That Respect Campaign Has

[bully]

Until referees are given the authority and room to operate a zero tolerance approach, as is seen in cricket and rugby, it will always be the case.

Cricket has the right approach, fining and suspending players for any sign of dissent, and I'd like to see that implemented in football.

I note the John Terry red card has been overturned. To me, that shows a lack of support by the FA for the referee and further adds to player strength in whinging.

I sometimes wonder what it is the FA actually does support, other than the big cash cow clubs. Though I suspect the clue may be in their name.

I think certainly at the highest level, refs in rugby and umpires in cricket are 'better' than their football counterparts. However, that's because both games are more static and therefore easier to make calls on - although I am always amazed at how good they usually are on LBW decisions in cricket.

In rugby the captain can question decisions, and refs allow a bit of latitude in terms of that conversation.

Zero tolerance will stamp out dissent generally but any respect that was there will disappear because players won't want to even talk to a ref for fear of that being interpreted as dissent.

Maybe that's what refs really want - they don't care about respect, just don't want anyone questioning their decisions?

Will this zero tolerance be extended to TV pundits though? - zero tolerance or not, you can't deny that however difficult the job may be, there are certainly lots and lots of errors taking place, which have a direct impact upon where a team sits at the end of the season (I don't subscribe to the 'evens out in the end theory')

Therefore, their performances will continue to be questioned - and they will be slated where appropriate no doubt.

I honestly want to see the respect emphasis at the lower levels of football, where we really need refs, and they are literally risking life and limb, rather than the upper echelons, where the only things bruised are the egos of Mr Halsey etc.

Lastly, I played rugby for many years, and no-one would have hit the deck like Jo had anyone attempted a 'tackle' such as that carried out by John Terry - the perpetrator would have had a bollocking for such a weedy challenge!

[red23]

I can't believe that he got that overturned. Also I believe it's the actual referee that accepts the appeal and changes the decision not the FA. So Mark Halsey is obviously admitting here that he got something wrong, I thought people said that Referee's 'won't admit when they're wrong'?

The FA areant allowed to downgrade a card from red to yellow...so they've admitted that Terry's foul wasn't even a booking...what a disgrace .

I wonder how many more challenges like that we'll see now that its clear its not a bookable offence, and also then how many have the same consequences (such as a red being dismissed) for clubs/players that areant in a position such as England Captain/big 4.

Respect should start with the FA giving all clubs and players a level playing field, not some like Terry who deserved a red IMO getting preferential treatment.

[NickJ]

Those two incidents were almost identical and yet one player was sent off and the other given a yellow. Inconsistancy at some level is obviously to be expected but when it comes to the 'last man' rule - how hard is that? .

I'm not saying that Terry didn't deserve to be sent off - so did Vidic but niether was the last man and by the letter of the law both should have stayed on the pitch.Its clear cut. Halsey did get it wrong!

As for reffing junior games - I did it for over 10 years and know how tough it can be.I like to think that I had a decent reputation amongst the various clubs but I doubt you have if you go around sending off players when they clearly aren't the last man.......

Except Halsey has confirmed he didnt send Terry off for bringing down the last man, he sent Terry off for serious foul play. Terry practically rugby tackled him ffs.

[miketh2nd]

I've got to admit after about reading 7 posts of this thread I stopped reading because the "debate" is just going back and forth.my first initial reaction was that terry put his foot out and grabbed at Jo and that he caught him made it worse. I'm no qualified ref but thats an obvious red card if it was just a tug or bad tackle then fine thats not a red

since the start of the season I've not seen players suddenly not chase the ref after say penalty or a sending off as if to think they can change the ref's mind. I think it's time to follow suit of rugby that only the captin is allowed to talk to the ref and is it the same sport or another where if a player argues or mouths off and being warned about if after the next time there captain gets a sin bin not the player but the most important palyer the captin.

I think there should be much more harsh punishments, honestly I don't even want them to pay more who cares about money. I'd rather see them do community work or somethign along the lines of that in football. It's such an awful example to mouth off with the ref , not respect them and not listen. It's bad example to anyone let alone to kids who see these players as there role models/hero's. Oh and no I'm not just talking about the premier league because we all know this goes through the leagues.

[westred1]

It's not just at Premier league level it's a problem. In my sunday league last sunday the referee talked about the respect campaign and how it is addressed at all levels of football. 2 of the opposition players got booked for dissent.

