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ALIADIERE: RIGHT OR WRONG? 3-3-08
Jeff Winter
The dust has now settled on last weekend’s game at Anfield and Boro’s subsequent “frivolous” appeal, but the injustice of it all still rankles.
Firstly let me say that he had to go. As Gareth Southgate stated post match, he raised his hands and for that the penalty is a red card.
Now before you lot start going for my head, please hear me out.
Yes I know that week after week we see other instances where players don’t but should get sent off. That is wrong, I agree, but it does not make Aliadiere any the less guilty.
You will also point out that Mascherano should also have been sent off. I agree but again it does not make our player any the less deserving to be shown red.
The appeal has taught us the meaning of the word frivolous. I would have described it as pointless and playing right into the authority's hands.
Let’s be honest, they don’t like Boro. We did them for compo for Steve McClaren then we appointed a manager without qualifications. They hardly need an excuse to have a dig back, do they?
The precedent had already been set this season as recently Hartlepool’s Sam Collins got an extra game ban for a far less obvious red card than Jeremy’s.
I have my doubts as to whether Gareth was behind or supportive of this appeal but it was done for all the wrong reasons.
Irregardless of whether the Liverpool player should have gone too, of other incidents that have occurred in other games, or whether we had an inexperienced ref, the simple fact is that the Boro player slapped an opponent in the face.
For those of you who play local football and have been sent off for bad language you will know the format.
You get the opportunity to get everything about the incident off your chest, the unfairness of it all, the mitigating circumstances etc etc etc.
And then you are asked "Did you swear?".
"Yes," you reply.
You are then guilty as charged so you still get done.
This was exactly the same in the Boro match. No matter what else aggrieved us, he was still guilty of the charge.
I firmly believe that if Mascherano had also been sent off, Boro would not have appealed. Two wrongs do not make a right though.
It would appear that the FA takes the stance that if a referee has seen an incident and dealt with it as he sees fit, then they will not get involved.
So if a ref gives a yellow and it is shown later on as being far more serious than that, then they feel that to get involved undermines the referee.
Likewise if a ref says he has seen an incident and has chosen not to take action, as in Mascherano’s throat grab on Aliadiere, they again don’t intervene. It is only when the officials admit that they did not see an incident that they take action.
I firmly believe that rooting out the instigators, even if done by video on a Monday morning, would act as a deterrent and would actually help the officials rather than undermine them.
The refs could also help themselves by owning up and being honest post-match. This is not a sign of weakness.
Many years ago, I recall booking Alan Smith in a Manchester United v Leeds game. After watching the game on MotD, I felt I had been harsh so I wrote to the FA and told them so. The caution was wiped off and justice was done.
This is what I believe could and should have happened after the Sheffield United game when Mani Pogatetz picked up a yellow for what looked like a foul to the naked eye, but when it was reviewed, it was not.
Nowadays the refs are dissuaded from doing this. I am led to believe that Lee Mason told the FA that he saw the Mascherano v Aliadiere incident in full and felt that no action was required against the Liverpool player.
In doing this, I believe he has shown himself in a poorer light than if he had just owned up to his mistake. We may not see much of him in the Premier League in future weeks.
So instead of having him or another inexperienced referee on Saturday, we got the best. I am sure this appointment was instigated by Gareth’s somewhat belated go at the Premier League over the appointment of officials to our games.
In fact we got the full monty, with the officials being the team that will be going to Euro 2008 later this year. I am sure that many of you will have comments to pass here!!
I will give you my view as usual and please come back to me via my website www.jeffwinter.co.uk or ring the show this weekend.
My view on Howard Webb on Saturday was that he was on top of everything, seeing the little pulls and pushes that annoy the players and which often go unseen. He was correct in not allowing their “goal” and whilst some might feel Wheats' booking was a little harsh, I don’t think you could complain much about the others.
The main talking point was whether we should have had a penalty. Well Shearer thought so, or was that just the BBC playing the straight guy funny guy routine to create debate?
In my opinion it was not a penna. Stewie looked for it and cleverly threw himself to the ground when he went past the player. He deserved his booking.
Let’s hope we are not talking about the ref after this Sunday. Mind you, if we are as bad as we were against Reading, then we would probably not win even if I was reffing!!
Keep up to date with all my columns on www.jeffwinter.co.uk
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