The Footie Thread

[clubchamp98]

Totally agree.

In both incidents players laid hands on the officials - they know not to do it. They know the consequences if they do.

In the Robertson case the assistant merely freed himself from Robertson’s hands, which should not have been there in the first place. It can be argued that the assistant was a bit OTT with his reaction, but when someone invades your personal space when they are fully aware that they are not supposed to then, to be quite honest, they should not be surprised if there is a reaction. In the event that Robertson got clipped then he only has himself to blame.

The outcome seems entirely proportionate if the reporting of the incident is accurate.

Move on. Nothing to see.

Isn’t there an excessive force rule now.
The Lino is guilty of that but was Mitrovic?

I agree Robbo got what he deserved but it’s double standards.

But playing devils advocate here are we saying the officials can elbow someone in the face?

By the way the Lino ran towards Robertson as he was making his way to the tunnel .
Robbo didn’t exactly chase him!

 

[Neilds]

Isn’t there an excessive force rule now.
The Lino is guilty of that but was Mitrovic?

I agree Robbo got what he deserved but it’s double standards.

But playing devils advocate here are we saying the officials can elbow someone in the face?

By the way the Lino ran towards Robertson as he was making his way to the tunnel .
Robbo didn’t exactly chase him!

The official caught him with his elbow - he did not elbow him in the face

 

[Billysboots]

Isn’t there an excessive force rule now.
The Lino is guilty of that but was Mitrovic?

I agree Robbo got what he deserved but it’s double standards.

But playing devils advocate here are we saying the officials can elbow someone in the face?

By the way the Lino ran towards Robertson as he was making his way to the tunnel .
Robbo didn’t exactly chase him!

Not sure what you mean when you refer to an excessive force rule. There is a concept of reasonable force but that is a legal defence to certain offences. If there is a rule relating to excessive force in football I’d be really surprised.

Regardless, I think there’s a danger that we’re over complicating this. Mitrovic made the conscious decision to push the referee at Old Trafford. I would suggest the linesman at Anfield instinctively reacted to having hands placed on him. I very much doubt he made deliberate move to elbow Robertson, so we’re comparing apples with pears.

 

[Bunkermagnet]

The official caught him with his elbow - he did not elbow him in the face

So is that the excuse players can use in future?
The lino action was wrong and should have been dealt with much more severely. If they want players to respect the officials more (which they should) they should apply the same rules and standards to the officials.

 

[GB72]

Again, playing devils advocate but the elbow from the linesman, deliberate, instinctive or accident, does deflect from the original offence of putting hands on an official which, you could argue, may have resulted in further action if not for the current elbow debate. Both sides could be happy for this to simply disappear.

 

[clubchamp98]

Not sure what you mean when you refer to an excessive force rule. There is a concept of reasonable force but that is a legal defence to certain offences. If there is a rule relating to excessive force in football I’d be really surprised.

Regardless, I think there’s a danger that we’re over complicating this. Mitrovic made the conscious decision to push the referee at Old Trafford. I would suggest the linesman at Anfield instinctively reacted to having hands placed on him. I very much doubt he made deliberate move to elbow Robertson, so we’re comparing apples with pears.

I have seen players sent off who got the ball but followed through with “ excessive force” that’s the exact term used.

As I have said Robbos an idiot for doing what he did
but does it excuse the linesman.
we hear all the time grass roots footballers copying the PL players, but will young refs think they can get away with elbowing players they don’t like .?
I think there was a bit of needle between them on the line ,but that makes it deliberate .

 

[Billysboots]

I have seen players sent off who got the ball but followed through with “ excessive force” that’s the exact term used.

As I have said Robbos an idiot for doing what he did
but does it excuse the linesman.
we hear all the time grass roots footballers copying the PL players, but will young refs think they can get away with elbowing players they don’t like .?
I think there was a bit of needle between them on the line ,but that makes it deliberate .

All of which assumes the linesman acted deliberately to effectively assault Robertson. And I remain some way less than convinced he did, as do both sides involved, or this would not have been resolved anywhere near as swiftly and amicably as it appears to have been.

 

[clubchamp98]

All of which assumes the linesman acted deliberately to effectively assault Robertson. And I remain some way less than convinced he did, as do both sides involved, or this would not have been resolved anywhere near as swiftly and amicably as it appears to have been.

Possibly.
But I would go with brushed under the carpet suits both instead.
Thats why we are where we are as it’s not been dealt with it’s just been hushed up.
When the next player sent off for touching an official this will be trotted out as a double standard.

 

[Swango1980]

I have seen players sent off who got the ball but followed through with “ excessive force” that’s the exact term used.

As I have said Robbos an idiot for doing what he did
but does it excuse the linesman.
we hear all the time grass roots footballers copying the PL players, but will young refs think they can get away with elbowing players they don’t like .?
I think there was a bit of needle between them on the line ,but that makes it deliberate .

You seem to have the opinion locked in your head that the linesman deliberately set out to elbow Robertson!???? I can assure you, if it was believed that the linesman elbowed Robertson intentionally, he'd have faced severe consequences. It would take an idiotic referee to think this incident excuses him if he ever fancies elbowing a player in the face.

 

[clubchamp98]

You seem to have the opinion locked in your head that the linesman deliberately set out to elbow Robertson!???? I can assure you, if it was believed that the linesman elbowed Robertson intentionally, he'd have faced severe consequences. It would take an idiotic referee to think this incident excuses him if he ever fancies elbowing a player in the face.

Deliberately no but he did elbow him that’s not allowed in football.
But it’s been hushed up imo. That’s my honest opinion.
Typical top level footy.
Hush it up don’t deal with it properly.
Robbo should have got a red card and the Lino should have been disciplined.

 

[GB72]

Oh come on, here we have what would be a gold plated opportunity for a player and a club to express their outrage at an official and get one over on the authorties and they are saying nothing. If there had been deliberate contact, this would be dragged on through the media until the linesman was hounded of of his job. Equally, the media are rarely hushed up on what is a gold mine for sensationalist headlines. This is a nothing incident, at most 6 of one, half a dozen of the other.

There are 2 possible situations, hands put on the official followe by accidental or instinctive reaction, nothing wrong there, no action, or the linesman went to deliberately elbow a player in the face, there is no way that is getting dropped by the club and the media until that linesman is sacked.

 

[clubchamp98]

Oh come on, here we have what would be a gold plated opportunity for a player and a club to express their outrage at an official and get one over on the authorties and they are saying nothing. If there had been deliberate contact, this would be dragged on through the media until the linesman was hounded of of his job. Equally, the media are rarely hushed up on what is a gold mine for sensationalist headlines. This is a nothing incident, at most 6 of one, half a dozen of the other.

There are 2 possible situations, hands put on the official followe by accidental or instinctive reaction, nothing wrong there, no action, or the linesman went to deliberately elbow a player in the face, there is no way that is getting dropped by the club and the media until that linesman is sacked.

You think it’s ok to put “ hands on the official” “ nothing wrong there”?

 

[GB72]

You think it’s ok to put “ hands on the official” “ nothing wrong there”?

I was looking at it from the point of view of the contact with the elbow. No, I think that any contact with the official should be an immediate red card and anything more than a touch (a push for example) should follow the punishments awarded in the past in rugby and result in a full year ban.

 

[RichA]

Deliberately no but he did elbow him that’s not allowed in football.
But it’s been hushed up imo. That’s my honest opinion.
Typical top level footy.
Hush it up don’t deal with it properly.
Robbo should have got a red card and the Lino should have been disciplined.

This double standards thing you've mentioned already exists.
Officials are expected to put up with players shouting and swearing at them, to a large extent.
If a ref said to a player, "Get the .... up and stop whining you little ..." the players and managers would be screaming for them to be disciplined.

