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COME HERE 12-2-08
Jeff Winter
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I know many Boro fans were frustrated by referee Phil Dowd's elongated cautioning process of Robert Huth on Saturday against Fulham.
Whilst I have to agree that it looked quite messy and perhaps showed the ref to be a little pedantic, I would like to examine the incident a little closer.
Firstly, let's look at what the ref is instructed to do after deciding to hand out a card.
Unless it is a flashpoint situation where an early card would calm things down (e.g. a very bad tackle followed by an instant red which lets everyone know it has been dealt with), the aim is to isolate the player and speak to him, making sure that he is correctly identified to the ref and also to the public (remember Graham Poll).
A yellow card is supposed to be a warning to a player that he is on his last chance.
When a player has been booked, he is often still wound up by whatever possessed him to do the misdemeanor in the first place. He may also feel wrongly penalized.
The calming effect of the gap in play whilst the ref speaks to him should help him cool down. This is better than restarting the play with the player full of hell as if he's still angered, he is likely to earn another yellow soon after.
The actual showing of the yellow card is not for the player's benefit, it is for everybody else's. This is so they are aware of who has been carded.
When the ref takes his book out, the player knows what is coming next and just wants to get on with the game. Therefore dialogue is often unnecessary and he just clears off. This sometimes leads to a set-to similar to the one we saw on Saturday where the player is called back and everyone gets even more frustrated.
Is there a more sensible and workable solution? I think so and both officials and players could benefit form it.
Firstly having decided that disciplinary action is necessary, the ref should isolate the player/s, calm them down and then take their details before showing the card.
I often found that when faced with an irate player, I would just say "I haven't decided what colour it is yet". This often calmed them down and they left the scene grateful of a yellow instead of a red.
From the player's point of view, surely a response of "Fair enough ref"might help him later on in the game if he is close to receiving another yellow. Human nature suggests that if someone has been full of hell towards you and has caused you problems, that person is more likely not to receive the benefit of the doubt later on.
I will give you an example. Christian Ziege, when playing for Spurs at Manchester City, deliberately flicked the ball away after conceding a free kick in order to prevent the opposition restarting play.
It was a daft but easy yellow card. I started to walk towards him (it's always a less pedantic way than summoning and belittling a player) but he kept on backing away. I had to whistle him to get his attention and after some sulking and gesticulating, he finally came.
I tried to say to him that I did not want to have to send him off later in the game so please do not step out of line again. He was totally disinterested in what I had to say and looked over me with total disrespect.
A few minutes later, he committed another foul and I shouted to him. Again he preferred to ignore me.
A couple of minutes later, he again stupidly threw the ball away a few yards to stop his opponent taking a quick throw in. My thought process was very prompt. I thought "F**k him" and he got a second yellow and a red.
It need not have happened that way. Subconsciously refs operate like everyone else in regards to conflict so to accept the decision graciously, no matter how much inside you might disagree with it, might help you out later on.
A player like Huth, who is always going to be involved in tackles some of which may be slightly late, would do well to heed that advice.
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