Apparently Arsène Wenger has come up with a novel idea for controversial incidents. Each manager should be given three opportunities in each match to ask for a television replay before the referee would take action. One newspaper likened it to the 'Joker' that teams used to play in television's 'If s a Knock Out'. If you remember those wacky programmes, you might know that its referee was Arthur Ellis, a former Football League and international referee of considerable status. There was some irony that Arthur found himself involved in television.
Back in 1962 when he was still refereeing, he called television 'the referee's Public Enemy No 1'. His concern was that 'all the modern, scientific instruments are being used to try and prove whether a decision was right or wrong.' The referee could have refereed perfectly for eighty nine minutes but no one would remember that. Instead people would remember that vital second the camera proved him wrong.
Since Arthur wrote that, the number of games shown on television has increased beyond belief and so have the 'modern scientific instruments'. Commentators are able to show us instant real time and slow motion replays from twenty different camera angles, plus graphics purporting to show us whether a player is offside or the ball crossed the line, even when the camera angles are not good enough. The pre-occupation of television that Arthur talked about forty years ago, to prove a referee's decision right or wrong, is still prominent today with sophisticated equipment that he couldn't have dreamt about.
The view of the public too is often shaped by the comments of the commentators or pundits. They are usually former players, which tends to give them credence in the eyes of the viewers but whose knowledge of the laws of
the game has only been gleaned from their playing days. More importantly they have never refereed a competitive match. Any player who turns to refereeing will tell you that there is a great difference even between knowing the Laws and having to apply them.
The latest bandwagon for the television pundits is the movement of goalkeepers at penalty kicks. They produce a number of camera angles and slow motion replays to try and prove that the goalkeeper has moved off his line seconds before the ball is kicked. They blame the referee for not spotting it.
The first point to make is that in professional football it is not the duty of the referee to watch the goalkeeper at a penalty kick. The Law was changed last year to give this responsibility to the assistant referee. This is to leave the referee free to concentrate on encroachment by outfield players which has become increasingly prevalent. The referee remains in charge of course and is entitled to over rule any indication from an assistant referee.
It is also worth pointing out that before 1997 the goalkeeper was not allowed to move his feet. He had to stand firmly rooted to the spot until the ball was kicked. Now, although he must remain on his line, he can move about and so it becomes much more difficult to spot the exact moment that he goes forward. I know, because I've been in that position watching both the kicker and the goalkeeper and sometimes I've thought 'did he or didn't he?'. I couldn't call for an instant replay or slow motion, it's 'yes' or 'no' immediately. Put up or shut up.
If the pundits could be put in such situations, I feel there would be a little more goodwill towards the men who have to do it.
Of course Arsène Wenger could play one of his 'jokers' if he hadn't used them all up on his players diving, elbowing and
headbutting.
Dick Sawdon Smith