Tag Archives: scapegoats

Rodgers told to stop attacking referees: Liverpool boss warned to lay off men in black

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Rodgers told to stop attacking referees: Liverpool boss warned to lay off men in black

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UPDATED:

20:39 GMT, 27 October 2012

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has
been warned ahead of the Merseyside derby against Everton that his
continual berating of match officials will not help his team's cause.

Referees' chief Mike Riley and his
members are angered by Rodgers continuing to claim his club are
victimised by officials, regarding it as a tactic to seek an advantage.

Ahead of the crunch match at
Goodison Park, the Liverpool boss has defiantly repeated his
frustrations over the way his club's games are officiated, sarcastically
remarking he would have to take a holiday when his striker Luis Suarez
got a decision in his favour.

Good decision, ref: Brendan Rodgers has complained about refereeing standards

Good decision, ref: Brendan Rodgers has complained about refereeing standards

'Brendan Rodgers isn't the first manager to try it on,' said a referees' source.

'He has been reminded that Kenny Dalglish did the same thing as Liverpool manager last season and it didn't work for him.

'It won't work for Brendan, either. There have been phone calls which have relayed that message. It is pretty clear.'

Premier League referees, who are looked
after by Professional Game Match Officials Limited, are becoming
increasingly resentful at the way they believe they are being used as
scapegoats by managers for poor results.

Victim Luis Suarez has been booked three times for diving at Liverpool

Victim Luis Suarez has been booked three times for diving at Liverpool

Rodgers has been strident in his defence of controversial Uruguay striker Suarez, who has been booked for diving three times since he joined Liverpool at the start of last year.

Rodgers blasted referee Mike Jones for not awarding Suarez a penalty against Norwich last month.

When the Uruguayan was clearly seen to have dived the following weekend against Stoke City, however, Rodgers claimed not to have seen it.

He continued his theme ahead of today's derby game when he said: 'One of these days, we will get a decision.'

Everton, though, clearly felt Suarez's over-reaction to a tackle in a derby match last season cost Jack Rodwell a red card and Goodison boss David Moyes has hit back at the striker's antics, saying: 'He has history. It will turn the supporters away.'

Rodgers was appointed after Kenny Dalglish created a PR disaster by supporting Suarez in his racial abuse case with Manchester United's Patrice Evra.

But the Ulsterman, who has been mocked as football's answer to fictitious television windbag David Brent from The Office for his appearances in a fly-on-the- wall documentary Being: Liverpool, has also been strident in sticking up for his club's interests.

Different approach: Everton boss David Moyes

Different approach: Everton boss David Moyes

And he again appeared to try to put pressure on a referee, Andre Marriner, who takes charge of the derby.

'It is so important for the referees to stay calm and not get excited,' said Rodgers.

'I've seen it over the years, some of the tackles in these games is incredible. My last memory was a tackle of [Everton's] Steven Pienaar that was up around the top of the guy's thigh. I don't believe he even got booked for it, which was absolutely incredible.

'So there's a responsibility there for the refs to make sure it's a football game and not a rugby game.'

Graham Poll: Stop the silly shakes… or copy the Champions League format

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Stop the silly shakes… or copy the Champions League format

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UPDATED:

10:25 GMT, 17 September 2012

Pre-match handshakes should be scrapped – immediately.

They were introduced domestically following their success in the Champions League; not to help players show respect but to assist with getting matches started at their advertised kick-off times.

There is a crazy ritual before Premier League games where the referee presses a button in his room and bells sound in the players dressing rooms.

Latest snub: John Terry was ignored by Anton Ferdinand on Saturday

Latest snub: John Terry was ignored by Anton Ferdinand on Saturday

More from Graham Poll…

Graham Poll: QPR v Chelsea will be playing heavily on ref Marriner's mind
14/09/12

Graham Poll: Football is back and referees are the scapegoats…
12/09/12

Graham Poll: New ref East discovers reputations take years to build…
03/09/12

Graham Poll: Referees are in a no-win situation… but they must stay strong and earn respect
26/08/12

Graham Poll: Moving ball is making it tough for goalkeepers – and it needs to be looked at to make it fair
26/08/12

Graham Poll: Rodallega was wearing traditional studs not blades
26/08/12

Graham Poll: Pardew can't be compared with Di Canio… but he must be punished
19/08/12

Graham Poll: Ronaldo penalty gaffe could easily have been avoided
28/06/12

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That is to signal that it is time for
the teams to go out and have their kit inspected before entry onto the
field of play. However, teams don’t want to hang around waiting for each
other so both delay this for as long as possible.

