish from that position. During the World Cup he has just not been at the races, a pale imitation of his former self.
But how about some context – here are David Villa’s stats:
David Villa
Attempted passes 219, 148 completed (68%)
He has had 26 shots (Twice as many as Torres)
Offside on two occasions (he plays wider so not surprising)
5 goals
1 assist
So we all know that Torres is having a poor World Cup. But “he has been injured” you say, “he shouldn’t have chopped off his blonde hair, therein lies the power” you cry, Liverpool had a poor year, it’s not down to poor baby faced Fernando.
But what is odd is that this isn’t the first time a team, or in this case two, have reached the World Cup finals with their star striker out of form. Four years ago, Italy couldn’t choose between Gilardino or Toni. France 1998 had the cult figure of Stephane Guivarc’h plowing what must have been the most lonely of lone furrows.
So do you really need a real forward to win a World Cup? I’d have to say probably not, (although David Villa is the hole in my argument, as well as the context). As an old coach always said to me: “If you can shut up shop, the team will always get a chance to nick a goal. You got two results to keep you going, the draw and the win. You got to play percentages in this game, defend well and you’ll always get a chance”.
So who wins the Stephane Guivarc’h award? Afraid it has to go to Fernando Torres. I am sure he will be back though, perhaps not next year just like Rooney, Messi, Ronaldo and Kaka.
But worrying for all those players who failed to impress in South Africa is the fact that a World Cup only comes round every four years, and there are going to be a lot of players needing to prove a point in Brazil – but only one can really write themselves into history.
Having said all that, Liverpool fans needn’t worry too much, as I’m sure Fernando will pick up next season – at Stamford Bridge.
