criticism of referee

[Andy Yeatman]

Start by saying this is in support of referee Steve Nute who I thought had a good game on Saturday in the Torpoint v Wadebridge game. But at the end of the game I overheard someone behind me criticising his performance in what may have been a report to some strand of the media.

The basis of that criticism was that he'd booked two players for kicking the ball away but not Wadebridge keeper Ellis Glassup for bringing down Ryan Lucassi for a penalty and had let a two footed tackle go unpunished.

Here's my take. Most of the people I spoke to didn't see a bad tackle all afternoon. I'm not a ref but would love one to confirm; I thought the possibility of yellow/red cards at goalkeeper/forward penalty incidents revolve around the laws dealing with 'denying a goalscoring opportunity', 'unsporting behaviour' etc. Ellis and Ryan were each trying to reach a 50-50, Ryan nicked it, Ellis caught him and the ball was drifting away from goal. No malice, no clear goalscoring opportunity, but a simple foul so surely penalty but no card was right decision.

Then finally surely Mr Nute had no option but to book a player from each side for delaying the restart. If you kick the ball away after a free kick has been awarded it's not a matter of opinion for the ref to decide whether to give a yellow card, it is as close to a matter of fact as you can get when applying the laws.

So I felt undeserved criticism for a solid refereeing performance.

[B Manning]

Well said Andy, these days it is rare for someone to be able to look at a situation look at all the facts and realise why officials take the action that they do, unfortunately so many people are blinkered and are not able to see the wider picture so it is refreshing to read a post like yours.

[Kettle]

We've played 3 games so far and in my humble opinion the standard of refereeing has been much higher than I experienced last season. One or two mistakes as you would expect, but overall talkative refs and assistants who have been fairly sensible and approachable.

Hope that remains the case!

[Dave Deacon]

But at the end of the game I overheard someone behind me criticising his performance in what may have been a report to some strand of the media.

Andy have you actually heard or read anything anywhere.

I only ask that because I don't think it was ever suggested on air on any of our local radio stations and I haven't seen any particular referee chastising in the local papers either. That's probably the danger of overhearing a telephone conversation, and even worse when only one half of it!

:blink:

[randy watson]

Sorry Andy im not sure i understand ?A player did a 2 footed tackle and didnt win the ball and didnt get a booking ?I would think that any 2 footed tackle should result in at least a yellow card,especially if you dont take any of the ball ? Struggle to understand how you can praise any referee for letting the 2 footed tackle go and then book a player for kicking the ball away moments later,isnt it the refs duty to protect players ? Have to say newt has got to be one of the worst refs in the league{and thats saying something} as I think he makes decisions even before a ball has been kicked.Think the refs are not helped tho as devon and cornwall officials either turn a blind eye or are happy with the bad standard of officiating.Im sure mr manning and his other friends are more then happy to see a player not be cautioned for a dangerous tackle as long as that same player gets a yellow moments later for kicking the ball 5 yards in the wrong direction as long as that player pays his £10 pound fine to contribute to all the other fines players pay to help the devon and cornwall FA pay the rent on there head quarters and get them free entrie into south western league clubs and maybe a free pastie.Whats the next topic Andy ? How about this one , Rob Shoebridge is a good REF .

[B Manning]

No Randy Watson, your not reading the post correctly he stated that there was not a bad tackle all game he was actually reporting on the person who was criticising the referee on a two footed tackle which supposedly the ref had missed. Also why bring me into it, as a referee I will certainly caution any player without hesitation for any dangerous tackle so where you are coming from with that statement defies belief.

[Andy Yeatman]

Dave - no not seen the conversation reported. I now know who the person behind me was - an ex broadcasting colleague of yours but as I don't know him personally and it doesn't really add anything to the posting it's not really fair to turn this into a personal attack.

Randy Watson - I stated I'm not a ref so no axe to grind and you're trying to twist what I said. B Manning has answered for me. My point is I and most others at the match don't think there was a two-footed tackle, not that someone got away with one, so please read the posting properly before 'having a go'. I have a sneaking suspicion that someone was trying to inject a bit of controversy into a rather uneventful match report at the expense of a referee who, on this occasion at least, didn't deserve it.

But to be fair it may just have been a private phone conversation between two members of the media!

