The problem is they don't get protection from the system. In 2006 Poll was surrounded and harrassed by Chelsea players, none of which recieved any punishment. Clattenburg sent Torres off because he believed he dived. He has no technology to back him up, so he made a judgement called based on what he saw and the knowledge there is a totall lack of morality and honesty amoungst premier league players. The refferees union are now up on arms because it seems the FA are going to tear down Clattenburgs carreer on the say so of a few Chelsea (the bastion of anti-racism and morality) players.
Clattenburg looked quite calm during the match...I doubt that he said anything as racist as monkey. 'Spanish twat' under his breath as he walked away is more likely. I would take his word over the Chelsea players with an axe to grind any day. The reporting of the issue to the police by of an uninvolved group of lawyers just makes me very angry indeed.
Why would you take Clattenburg's word over anyone else? You don't know any of them personally. Chelsea won't be stupid enough to claim this without substance.
If he had said it under his breath he would not have been heard! Why are you angry about an allegation being made to the police? Surely you realise if there is no evidence it won't go anywhere? Unfortunate? It's pretty poor judgement I would say. If I was 'unfortunate' enough to have said that in a place of work for example, I would expect to be disciplined for it.
I had thought Clattenburg had been accused of upsetting chelsea for using inappropriatye words; I had heard that he called Torres a "striker"
My annoyance is that a legal group that is uninvolved jumps on the bandwagon. Unless a Chelsea player has hired them, they are just after publicity.
Quite agree with you. I take it that it is the reporting of the issue to police by an uninvolved group of lawyers that makes you so angry, and if so i see what you mean. Once again a dispute in the heat of the moment between men in a bloody football match is wound up in the media to be a major controversey. These lawyers will be doing this for the same reason that lawyers always like to get involved - they can see big earnings by stirring it.
So if I see an assault in the street and I report it to police I'm just after publicity? Is it not the duty of all citizens to report crimes they have witnessed to the police? I can see why you struggle to understand this stuff.
It's quite likely they have seen evidence that we haven't. My point is that if you are aware of a crime, it's your duty to report it.
I see Chelsea have gone ahead with the complaint to the FA about Clattenburg calling Mikel a monkey. But have not gone ahead with the other complaint. So it's now a official complaint, can people see Chelsea making this up?. They have even consulted their lawyers about this, they must have some evidence surely?.
What if Clattenburg had called him a cheeky monkey? No racial permitationas at all. Just imagine in in your head for a second, someone saying in a Gerodie accent "no that wasn't a free kick, you cheeky monkey". Bad choice of words I guess but I call my little boy a cheeky monkey and I am certainly not being derogatory about him. Not saying this is the case but it could be as simple as this and has been blown out of all proportion.
Talk this morning that Clattenburg may sue Chelsea for defamation. The other officials are backing his position...and don't say they would, because I wouldn't if I heard something as terrible as the word 'monkey' directed at a player. The suggestion is that a Portuguese speaking player misheard the word Mikel in a geordie accent. I just don't believe that an experienced referee who looked calm throughout the game would use such inflammatory language. Just an opinion..we'll have to wait and see.
I agree Fran at no point did he even look like he was getting into an argument and he know's he is miked up so the other officials would hear anything that was said. Its a shame that these things have to come out and ruin what was an outstanding game of football but if the allegations are true then he must face the consequences, just don't see it myself.
