I suppose it seems a bit lightweight to go back to football after staying up late into the night watching the Tottenham "riots" develop but I wanted to make one observation on the football from yesterday.
We were watching the T20 Quarter Final between Leicestershire and Kent and during a rain break switched over to the Southampton v Leeds Championship opener. Many pundits are predicting Leeds to be relegated this season and losing 0-3 away from home on the opening day was not a good start. Anyway Southampton were awarded a free kick following a foul by Leeds left back, it was a foul there wasn't much room for debate really unless of course you were Leeds left back. Ignoring the referee he turned to the assistant and launched into: "You fucking prick linesman, you haven't got a fucking clue. Fuck off. Prick. Just fuck off."
Nice, sixty minutes into the new season!
Anyway about five minutes later, the covers just coming off at Grace Road, a free kick is awarded against Leeds captain. "Oh fuck off Linesman. You really don't know what you are fucking doing. Idiot." Well I suppose being called an idiot is better than being called a prick!
Many years ago Graham Poll sent-off Patrick Vieira and he said that it was for "foul and abusive language," Danny Baker asked at the time, "What on earth, given the sort of language you hear in a football ground, could Patrick Vieira have said that constituted foul and abusive?"
4 comments:
What would happen in a rugby match or a game of tennis if someone spoke to an official like that?
Personally, I think you have to ask what would to happen to someone in any other job if they spoke to people like that. I'm fairly sure the likes of us would've been "down the road" before too long but, once again, football conducts itself in a vacuum.
As far as rugby goes I can tell you it would be an immediate red card (with no complaints from any team member), a hefty fine and a few weeks ban...at the very least.
That PV4 sending off, wasn't it for something in French? or am I dreaming that/another occasion?
I agree Shy - those were exactly my thoughts, I think far too much leeway is given in football, it's as if the players have 'special needs'.
Funnily Span when I was writing the piece I thought to myself was that the time he was sent off for swearing in French.
I remember once seeing Emmanuel Pogatetz (of Middlesbrough and Austria at the time) playing in a World Cup match refereed by a Dutchman. I can't remember who Austria were playing, but it wasn't England, and Pogatetz told someone to fuck off. I suppose Teesside has that kind of effect on people!
Paul, I love your comment about "special needs" footballers.
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