The Day The Premier League Came For Advice

I had been refereeing rugby for around three seasons and we used to have a get together at least once or twice a month to discuss any issues. This would normally be over the roster of games and areas we could improve with extra training and advice. We had been informed that we would be hosting referees from the English Premier League that week which wasn't that uncommon sharing our experiences and combining ideas. It wasn't surprising as what had gone down the weekend before.

Arsenal had played Manchester United at Old Trafford and the referee had been surrounded by the United players when a call didn't go their way. I had watched the game and was disgusted by the referees lack of actions, not on his decisions, but the way he had dealt with the players. He was verbally abused and then pushed and he allowed them to do this. This doesn't happen in rugby as there is a respect and a line you do not cross. There is a lifetime ban in place for a player putting his hands on the referee which should never escalate to that level.

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An extreme case of when it goes wrong.

During the meeting we were unanimous in our summing up of what had happened and that the Premier League referees were too soft and had little or no man management skills. A question was asked to the referee in question why he allowed it and can remember him asking what we would have done. My reply was it wouldn't have happened as I would have spoken to the teams before kick off letting them know what was acceptable behavior. This is customary by any rugby referee when he checks the boots of every player and substitute before play. Rugby players have metal studs and if they are pointed or have sharp edges they could literally cut someone open. The players know exactly where they stand and that is why there are very few issues. Being a professional docked wages is big money and that is how it should work.

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14 minutes is the time Neymar spent rolling around on the floor at the last World Cup. It was so bad an advert was run by KFC about a player rolling out of the stadium to go and collect a burger.

Not surprisingly nothing changed after that as they are still sworn at today and the players treat them like second class citizens. The players are primadonas and over react to the slightest things today and I blame the referees for allowing it. How many times do we see a player rolling around, but not one roll but three or four which is not normal and tells you he isn't injured. Football is not really a contact sport anymore and rugby is ,yet you don't see a rugby player rolling around as he would be called a footballer by his team mates. If a rugby player goes down it is normally because he is injured. I have seen footballers receive a gentle slap and you would have thought they had been knocked out by a heavyweight boxer. Playing wolf is not great as when something serious does happen people wont take it seriously enough. In the past I had to pull out a players tongue as he was unconscious and changing color. His tongue was blocking his passage way and is one of the first things you have to learn.

I like the fact that replays have been bought in for incidents in the penalty area. I would like to see it used for any play acting and foul play as well. The spectators and fans deserve better and more of the game to be played than the games the players play amongst themselves.