Brayford: I’d like refs to engage more
JOHN Brayford believes referees could help themselves – and the game in general – if they engaged with players more readily.
The Burton Albion captain has been at the heart of a couple of game-changing decisions in two of the Brewers’ recent games.
Against Shrewsbury Town, he was aggrieved to concede a corner, from which the Shrews scored a 99th-minute equaliser, after believing he headed the ball against an opponent and out of play.
And he was the covering defender when Sam Hughes hauled back Hull City forward Mallik Wilks last week and received a second yellow card, to be dismissed after 18 minutes.
“I don’t think people would have a problem with referees if we could just chat with them,” said Brayford.
“If I could say ‘I didn’t think that was a yellow card, ref,’ and he’d give me his reason. I know he doesn’t have to but it would go down better if he said, ‘look, I thought he was cutting across him,’ or something like that.
“But, at times, there’s a sheer arrogance and I don’t understand that.
“At Shrewsbury, the referee was apologising to me in the car park afterwards and I was thinking ‘well, it’s too late now!’ I know everyone can make a mistake, I get that.
“But, sometimes, it’s as if we’re schoolchildren and they’re the teacher.
“They’d have more respect if they spoke to people like normal human beings rather than going on to the pitch with the attitude that they have to be in control.
“In understand they have to control the game but there is a way of going about it.”
Brayford cited another example against Shrewsbury, when the Shrewsbury keeper was allowed to take a free kick for offside from the edge of the box rather than the bye-line, where the offence was committed.
“I pointed it out and the referee shouted ‘get on with the game, does 20 yards make much difference to you?’ Well, yes, it’s the difference between me heading it on the halfway line or on the edge of my own box, it’s a hell of a difference!”
“I’ve noticed more of it in the last couple of years. There just seems to be a bit of a difference, an attitude, these days.
“My main concern is, get the big decisions right and the rest will be OK, you’ll get some things go your way and some not.”