Premier League switch referee picked to take charge at Tottenham vs Stoke for being a Leicester fan as title race hots up Kevin Friend was originally appointed to referee Tottenham vs Stoke However, the official lives near Spurs' title rivals Leicester and is a fan Premier League have switched referees and Neil Swarbrick will take charge Foxes lead second-placed Tottenham by seven points with five games left Friend will now referee Newcastle home clash against Manchester Ci +4 Tottenham face Stoke City in the Premier League on Monday as they attempt to catch table-toppers Leicester please log in to view this image Friend’s appointment because of the importance of the Spurs fixture to the title race and to avoid unnecessary pressure on the referee. Sourceailymail.co.uk
anyone thing a spurs official just didn't want the ****tiest bottler of a ref ever? seriously though... bit of favoritism going on here as Leicester would not get a ref change... nor need it.
Meanwhile Anthony Taylor - who lives 2 miles from Old Trafford. Has been given the Everton vs United SF
Yeah but he says he supports Altrincham F.C. and you've lost all 3 games he's reffed this season so what could possibly go wrong?
A bit like Scott Ledger (him of your signature pic fame) who claims to be a Barnsley fan but is in fact a raging Kopite. The same Scott Ledger who 'didn't see' Sterling knocking the ball 2ft out of play when City scored in the LC SF as well.....
I honeslty think if a ref cannot ref any game due to potential bias he should be reffing no games. and yes that ref in the semi final is a total disgraceful choice. I mean everton were going to lose anyway but having an excuse to whine at won't allow them resolve the huge issues they have will it?
This potential bias stuff isn't anything new. It's prevalent even in legal disputes where a judge cannot adjudicate on matters he has a personal interest in. Not because of a question of integrity, but they cannot be seen to have any chance of bias. I agree with the concept even in the context of refereeing and it's logical nature makes Wenger's comments about the switch ridiculous and typical of him. It should be consistent mind you, I guess the issue arises as to what is considered an affiliation which would constitute "potential bias".
It is for the good of Kevin Friend also . People will try to read meaning correctly or incorrectly to his decision.
found this on bbc http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/36075347 in short: very very few current refs have tainted themselves and most refs never ref thier teams or rvials games. Mike dean was removed from 2006 cup final cos he supports tranmere and has not reffed an LFC or everton game since (9 years) but "Anthony Taylor, Wythenshawe, Greater Manchester Altrincham Man Utd games 12 and Man City games 11" OH REALLY????? This is the guy tobes has said is reffing the fa cup semi final.... So he "supports" altrincham" however that said he did preside over Arsenal 3 Utd 0 earlier in the season It seems only one ref can be accused... and its not friend.
What did you expect him to do? Refs can only show their bias if players give them the opportunity with marginal decisions. Shipping 3 goals in 19 minutes limits what the ref can do.
Bias can't ever be fully ruled out even if every PL ref discloses his affiliation and they never ref a match involving that team and their rivals there are still potential biases, these may be overt or subconscious. Let's say a ref is a 'Pool fan, he doesn't ref our matches, Everton's matches, Utd matches. There are still other clubs there could be issues around this with, Chelsea where there is a rivalry, Southampton in recent seasons due to us buying loads of their players, Spurs et al ... I mean you could take this to a logical conclusion of if refs support any Prem team then they shouldn't be reffing in that league because like any fan they always want their team to win, that's still a bias
his is i think why anthony taylor faked his allegiance to a non league club a) it allowed him ref loads on manc games b) it doesn't rule him out of big games like saturdays semi final.
