After watching Chelsea's game last night, I started to think that it's about time that the football authorities both helped and protected their referees. Sure they make mistakes but who wouldn't? The game has become so tactical that some managers start the mind games with referees before a ball is kicked.
How can we be critical of referees when they are judging cheats? Cheats, by nature, get away with things....by criticising the referees and not unilaterally criticising the players, aren't we making a rod for our own back?
So is it time to introduce new technologies and new rules to stop these cheats in their tracks? What about the following:
1) Only captains can approach the referee. Anyone else get's cautioned. Similar to Rugby.
2) Run a extra time clock that starts after 10 seconds (or whatever) to just stop time wasting in its tracks.
3) Give the ref the option of video support to aide their decisions.....perhaps give team captains one or two appeals to overturn decisions
4) Retrospective punishment, regardless of if the referees sees it. Video evidence can be very damning and players need to realise that if they cheat, they face several games out.
What else should be considered? What shouldn't be touched to preserve the game....after all, some of the uncertainty actually adds to the game....but it is time to stop the cheats in their tracks?
How can we be critical of referees when they are judging cheats? Cheats, by nature, get away with things....by criticising the referees and not unilaterally criticising the players, aren't we making a rod for our own back?
So is it time to introduce new technologies and new rules to stop these cheats in their tracks? What about the following:
1) Only captains can approach the referee. Anyone else get's cautioned. Similar to Rugby.
2) Run a extra time clock that starts after 10 seconds (or whatever) to just stop time wasting in its tracks.
3) Give the ref the option of video support to aide their decisions.....perhaps give team captains one or two appeals to overturn decisions
4) Retrospective punishment, regardless of if the referees sees it. Video evidence can be very damning and players need to realise that if they cheat, they face several games out.
What else should be considered? What shouldn't be touched to preserve the game....after all, some of the uncertainty actually adds to the game....but it is time to stop the cheats in their tracks?
