The abuse of officials is disgusting ...it must be stopped
WILFRIED ZAHA, regularly kicked from pillar to post, deserves the extra punishment that has just been meted out to him by an independent regulatory commission.
Seeing as though they lose a case once every blue moon, the independent regulatory commission is also known as the FA.
Zaha sarcastically applauded referee Andre Marriner during a game against Southampton on January 30 and, as we all know, sarcasm is the lowest form of wit.
The charge of improper conduct, incurring the added, one-game ban, hardly needed much proving, even though Zaha is appealing the decision.
But, if Zaha wants to feel a touch aggrieved, he need only look at the behaviour of other players and, in particular, managers towards officials that goes unpunished.
When Burnley’s Ashley Barnes was erroneously cautioned for diving in a game, also against Southampton last weekend, pundits fell over themselves to offer him support. In fact, some suggested referee Anthony Taylor owed him an apology.
Yet the only apology needed was one from Barnes for his verbal tirade square in the face of assistant referee Adam Nunn.
I’ve said it before e and will say it again, how ow these officials do o not respond in n kind to raging, abusive, rich, sportsmen and women is a mystery.
Never mind his obvious mistake, e,
Taylor should have ave walked over and dismissed Barnes. nes.
Instead, he remained the victim.
Maybe if he had indulged in mere ironic applause, Barnes would have gone.
But the Barnes incident, eight days ago, was symptomatic of a The morning after the night before and Newport County striker Padraig Amond is still on Cloud Nine after his goal helped the League Two side secure a prized fifth-round FA Cup tie. malaise in football that has NEVER been properly addressed. A lack of respect for officials. The abuse of players from the stands – some of it in disgustingly racist and bigoted terms – is a heinous problem that the game’s authorities cannot do enough to combat.
But, although it is, thankfully, than several large la st e p s removed, re does it really r foster a culture of respect when dissent towards referees and a their assistants ta continues to be so prevalent? Yes, Ye yes, we all know emotions run high. high We know how intense it is. We feel it. And we understand officials can be lightning rods for frustration. But it has to change.
There is a line to be drawn between admiring the passion of the likes of Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola and indulging their berating of officials. They are only two examples, but they get away with an awful lot.
It was some feat from Klopp to point the finger at the referee after a mediocre performance from his team and a draw earned by an illegal goal at West Ham last Monday.
And, talking of pointing fingers, how many times is Guardiola going to get away with angrily doing just that towards officials?
Season after season, we hear suggestions of a zero- tolerance approach to dissent, but, season after season, it never materialises.
Remember when it was supposed to be only the captain who did the talking to referees?
The normalisation of verbal aggression towards the men and women who actually facilitate a football match remains one of the game’s sourest features.
Scream, with face contorted in anger, at the ref and you’re fine.
Give him a round of applause and you’re banned.