As a result, the referee or his assistants end up banging on the door, pleading with managers to let their teams out. Kick-offs are then delayed while the usual protocol is then observed.

Now as the 1billion overseas TV rights deal will show, the Premier League is big business across the world where most games are available live and so punctual kick offs are desired so as not to affect advertising revenues.

In UEFA competitions there is a liaison official who assists with the pre-match routine and ensures that all teams comply with the timely entry on to the field.

There are financial penalties for those failing to comply and he can be more insistent as a result. Assistants are often reluctant to make too big a fuss as they have to interact with teams and management through the upcoming 90 minutes and don’t want to seem officious before a ball is kicked.

Watch the Champions League games on the red button, multi-screen option just before 7.45pm this week and see how well co-ordinated kick-offs are – and that is with the handshake procedure in place.

We now have lots of issues with handshakes and still cannot kick-off on time so the Premier League should appoint a liaison official (or use their delegate who has little to do pre-match except drink tea) to get the teams out and then let the referee get the game started on time without the needless ceremony.

Clever refereeing

Howard Webb demonstrated how well his brain is working while under pressure on Sunday. It would have been impossible to give no free-kick and allow play to continue after Kyle Walker handled a cross when defending a set piece at Reading.

His boss, Mike Riley did exactly that at Liverpool when a Chelsea defender handled a few years ago so it does happen. Webb though, saw a slight push and so gave Spurs the free kick and who’s to say there was no contact by Alex Pearce

Controversy: Kyle Walker (right) was not pulled up for his handball

Controversy: Kyle Walker (right) was not pulled up for his handball

Lucky refereeing

Tightest decision of the weekend was Chris Foy’s call that West Ham’s James Collins fouled Norwich midfielder Andrew Surman outside the penalty area. Slow-motion replays were hardly conclusive but a still frame shot supports Foy’s decision.

So how did he get it right when it was that hard to tell even with replays Simple. Where there is doubt you have to err on the side of caution and not award a penalty. Had the foul been a millimetre inside there would have been complaints but Foy earned his luck with a good performance at Carrow Road.

Diving still an issue

Danny Welbeck escaped censure when diving for a penalty late on for England at Wembley on Tuesday evening – had he been cautioned then he might have stayed on his feet at Old Trafford on Saturday.

Going down: Danny Welbeck fell easily in the box on Saturday

Going down: Danny Welbeck fell easily in the box on Saturday

Instead he tumbled, late and theatrically but it still fooled Michael Oliver into awarding United an early penalty. 'Justice' was seen to be done as Ali Al Habsi saved Javier Hernandez’s weak kick but Welbeck should have been on a yellow card.

He also dived in the build-up to United second goal and play was waved on. When a player is guilty of simulation, as FIFA call diving, play must be stopped and a yellow card issued.

Time for Sir Alex Ferguson to step in and advise Welbeck before his reputation is tarnished for good.

I have joined a club with tradition of playing wonderful football: AVB kicks off his return with a swipe at Chelsea

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I have joined a club with tradition of playing wonderful football: AVB kicks off his return with a swipe at Chelsea

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UPDATED:

19:26 GMT, 14 July 2012

Andre Villas-Boas praised the legacy left by Bill Nicholson at Tottenham as he took a swipe at Chelsea, the club who sacked him after just eight months as manager.

Spurs’ new head coach remains bitter about his departure from Stamford Bridge and, in a thinly veiled attack on the shortcomings of his former club, highlighted the tradition and style — and approach of the chairman, Daniel Levy — at White Hart Lane.

‘There is more of a sense of belonging at this club,’ said Villas-Boas. ‘It has a lot of tradition, which I admire. Chelsea have tradition, too, but it changed dramatically since 2003 when it was bought. That’s why the sense of belonging is bigger here.

Silver lining: Tottenham manager Villas-Boas vows to bring home the trophies

Silver lining: Tottenham manager Villas-Boas vows to bring home the trophies

‘Tottenham are also linked with great football over the years with a wonderful history back to Bill Nicholson. It’s been football played in the right style.

‘I also like the way the chairman goes about his business at this football club. He knows what he’s doing and has given me an assurance that we’re building something here. He is involved on a daily basis at the club and that is the main difference with before.

‘Tottenham have extremely competent people at the club and everyone knows that they must all play their part in achieving success and not look for scapegoats. It will make my job easier.’

Villas-Boas’s pointed remarks underline how angry he remains at Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, whom he has also accused of ‘quitting on him’.

The Portuguese had a brief to implement an attractive style and overhaul the Chelsea squad when he joined last summer and insists he was prematurely dismissed.

