MARTINDALE BLASTSREFS
his side’s 1-0 defeat to Hearts. Martindale was incensed that Connor flagged Bruce Anderson offside in the dying seconds of the Tony Macaroni clash, with TV replays showing the striker was clearly onside.
He was further infuriated when the assistant told him after the match that he wasn’t the reason his team lost.
A day on from his fiery post-match broadside Martindale was showing no signs of cooling off.
He reckons officious refs stop him doing his job and says everyone – managers included – needs to grow up and stop taking themselves so seriously.
Martindale said: “I hope I get a phone call from Hampden. I think Sportscene has shown I was right on Sunday and I don’t think I said anything untoward.
“You speak to the officials and sometimes you get treated as if you’re at school. You’re not allowed to speak to them. I was in the dugout on Sunday and there was a decision and I threw my hands to the floor.
“The fourth official said, ‘You’d better stop that.’ I asked why and was told I was aggressively gesturing. What am I meant to do?
“Look at the Premier League in England and some of the antics, it’s part of football. It’s your emotions. It’s showing your passion and emotions. Who am I hurting? They’ll say, ‘That’s on telly, you can’t do that’ - why not?
“I can’t get my head round that. They’re trying to turn you into robots. The fourth official will say, ‘Get into your dugout.’ I was out of it by two metres on Sunday and the linesman told me to get into my technical area.
“Robbie Neilson was standing talking to the fourth official on the halfway line!
“It’s nothing to do with Robbie or Hearts but the linesman’s telling me to get into my dugout!
“I dare say there’s probably a group chat with me now, saying ‘Keep him in his dugout’ or something like that!
“It’s just so politically correct now. Sometimes it’s like a headmaster at school – ‘Stop that. Get in your dugout. You’re not allowed to do that. And you, sit down.’
“I’m not trying to smokescreen, I promise. I’ve heard managers who have played at a much better level than me and they’ll shout and swear and call him a w **** r, p***k, f ***** g idiot.
“I don’t swear at refs. I don’t call them names. I’ve sworn but not at them.
“I don’t know what they actually want you to do. They’re stopping and constraining you from doing your job at times.”
Martindale has already called for VAR to help refs but believes a summit between the officials and managers - much like in January 2019 – could ease the growing tension.
He said: “A summit? Probably, yes. I remember in the Premier League
when they scored and Mourinho is jumping about celebrating. Then he gets back to his seat and his assistant tells him it’s offside. That’s brilliant. Would you rather see that than not? I just feel there is so much being coached out of football nowadays.
“Managers, coaches, assistants, referees, fourth officials — stop taking ourselves so seriously. Grow up a bit. We’re all men. If someone wants to call me a name then call me a name.
“I won’t go in a huff. We can shake hands at the end of the game. It just all feels so textbook
“They won’t take the fire out of my belly. I’d be cheating myself. I couldn’t sit there. I manage by taking part in the game.”