[Football person]

ive seen two tackles this year worthy or orange/red cards, and with nothing given. then 20/30 mins later, honest attempts to win the ball be rewarded with the yellow. consistencys the key, the men in black can only give an honest opinion, but its when its so obvious to all, as was the case in both tackles, that the problems start.

all the best for the season to all the men/women in black

[bloomy]

football person, you just talk sense. end of story, really enjoy reading your posts

yours in sport

bloomy

[Dave Deacon]

But to be fair it may just have been a private phone conversation between two members of the media!

Who knows! He might have been ringing his wife and threw in an off the cuff comment before asking for his tea to be put on the table! :D

[Andy Yeatman]

Only if his wife is called Mike :D

[Dave Deacon]

Short for Michaela! :clapper:

[Ken Reed]

At first I thought it best not to comment on this thread because the facts given by Andy were so far off the mark it didn't seem bothering about but as it's continued, I feel I ought to have my say.

Firstly, listening in or eavesdropping as some may call it, to someone else's private telephone conversation isn't very polite some may even say nosey, but if you are going to continue to do so, may I suggest that you make sure you have your big ears fitted as opposed to the medium sized ones you were obviously wearing if only to ensure you actually hear correctly what is being said. Walking up the touchline trying to get support from anyone who would listen to you afterwards was also not very friendly and something I'm not used to at Torpoint who are an extremely friendly club.

My report to the `strand of media` you mention was completed before the end of the game because of timings at the studio and the presenter of the show is called Chris Lawrence, not Mike. The report to the studio had been completed some time before and it did not mention the referee at all. You `listened in` to a PRIVATE CONVERSATION where I was talking to a referee friend who I simply asked for an opinion about the penalty incident and a tackle (or lunge as I and some others saw it) near the corner flag at the club house end at the same side as the houses - an incident which occurred in the 65th minute. I know because I thought it was worthy of making a note of it. I did not criticise the referee who you so kindly named personally except to say that other referees may have taken a different view on the incident with the Wadebridge goalkeeper and the Torpoint attacker which resulted in a penalty and later the lunge by a Torpoint player. I did mention that other referees would have taken a sterner view and shown a card and I also mentioned that two players were shown yellow for kicking the ball away and quite rightly so. The point I was making during the PRIVATE CONVERSATION was exactly that - other refs may have seen it differently and seeing as you were a good 20 feet away from me, you obviously reported what you thought you heard but quite clearly quite wrongly thought you heard and besides, whether I was `on air` or simply talking to a friend, who by the way was not even called Mike, it is my opinion and no business of yours.

[Andy Yeatman]

Ken - Sorry if the bit I overheard was private rather than a report. (I was told who you were but didn't feel it was right to add your name.)

But you were just three rows behind me in an empty stand and talking quite loudly on a hands-free kit so it was a bit difficult not to eavesdrop - next time I'll wear ear plugs to a football match!

My perception of the conversation was that you were criticising the referee for booking players for kicking the ball away but not for 'worse' offences. My take was that the two 'worse' offences didn't actually happen and I was a bit annoyed that it appeared that you were trying to spice up a report of an otherwise rather uneventful match.

Dave has mentioned that none of this appeared in the local media so I accept that it was a private conversation and apologise.

[Ken Reed]

Andy, apology accepted and maybe when I visit Torpoint again we can laugh about this over a pint. The one thing I have learned from reporting is that if you criticise anyone you need to be 100% correct on the facts and believe me when you get it wrong as I did when I first started (and still can I suppose) you are soon told about it. I don't believe I got this game that far wrong though and you are right, it wasn't the best of games which if the truth is known, I did say in my report to the radio station. The last two minutes was probably the most exiciting of the while game. If it seemed to you that I was criticising the referee I assure you I was simply making comparisons with decisions I've witnessed other ref's make over what I saw as clear yellow cards and not Steve Nute's performance. I can look on it as a ref as I have officiated in the SWL, P&D and Combination League's, English School's FA, The Youth Alliance League and the DJML so might see things a little differently. The two bookings for kicking the ball away were correct but I stand by what I said and feel that some referee's would have shown cards for the other misdemeanours. Let's put this to bed and accept what was said as a difference of opinion. Maybe take an ipod or even a radio and use ear plugs Cheers :smiley20: