http://www.espn.co.uk/football/sport/story/177533.html# Now that would be great! Premier League referees are contemplating a refusal to officiate any matches involving Chelsea following the Mark Clattenburg saga. Clattenburg is still under investigation for allegedly using "inappropriate language" towards John Obi Mikel last weekend, despite the referee distancing himself from any wrongdoing. But former Premier League referee Clive Wilkes believes the way Clattenburg has been treated by Chelsea is creating a disdain towards the club amongst officials. "I keep in touch with a lot of the lads and there is such a strength of feeling about what is happening to Mark," Wilkes told the Sun. "I know a few referees who are even talking about boycotting Chelsea games because of all this. "Remember, it's not the first time Chelsea have targeted a referee - there's been Anders Frisk and Graham Poll. And some refs are now saying enough is enough. "It's no exaggeration to say the refs in this country have never felt lower. They are so disillusioned. They feel vulnerable, feel that they are being left isolated - that they are getting no backing, no support. "They want to speak out themselves but are too frightened, they fear they will be sacked if they go public with their grievances. "There have even been murmurings about strike action but that's very much the last resort. They'd much prefer to get around the table with the FA, PFA, the clubs and players to sort this out as quickly as possible."
What's the big deal? If they are all miked up, why not just record whats being said, if there is nothing contentious, then delete the recording at the end of the season. I don't believe the story anyhoo, I can't see how it could possibly work; just officiate the opposition?
FIFA have said the mics are not allowed to be recording, yet again, another rule proving they are stuck in the past. They would ref all other games except for the ones the scum are involved in. They have a history of going after refs and you just have to look in the article, it also left out the ref against Barca. The funny thing is we have refs like that all the time, they get 4 perceived bad ones in 10 years and try to drive them out of reffing.
While on the same topic, an interesting piece from this morning's Irish Times..... LET EVERYONE HEAR WHAT REFS PUT UP WITH Those at international rugby games sometimes please themselves with a little spend on RefLink. It’s a simple little device that has an earpiece and a radio transmitter that punters like to wear during matches so that they can hear the referee explain to the players why he is making certain decisions. What may be news to other sports is that referees can also be heard exhorting players not to foul. Officials often shout at flankers to stay onside or tell props “hands off”. In a sense they are coaching players not to infringe. It might also pleasantly shock the uninitiated to hear the referee refer to the captains with a clear “please” and “thank you” and regular references to the players as “gentlemen”. The recent racism controversy in soccer would not have happened had RefLink been on offer to fans at the match involving Chelsea and Manchester United. In soccer, only the match officials are linked to each other and the fans are locked out of the loop. But what might shock more than anything if soccer referees were wired to fans is the abuse and profane behaviour of many of the players. No lip readers required. Players on £250,000 a week screaming into the face of a referee lacks a little more than decorum or class. But when this current event is over and when Mark Clattenburg rocks up to his next union meeting with the rest of the whistlers, they might consider what effect it would have if 60,000 people in the ground could listen to every coarse, abusive, disrespectful, indecent and obscene swear word from the man earning a million a month.
Both sides need to change, refs need to explain why it was a foul or not and players need to show respect. Letting the captain only speak to the ref would be a good thing and stopping diving is the #1 issue in football and it would be a massive help for the refs. So, having an open mic and video evidence would massively improve football, so that means it will never happen.
