Ollessendro
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This morning an interview on Five Live got me thinking of double standards in football and particularly the decision of Jamie Ward's sending off in last seasons play off final. I heard Graeme Poll on Radio 5 this morning defending Phil Dowd's decision not to send of Nemenjder vidic for his fowl on Gabriel Abonlahor in yesterday's carling cup final. I haven't seen the incident, but gather that the Villa striker was through on goal and hence it was a goalscoring opportunity. Poll argued that Abonlahor was not facing goal (or bearing down on the goal) when he was fouled and hence technically it wasn't a red.
Something Poll said made me think about Jamie Ward's sending off and the double standards applied by referees and the consuequence on Sheffiled United. Poll stated that a referee should be looking not to send a player off in circumstances like this becuase of: a) it was early on in the match and (more importantly) b) the occasion. This makes me think back to the play off final and the way that Mike Dean couldn't wait to send Ward off. Dean couldn't get his cards out quick enough and the cynic in me says that he almost enjoyed the decision and the lime light. Ward, a young player in his biggest ever game made 2 handballs and technically should have been sent off. However, surely common sense would have been to have pulled him aside after the 2nd handball and say 'look you should be off, this is your last chance, it's a big occassion, calm down!'.
Poll also stated that it wasn't because it was Manchester United that Vidic didn't get sent off. Bollocks! If that had have been Rooney being fouled by Dunn, do you think the latter would have stayed on the pitch? If Chris Morgan had done the same against Steven Gerrard would he have only been booked??
Something Poll said made me think about Jamie Ward's sending off and the double standards applied by referees and the consuequence on Sheffiled United. Poll stated that a referee should be looking not to send a player off in circumstances like this becuase of: a) it was early on in the match and (more importantly) b) the occasion. This makes me think back to the play off final and the way that Mike Dean couldn't wait to send Ward off. Dean couldn't get his cards out quick enough and the cynic in me says that he almost enjoyed the decision and the lime light. Ward, a young player in his biggest ever game made 2 handballs and technically should have been sent off. However, surely common sense would have been to have pulled him aside after the 2nd handball and say 'look you should be off, this is your last chance, it's a big occassion, calm down!'.
Poll also stated that it wasn't because it was Manchester United that Vidic didn't get sent off. Bollocks! If that had have been Rooney being fouled by Dunn, do you think the latter would have stayed on the pitch? If Chris Morgan had done the same against Steven Gerrard would he have only been booked??