FIVE game touchline ban for that grotty red nosed sweaty pillock!

[Shoreham Beach Seagull]

The respect to referees should be a lot like Rugby, the amount of abuse they get off the players and managers is unreal.

 

[DJ Leon]

Let's be clear, complaining about the ref is one thing. Questioning the ref's integrity is another - and that's why Fergie has been rightly banned. You can say the ref had a shocker, that he made some appalling decisions - of course you can, but you can't say the ref has an agenda against you. The FA have this spot on.

 

[brakespear]

Let's be clear, complaining about the ref is one thing. Questioning the ref's integrity is another - and that's why Fergie has been rightly banned. You can say the ref had a shocker, that he made some appalling decisions - of course you can, but you can't say the ref has an agenda against you. The FA have this spot on.

This - if he hadn't basically called the ref a cheat and had stuck with questioning his strentgh he probably would have got away with it. Glad he didn't though

 

[HoveHorace]

Being serious here, I have Seagulls Player. Poyet slags off the ref in his post match interviews probably on average once every three games, sometimes even more regularly.

How does he get away with it?!

No -one can understand what Gus is saying. Whereas Ferguson.......... I hadn't thought that one through had I ? :US:

 

[Dominoid]

I think Gus usually plays it safe by referring to a decision and then saying "I don't understand that" which we all know means "it was the wrong decision" but isn't directly saying it! Aside from that though, you can question the referee's ability but you can't question their integrity and impartiality, so suggesting they weren't being fair is what broke the rules. Personally, I think a 5 game ban is in excess of what is really necessary. I would have said a warning followed by a single game ban if they don't heed to it.

 

[tonymgc]

Good about bloody time he got pulled over the coals. Some of the stuff he's said in the past has been ridiculous. Hopefully Taggart will keep his mouth shut now

 

[*Gullsworth*]

Good about bloody time he got pulled over the coals. Some of the stuff he's said in the past has been ridiculous. Hopefully Taggart will keep his mouth shut now

What has he said? Not defending him but cant see what he has said in the past that is any different from most managers and most get away with it?

 

[Bwian]

...and yet Arsene Wenger following decisions not to award a goal or penalty for Arsenal v Sunderland stated he was 'disgusted' with the referee, and yet no charge...

Wenger didn't actually say that. I think his comment was along the lines of "I'm too disgusted right now to say anything". Big difference.

 

[narly101]

On a more personal note, the thieving scot should have been hung drawn and quartered years ago - can't stand the twat

 

[Bwian]

I think Gus usually plays it safe by referring to a decision and then saying "I don't understand that" which we all know means "it was the wrong decision" but isn't directly saying it! Aside from that though, you can question the referee's ability but you can't question their integrity and impartiality, so suggesting they weren't being fair is what broke the rules. Personally, I think a 5 game ban is in excess of what is really necessary. I would have said a warning followed by a single game ban if they don't heed to it.

It was a three match ban plus a 2 match ban for his comments about Wiley not being fit enough to referee. The 2 match 'punishment' was suspended last year. He, despite being a tremendous football manager, is not too big to be punished. The suspended ban was the warning you think would be appropriate-enough of Taggart acting like he's bigger than the game.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Wenger didn't actually say that. I think his comment was along the lines of "I'm too disgusted right now to say anything". Big difference.

He was asked 'what did you think of the referee on the big decisions' and he said 'I'm too disgusted right now to say anything'. What a massive difference, what was he disgusted with then, the size of his own coat!

 

[Bwian]

He was asked 'what did you think of the referee on the big decisions' and he said 'I'm too disgusted right now to say anything'. What a massive difference, what was he disgusted with then, the size of his own coat!

That comment, although clearly about the referee, was not aimed directly at the referee whereas Taggart accused the referee of being unfair. There is a massive difference-Wenger was smart.

 

[Dominoid]

It was a three match ban plus a 2 match ban for his comments about Wiley not being fit enough to referee. The 2 match 'punishment' was suspended last year. He, despite being a tremendous football manager, is not too big to be punished. The suspended ban was the warning you think would be appropriate-enough of Taggart acting like he's bigger than the game.

Ah, I didn't know any of that. In which case, it seems pretty reasonable. Sounds like he needs to learn from earlier mistakes.

 

[glasfryn]

finally nailed the evil tempered little twat

 

[vegster]

He has been steadily inflating his own ego for years, remember when HE felt that refs were not playing enough time added on at Old Trafford and he used to regularly stand on the touchline waving a stopwatch to intimidate the ref ?

 

[Knotty]

He deserved what he got because those are the rules. He probably deserved more. However, how much of a punishment is it really? How much can managers really influence the game from the touchline? The Premier League should enforce the bans like UEFA who insist that banned managers are not even allowed in the ground. (Remember Mourinho and the laundry basket?!)

On the other hand, if we'd had the identical decisions go against us and Gus said exactly the same things as Fergie, we'd be defending him and we'd be ranting at the ref.

Just like managers and players are, I'd like to see refs interviewed after a game and explain some of the contentious decisions. In that way we might understand some of the decisions that we thought were wrong, but the ref can also put his hands up and say he got others wrong.

 

[Bold Seagull]

I think all anyone wants from the FA, or officials, or the rule makers is consistency. As Kean said regarding the penalty given to Fulham, you give that you give 10 a game. I'd be happy for referee's to give penalties for holding in the box, but it has to be consistent. If the FA are now to take a hardline on managers comments, then that has to be consistent, and not just hanging one high profile manager out to dry because you want to make a statement.

The clandestine protection of referee's is ridiculous. We all know they are human beings, I don't think any of them actually intentionally cheat, just a lot of them are not very good. But it's refreshing to watch rugby because you can hear the ref on his microphone, explaining decisions or communicating with other officials. The language in football probably prevents that, but a more open approach is surely what is required. These guys decide massive games that are important to a lot of people. They should be accountable to either an independent body from their employers i.e. the FA, and have their own PR, whether in the form of press conferences or a press release.

Ferguson is a token scape goat here given the talk of a referee's walk out following the criticism of Clattenburg and others by the press. He may well deserve it because of his 'history', but in isolation it is a ridiculously harsh punishment given what most other managers comment on every other week.

 

[keaton]

Let's be clear, complaining about the ref is one thing. Questioning the ref's integrity is another - and that's why Fergie has been rightly banned. You can say the ref had a shocker, that he made some appalling decisions - of course you can, but you can't say the ref has an agenda against you. The FA have this spot on.

Agree.
Fergie said the ref was a cheat, you have to punish that.
And the two Arsenal example's are nothing remotely similiar.
Wenger said he "was disgusted", not the referee was disgusting, not even the referee's decisions were disgusting.
Wilshere said referee's need to be consistent

 

[Bold Seagull]

Agree.
Fergie said the ref was a cheat, you have to punish that.
And the two Arsenal example's are nothing remotely similiar.
Wenger said he "was disgusted", not the referee was disgusting, not even the referee's decisions were disgusting.
Wilshere said referee's need to be consistent

semantics!

 

[Goring Gull]

That's the title to Old Trafford then.