Mark Clattenburg

[Nemo]

Well that sounds like everyone involved comes out smelling of roses.

[tans]

Haha trust John Terry to get involved

[wiggy]

Is it usual for players/managers/Chairmen to be allowed into the match officials room straight after a match?

I just assumed, naively it seems, that it would be out of bounds for an hour or so while officials did paperwork and managers talked to their teams and the media.

[Jimmy Glass is an Alien]

Is it usual for players/managers/Chairmen to be allowed into the match officials room straight after a match?
I just assumed, naively it seems, that it would be out of bounds for an hour or so while officials did paperwork and managers talked to their teams and the media.

I think you are right. IIRC there is a period of either an hour or half an hour where officials can't be contacted by either team. Although I obviously don't agree with an racial abuse (alledgedly), I would love for a ref to give some abuse back, especially with all the shit they take. I'd even applaud if one chinned JT or some of the other whinging cunts that are famed for it.

[herthab]

A cynical person may think that Chelsea's allegations are fabricated, to deflect attention away from what they did.

[Frigby Daser]

It crossed my mind that this may be a premeditated tactic by Chelsea to throw the racism spotlight on football in general rather than their club. By accusing Clattenburg, even if there is no shred of truth in it, they make the various governing bodies explicitly deny it.....just like Chelsea  did with Terry. But of course, Terry went to court...and instantly, football history has a victim...Chelsea FC. Long shot perhaps, but with the amounts of money at stake for a club’s reputation and credibility around the globe, this is business and I wouldn't put anything past them.

[Nomoreheroes]

If di Matteo did that he should be suspended for a long while. If Mikel did that he should be suspended too. Both breached football conduct standards and should be dealt with by the FA. If Terry did that, he should be charged with assault, because he was already suspended and was banned from taking part in football matters. His conduct is therefore not covered by the FA's jurisdiction, but instead by the law of the land.

Surely if Clattenburg was miked up and racially abused someone, the recordings would have been made public, as whoever has them would have been offered a lot of dosh by the media for them.

Clattenburg, to me, is only guilty of officiating a football match in the way that he was empowered to do so. He made decisions that he thought were right.

What will really happen? Clattenburg will be marginalised and won't have his contract extended or be allowed to referee in the Premiership again, while little will happen to Chelsea and its thuggish organisation.

[Nemo]

There are no recordings. Fifa directive. Don't ask me why, would have solved this solution in about a minute. The other officials could hear but it's then their word against whoever they disagree with.

It's a big, big statement from everyone to presume that Chelsea have even considered making something like this up. Would be cynical beyond belief and morally repugnant, but there is no evidence for that (or the alternative, I accept, beyond a few players word) other than existing prejudgements of the morality of Chelsea Football Club (which I also understand, as the club retained Terry as captain despite all that has gone on).

[Batch]

A cynical person may think that Chelsea's allegations are fabricated, to deflect attention away from what they did.

It would be pretty dumbass to fabricate them.  But I have no doubt they have a chip on their shoulder about the whole Terry affair and are looking to lash out at every opportunity.

If Clattenburg said what they claim then he's probably officiated his last game.  Even if its quotes taken out of context.

[Honkytonk]

Bleurgh. This whole situation reeks of Chelsea trying to portray themselves as victims. Given Clattenburgs respectable and extremely impressive resume, it really would shock me if he did what they said he has. This needs to be sorted out quickly, publicly, and effectively.

Then again, if Clattenburg DID say what they've accused him of, he should be punished. To give him a greater punishment than John Terry would, however, be extremely stupid of the FA as it's another 'one rule for them, another rule for everyone else' situation.

Imagine if Di Canio had been found guilty of his supposed slurs against Tehoue? The club, him, his agent, and his agent's mum would probably all be slaped with a hefty fine and banned for half the season. Club would also have to sack him, further crippling their monetary resources. What if Ritchie or McCormack, or any player in the lower league was found guilty of exactly the same thing? Apparently John Terry is too precious to be properly dealt with, but everyone else is fair game.

All these problems with racism in football are a disgusting series of events that need to come to a head and be sorted out as soon as possible. The Premiership is supposed to be the leading light of English (and Welsh) football, with the people who play in it the idols kids try and live up to. To give players 'joke' fines (i.e. less than two week's worth of their overpaid wages), make them sit out for 4/8 games before allowing them straight back into football with no other repercussions is just disgusting.

It shocks me that the FA, and clubs, seem to have no protocols for this sort of thing. Simple solution for players and referees- 6 month ban. Fine equal to a month's wages for top-tier players (more if it was a serious incident), and perhaps two week's worth for lower-tier or referees (who earn a fuck ton less). Positions of responsibility cannot be held during this time, or for a short period after (say 3 months), to let the media hype die down a bit. To sort this whole situation out, people need to act harshly, quickly, and consistently, to stamp it out as soon as possible so we can get back to the job of speculating about scorelines as opposed to who said what to each other during a match.

I also think referee microphones should be omnidirectional, so you can hear what's being said to them, and their conversations during the match should be recorded so we can be 100% certain what was said. If a referee is mobbed, yellow cards all round. Fine, you'll be playing joke games with 4 people a side for a couple of weeks, but after that players and clubs will learn you need to leave the ref alone and let him do his fucking job. Whether he's getting it right or wrong.

And now, because this is a rage post, some puppies to lighten the mood.
[url width=800 height=531]http://wagsandwhiskershouston.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/puppy-dog.jpg[/url]

[pumbaa]

Nice puppies.

Ironically, even as a professional match official, Mr Clattenburg's annual salary is less than the weekly wage (and fine handed out for his recent Twitter rant against the FA) of a certain Ashley Cole (not vilifying Cole specifically, just stating a fact). Make of that what you will.

[ReadingRed]

I wish MOTD would occasionally feature a referee or ex-referee as one of its pundits - it could educate fans in the Laws of the Game, and they could explain the pressure refs get from players and how little leeway they're allowed by the assessors.

[Chubbs]

I wish MOTD would occasionally feature a referee or ex-referee as one of its pundits - it could educate fans in the Laws of the Game, and they could explain the pressure refs get from players and how little leeway they're allowed by the assessors.

skysports do this with dermot gallagher

[Nemo]

I wish MOTD would occasionally feature a referee or ex-referee as one of its pundits - it could educate fans in the Laws of the Game, and they could explain the pressure refs get from players and how little leeway they're allowed by the assessors.

As long as it wasn't Poll. Or Winter.

[pauld]

If a referee is mobbed, yellow cards all round. Fine, you'll be playing joke games with 4 people a side for a couple of weeks, but after that players and clubs will learn you need to leave the ref alone and let him do his fucking job. Whether he's getting it right or wrong.

This, this, 100 times this. And Alan fucking Green should be horsewhipped every time he fills yet another tedious 606 with his tedious whinging about match officials. Or buried up to his neck in a tar pit. Either's good