Does anyone know when the appeal is being heard?
Interesting that Halsey is so open that referees are prone to changing their judgement when presented with a nasty looking injury. He seems to suggest that the referee is covering his own backside by thinking "That looks nasty. There might be a big fuss if I'm not seen to do something."
I'm suspicious of reports of Dean telling the players that he changed his mind because of the injury, but telling Hughton that his assistant advised him. If this is what he said it has the smell of an attempt to validate his error after the event. I would be concerned but, given Halsey's comments, not surprised if a referee's priority is to avoid being seen as making a mistake over being fair to the player and club involved.
The last time we had a ref judge the injury not the offence, the FA actually did overturn the decision:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/23619966
However, nobody corrected the disgraceful comments of Justin Edinburgh when he suggested that Brighton fans booed the injured player, when it was very obvious that the booing was aimed at the awful refereeing decision.
So if h ball is three foot in the air, you have to wait for it to come down?
It's a risk isn't it? I'm trying to think of famous incidents, De Jong in the world cup final springs to mind, I'm sure he thought he was getting to ball as well! (And before anyone quotes me I'm not making a direct comparison between that and Stephens' tackle)
High feet is an instant free kick in Spain and Italy, especially if your studs are showing. Over here it's tolerated a bit more but you still get punished if you catch the other player.
Last week end John Terry sending off. The Sunderland player did exactly the same as Stephens studs to ball at about 3 ft. JT was in late and got sent off but there was no mention at all that the Sunderland player had his foot too high or was dangerous. Also why did Gaston have his knee by the ball where his boot should have been?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TS2GYBK_Ns
Differences:
1. Sunderland player got the ball first. Ramirez was nowhere near getting the ball first.
2. Terry kicked the Sunderland player not the ball. Stephens played the ball.
3. Despite this, and Terry's challenge is considerably worse than Stephens', Terry only got a yellow card, not a red. It happened to be his second yellow, of course.
Yellow / red cards are based on the nature of the challenge, not on the resulting injury. Was it the "damage" that persuaded him to change his mind? If so, it was totally wrong. I'm not falling for the excuse that the assistant told him to change to a red. When I refereed I would overrrule an assistant if I had a totally clear view. As an assistant, I have been overruled by a referee who had a clear view of the incident.".
I think you've missed the point. Terry was late, just like Gaston. It was Terry that committed the foul, just like Gaston.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TS2GYBK_Ns
Differences:
1. Sunderland player got the ball first. Ramirez was nowhere near getting the ball first.
2. Terry kicked the Sunderland player not the ball. Stephens played the ball.
3. Despite this, and Terry's challenge is considerably worse than Stephens', Terry only got a yellow card, not a red. It happened to be his second yellow, of course.
It was without doubt not because of another official. If another official was suggesting it was bad, the ref would have gone to talk to him before changing his mind from yellow to red. He changed it because of the injury.Yellow / red cards are based on the nature of the challenge, not on the resulting injury. Was it the "damage" that persuaded him to change his mind? If so, it was totally wrong. I'm not falling for the excuse that the assistant told him to change to a red. When I refereed I would overrrule an assistant if I had a totally clear view.
Time to wade in but apologies as I haven't read the entire thread.
Dean had a clear, unobstructed view and immediately pulled out the yellow card. Challenge was maybe a yellow but I could understand the yellow just to calm things down as Stephens had got himself involved a minute or two before. He was intimidated by the three or four Boro players who got in his face and Ramirez knocking the yellow from his hand.
Yellow / red cards are based on the nature of the challenge, not on the resulting injury. Was it the "damage" that persuaded him to change his mind? If so, it was totally wrong. I'm not falling for the excuse that the assistant told him to change to a red. When I refereed I would overrrule an assistant if I had a totally clear view. As an assistant, I have been overruled by a referee who had a clear view of the incident. That just doesn't wash. Dean's position should have been "I saw it clearly. I'm sticking with the yellow thank you".
As a referee you should NEVER take into account the seriousness of an injury. It is irrelevant. Kayal showed the ref the state of his leg after that ******* Barton stamped on it and it made no difference.
I recall once a keeper being badly injured in a game. Keeper came out at speed into on-rushing attacker. Attacker was favourite made contact with the ball first. Straight into the keepers throat. Keeper had trouble breathing, ambulance called. Fully recovered I'm pleased to say. Did I send off the attacker? Absolutely not. Wasn't late or reckless just bloody unfortunate. That is precisely why you can't consider the seriousness of injury. (Not that Ramirez was badly injured anyway but that's not for now!)
Sometimes players get injuries, maybe serious, but without there being any fault. They are known as accidents.
So is Dean totally incompetent? Or is he a cheat? Now there's a poll
as a ref do you keep the cards in the same pocket or red in a different pocket to the yellow,
Christ. I need to stop thinking back through the season to the amount of tackles I've seen on our players, and by our players, that were unpunished and then look at the Stephens incident.
Lansbury on Goldson at Forest is a good example.
Interesting example to choose, actually - that was another incident where there was debate about which player had committed the offence.