In another game in my league, a kid got sent off for dissent and another 2 booked and in a league higher, a match was abandoned because there were too many cards from either side (something like 3 reds, 6 yellows)!

It's getting stupid!

[edson]

[Never to the dark side]

Thanks to all that replied to my post

So as I was the perpetrator of this posting,it has gone from Ivan Sproule comments

from the Championship(our division) to the Premier League division(john Terrys division)

Ivan Sproule had been on the field of play THREE minutes and got booked for mouthing at the linesman

[redsapper]

I'm currently a manager of a junior team and was involved the the pilot programme last season and when all of the managers were pulled together to discuss this issue, the first thing that we said that this should have started at the top and worked down to the lower levels of football.

We were told the the Premier League would not bring this in until it had been trialled. So it the Premier League that has the power and not the FA, so money talks!

[pdgifford64]

Setting aside any last man, was he or wasn`t he arguments, there`s something confusing me in this thread that keeps cropping up.

`..bearing down on goal....` This phrase has been used a few times. Now i watched that game and whatever the rights or wrongs about Terrys` challenge how can anyone say he was bearing down on goal. He was closer to the center circle for christs sake.

Certainly the Vidic/Keane incident was more `..bearing down on goal...` like.

Inconsistency is damaging the game. Whether it can be rectified or not remains to be seen. Incorrect umpiring decisions in cricket are a fact of life, just as they are in football. Unfortunately there can be millions involved if a ref gets it wrong, so i can understand why club officials get so fired up about it.

Halseys` decision has been reversed. Fortunately, the initial decision didn`t cost Chelsea anything.

PDG

[Ian M]

Until referees are given the authority and room to operate a zero tolerance approach, as is seen in cricket and rugby, it will always be the case.

Cricket has the right approach, fining and suspending players for any sign of dissent, and I'd like to see that implemented in football.

I note the John Terry red card has been overturned. To me, that shows a lack of support by the FA for the referee and further adds to player strength in whinging.

I sometimes wonder what it is the FA actually does support, other than the big cash cow clubs. Though I suspect the clue may be in their name.

Quite. It's also worth noting that red cards cannot be downgraded to yellows retrospectively so the appeal panel had to decide that the offence should have merely been punished by the award of a free-kick and no card.

Re: Vidic - again he should have gone as he led with his arm on top of denying the goalscoring opportunity. Actually if you watch him closely, Vidic for all his reputation as a "quality defender" usually does enough to get sent off every week if he were playing for someone like Hull City.

[Redhyde]

The Terry decision was correctly overturned. Because the referee sent him off for the wrong thing. therefore it was a wrongful dismissal. For me it doesn't show a lack of support, it shows incompetant refereeing. Learn the laws Mr Halsey!

[bucksred]

Its a massive pity, referees are not treated in the same manner as they are in Rugby Union. The ref runs the game, no messing, no dissent, the way it should be. Terrys tackle was only too typical of the cynical modern Premiershit players ethics and morals

[Red Zeppelin]

Shame Birmingham players surrounded the ref tonight a few times (as bad as he was). Jerome in particular came back to have a word too many times.

[edson]

Quite. It's also worth noting that red cards cannot be downgraded to yellows retrospectively so the appeal panel had to decide that the offence should have merely been punished by the award of a free-kick and no card.

Re: Vidic - again he should have gone as he led with his arm on top of denying the goalscoring opportunity. Actually if you watch him closely, Vidic for all his reputation as a "quality defender" usually does enough to get sent off every week if he were playing for someone like Hull City.

Vidic isn't the England captain though. John Terry would have missed three games in the run up to England's next World Cup qualifier, leaving him a bit short of match fitness, had the red card been upheld. Can't have that, can we.

The FA couldn't downgrade it to a yellow card so, ridiculously, are suggesting the challenge wasn't even worthy of a booking. Had they determined it was a bookable offence, the red card would have stood, as those are the only options available.

The FA looks after its own.

[Seend Red]

Also wasn't Halsey demoted to referee a league two game as punishment for deciding not to change his mind! Bloody crazy.

It seems very harsh to me and Halsey as been left out to dry by the FA! Also doesn't the action the FA have taken just completely undermine referees in general and their whole respect campaign!

Just ask yourself this ,had that been Dunn for Man City fouling Anelka in that manor do you think the FA would of got involved and over turned the decision? No chance!

Just seems to be some players are becoming bigger than the game it's self.