For comments made about Madley as match referee. "The FA is questioning Newcastle United Manager Rafa Benitez after his comments about referee Andrew Madley before the team's game against Preston. Benitez said he was 'surprised' at the choice of referee ahead of the match on Monday 23rd. Now, he has been asked by the FA to provide a written observation regarding his remarks. He has until the close of play on Tuesday 2nd May to comment. Benitez could be charged for bringing the game into disrepute."
I'll write Rafa's response. Dear FA, My comment was directly related to the fact that you knowingly appointed an official who is a self confirmed fan of our nearest rivals for promotion at a crucial stage of the promotion campaign. In English or Spanish.. this must surely count as a slight conflict of interest... no?.. Yours with love. Rafa
Don't know the full context of what he said, and no doubt it was about Madeley being a Huddersfield fan, but all he needs to do surely is say that he was surprised at getting the same ref as the last time we played each other as it doesn't happen often.
Hopefully that is what he will say. The FA have rules where, say Clattenberg is precluded from reffing a competitive Toon game etc.... so why do the idiots at the FA not see something potentially wrong with a ref/fan with a direct interest in the outcome of a game reffing it? It's not about potential biased decisions... it's more about removing the POTENTIAL for criticism from various quarters. It would have been just as easy for them to throw another ref in.
Ton make it worse, I am fairly sure that Clattenberg and Oliver are not put in charge of Sunderland games either for that very reason.
Hadn't this ref never declared a team that he supported? I thought I read that. His brother had (Huddersfield) but he had not therefore the FA weren't able to exclude him for a conflict of interest?
Heard this as well... BUT if your interested enough in football to become a ref and take **** from thousands over the weekend for your decisions you'd surely have a fondness of a team and then if your brother supports that team again surely that suggests a reason you'd be slightly/subtly/subconsciously bias towards that team?
I'd say it's just as likely you are biased against them. Many pundits are harsher towards the teams they support/ played for than other teams as they have higher expectations. Don't really see why refs would be different. People assume bias all over, when you're in the middle of the pitch trying to frantically do your job I doubt it is apparent at all.
I don't think any ref deliberately cheats apart from the tiny tiny percent who get involved in match fixing, which is thankfully very rare and has nothing to do with who they support. If anything, situations like these should be avoided to protect the refs more than to protect the integrity of what goes on on the pitch.
So is this the same FA who moved a ref off of a Tottenham game at the end of last year because he was a Leicester fan? It just so happened that they were competing for the title at the same time. So if the FA move a ref because of their allegiance it's okay, but if your surprised at an appointment, it's not okay?
Granted maybe at the professional level they have better morals but I can assure you when I ref my teams games (Adult F.A. Affiliated Football) its not quite so unbiased... Again maybe Madley hates his brother and everything connected with him and therefore was being generous to us in that game but it is more the unanswered question that creates the debate "who does he support" and how difficult would it have been to look at the fixtures, refs etc and switch him with any other whistler working on the day?
That nice Mr Pardew got a 57 game ban for less than that. I'm afraid the cut of Benitez's jib is vexing me no end.