Give Refs the Red Card

Last updated : 16 February 2002 By Clive Jones

Well, at last the cat is out of the bag after England's World Cup referee Graham Poll admitted in the Sundays that he's sent players off to earn himself a reputation......!

Shock, horror and gasp. NOT!

Yeah, yeah Mr Poll, tell us something we didn't already know. Every soccer fan in the country knew that. But good on yer for blowing the whole disgraceful saga open. I love whistle blowers and I think he should be applauded for telling the truth.

You see, he didn't say it was right. He merely pointed out that if you want to get on as a referee, that is what you have to do. The real nasties are the people in charge that demand red and yellow cards for just about everything from taking you shirt off to farting without permission on the field of play.

I have seen four games in the past fortnight, and if I'm being totally honest, the referee's have provided most of the talking points in each match. Something has gone badly wrong with our national sport if all we have to talk about is how crap the ref was. But alas, it seems so.

But you have to understand the mindset of the guru's in charge of the referee's. They have a slap on the back mentality. Despite the weight of opinion, and even in the light of video evidence, they fail to see the obvious and continue to insist that they're not out of touch. It's everyone
else!

But then, look at where the referee's are mainly drawn from. Company directors, Civil Servants, school teachers and coppers. You don't see to many window cleaners or bin men making it on the League list do yer?

And what is the one thing that all those professions have in common? They are never wrong !!!!!

The matter is further complicated by the fact that wannabe referee's can now eye a tidy little package (£50k) if they reach the lofty heights of being pro's. Hell.... let's face it, even I might say sod it and flash a few cards around for a piece of that action. It is a nice little earner if you can get it.

So before you think of blasting Mr Poll, maybe it's as well to remember, that he just might be have a sideswipe at the system. What they gonnna do to him? He's probably the only referee in the country that they can't take on.

Think on !!!!!!!