Regarding the Robertson situation, Klopp has already said that he's satisfied with the outcome. Even Robertson's manager considers the matter dealt with.

 

[Billysboots]

Possibly.
But I would go with brushed under the carpet suits both instead.
Thats why we are where we are as it’s not been dealt with it’s just been hushed up.
When the next player sent off for touching an official this will be trotted out as a double standard.

You’re reading way too much into this. If there was ANY likelihood this linesman had assaulted Robertson not only would he never have officiated again, but the press would never have let the matter drop. It’s barely warranted a mention since the weekend, even in the notoriously OTT Daily Mail.

 

[Swango1980]

Possibly.
But I would go with brushed under the carpet suits both instead.
Thats why we are where we are as it’s not been dealt with it’s just been hushed up.
When the next player sent off for touching an official this will be trotted out as a double standard.

Not so sure about this. I'd say in many games, if not most, players will touch officials. Some cases may be completely accidental, other cases may be completely amicable and others at least considered non-aggressive. We already had the Bruno Fernandes incident a short time before Mitrovic. He was close to crossing the line, but was deemed non-aggressive. Other players may put their hands on a referee while chatting with them. Saw one the other day who had his arms around the refs shoulders, and there was a bit of banter between them. Didn't Aguero put his arms on Massey a few years ago. Don't think he got charged, although was probably blown up to what it was because it was not just putting his arms on an official, but a female official.

So, the actions of a player are not just about touching an official, but the context in which this is done. I suspect the rules might be tightened up a little in the future to properly define what is punishable, and what that punishment is. Especially with recent incidents.

Regarding your last post, I'm not sure how it has been hushed up? It was possibly the biggest talking point during that weekends football, and one of the bigger talking points of the season. Fans, like us, are still talking about it. The FA and all involved will be aware that fans and media will be very interested in whatever the outcome is. And, the authorities will definitely not want to create a situation where they are accused of clear double standards, so if they believed there was intent by the official, they'd have no choice but to act decisively against him.

However, how should the lino have been disciplined, for an act that was most likely unintentional?

 

[Swango1980]

You think it’s ok to put “ hands on the official” “ nothing wrong there”?

Well, they shake hands after the game. That is just one example where it is OK

 

[Hobbit]

All of which assumes the linesman acted deliberately to effectively assault Robertson. And I remain some way less than convinced he did, as do both sides involved, or this would not have been resolved anywhere near as swiftly and amicably as it appears to have been.

It comes down to subjective opinions. I feel the linesman overreacted. However, rightly or wrongly, I feel the decision to do nothing more to the linesman is the right one. The officials are having enough trouble with over zealous players without having to worry about their own organisation penalising them.

I’d like to see a rule change that stipulates only the captain can, respectfully, approach the ref. Any other player, no warnings, straight yellow. The jostling and forcing the ref to take steps back as they crowd him/her is appalling.

 

[GB72]

It comes down to subjective opinions. I feel the linesman overreacted. However, rightly or wrongly, I feel the decision to do nothing more to the linesman is the right one. The officials are having enough trouble with over zealous players without having to worry about their own organisation penalising them.

I’d like to see a rule change that stipulates only the captain can, respectfully, approach the ref. Any other player, no warnings, straight yellow. The jostling and forcing the ref to take steps back as they crowd him/her is appalling.

I was listening the radio the other day and I heard the most laughable excuse for hassling the ref, diving, play acting, appealing for penalties or cards etc. It was all put down to it being part of the 'theatre' of the match, playing to the crowd to increase excitement and entertainment. The officials were the pantomime villains for the crowd to 'boo' and the diving and appealing etc was all just increasing drama. I now believe that there is nothing that some people will not try and pass of as an acceptable part of sport including cheating and intimidation.

 

[IJames]

Robertson got a yellow for it.

I, obviously, missed that! And I was looking for it too! Just as well I'm not a Ref!