20 August 2007
One Rule For Liverpool, One for Everyone Else
Following the rants by Liverpool coach Rafael Benitez and Liverpool captain Steven 'I never dive' Gerrard over referee
Rob Style's controversial decision to award Chelsea a penalty at Anfield the PGMOL (Professional Game Match Officials Limited) stated :
"Replays showed there was no foul (on Florent Malouda) and, having reviewed the incident, the PGMOL have decided that Styles will not officiate this weekend."
Referees' chief Keith Hackett laughably tried to justify the decision :
"It is just like with players, if they miss an open goal they are likely to be dropped."
Really? Why was the referee who awarded Liverpool their late game winning free kick against Aston Villa, on the insistence of Steven Gerrard despite no foul, not also suspended? And why was Mike 'Old Mother' Riley also not suspended for failing to award Wigan what were by all accounts three clear first half penalties against Roy Keane's Sunderland? Does the fact that he awarded two second half penalties in any way excuse his appalling first half display? Can you imagine the furore in the press and media if the reverse was true i.e. is a referee was suspended for awarding Liverpool a penalty at Stamford Bridge after Chelsea kicked up a fuss? It seems the number of former Liverpool players and fans working in the media has it's advantages.
Just like the West Ham - Carlos Tevez situation. I'm sure the fact that former West Ham legend Trevor Brooking is the FA's director of football development had nothing to do with the Premier League's decision
not to relegate West Ham for fielding a player clearly owned by a third party (Kia Joorabchian).
Sven Goran Eriksson's Transfer by Video Tape
I'm anything but a fan of Sven Goran Eriksson but the English tabloids thought the fact that he signed/may have signed players for Manchester City after watching them on video tape somehow highlighted his incompetence as a coach. Given Eriksson was appointed coach of Manchester City in early July can someone please explain to me how he was supposed to scout potential signings during pre-season when NO ONE was playing? And since when did forming an opinion of a player after watching video footage make that opinion any less valid? After all Milan famously signed Marco Van Basten after watching video tape highlights of goals he scored for Ajax. Given Manchester City's start to the season, SGE has won this particular battle against the tabloids.
R Mehdi