Unhappy reign: Villas-Boas endured a tumultuous stint at Chelsea

Unhappy reign: Villas-Boas endured a tumultuous stint at Chelsea

But he knows he needs to deliver trophies for Tottenham, whose last piece of silverware was the Carling Cup in 2008, if he is to avoid another short-lived stint in the Premier League.

Villas-Boas said: ‘2008 is a long time ago for a club of this stature to win a trophy with its ambition and capabilities.

‘We have a new training ground and, in time, we will have a new stadium. We have wonderful work left by Harry [Redknapp] to continue, but the club decided to move on and that is why I am here.

‘Now we have to shorten the gap towards the top. One thing is certain. There are responsibilities with my job. I can’t expect to be in ninth or 10th and be in a comfortable position here.

‘It is demanded that we do better. This is obvious after Harry left the club after finishing fourth. The measure of success here is trophies. It’s a responsibility I have to take. If it fails, it fails.’

Getting down to business: Villas-Boas briefs his Spurs squad during training

Getting down to business: Villas-Boas briefs his Spurs squad during training

In the four-and-a-half months since his dismissal from Chelsea, Villas-Boas spent time reflecting on his experience at Stamford Bridge and travelled the world to enhance his football education.

He now knows what is required of him as a manager of a leading Premier League club.

‘I’ve thought a lot about what happened to me at Chelsea,’ he said. ‘I am very grateful for both the professional and personal experience I had. You can only learn by mistakes and by experience. I know I can do better and I will because I believe I am a better coach and person for it. I have reflected a lot and also watched games in Germany and Italy, Spain and Brazil.

‘It would be easy now to respond to sentiments of ambition and revenge, but it would be wrong if I took it that way. The football club is more important than myself and I must not make it a personal mission.

‘What I have learned about managing in England is that individual players who do things well deserve public reward, whereas I never praised or criticised an individual. Instead, I always talked about the collective.

‘The experience made me more meticulous about taking the next step in football. I am very privileged to be able to take time in choosing my next job. I am grateful to Tottenham to present me with this opportunity. I come here much better prepared now.’

New faces: Gylfi Sigurdsson (left) and Jan Vertonghen are welcomed to their new club

New faces: Gylfi Sigurdsson (left) and Jan Vertonghen are welcomed to their new club

It is imperative that Villas-Boas gets Spurs off to a good start, especially with the fans uncertain whether swapping Redknapp for the man seen to fail at bitter rivals Chelsea will work.

Keeping Luka Modric and Rafael van der Vaart would help and, although the new boss fears the former will leave, he expects the latter to remain a Spurs player.

Speculation that the Portuguese star Joao Moutinho, who plays for Porto, could be coming to White Hart Lane also appears a little wide of the mark.

‘I’m counting on Van der Vaart,’ he said. ‘It’s a different situation to Luka. He’s been chased by clubs for two seasons, but we have to make sure the club’s interests are met. Moutinho is a great talent but he’s at a club that doesn’t sell cheaply.

‘We have a difficult start at New- castle but then two home games so, hopefully, we can repeat last season when Harry had a tremendous start.

‘There will be some fans reluctant after Harry’s departure, so it is important that we build on his success and move forward, not back.’

EURO 2012: No scapegoats for England

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No hype, no hysteria, no expectations and, for now, no scapegoats

By
Rob Draper

PUBLISHED:

21:00 GMT, 9 June 2012

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UPDATED:

21:00 GMT, 9 June 2012

Gone are the hopeful headlines and the vain boasts about world-class players performing in the game’s greatest league. Tickets remain unsold and the collective hysteria that once gripped a nation, and which quickly transformed into a search for a scapegoat is, for once, absent.

England no longer expects much from its footballers. With good reason, it might be said, given their record of reaching just two semi-finals and five quarter-finals in major tournaments since that famous home win of 1966.

Since then we have celebrated home draws with Greece or exciting evenings in Munich as though they were the herald of a new age. Even a 0-0 draw in Rome was transformed into a great result.

No pressure: England aren't expected to come close to winning Euro 2012

No pressure: England aren't expected to come close to winning Euro 2012

But these were World Cup qualifying games and Gary Neville, now an England coach, refers to the furore that followed them as the ‘madness of Rome and Munich and Greece’.

Football’s Coming Home, which still blares out embarrassingly at Wembley, speaks of ‘30 years of hurt’. Make that 46 years and counting. Except that it no longer hurts because we no longer expect.

In reality, the squad of players who will embark on their quest on Monday, or at least the first XI, are probably better than the team that started at the World Cup in South Africa.

Defensively, they will be as fragile against pace and true quality as ever, but they have a first-class goalkeeper in Joe Hart and a considerably better centre-forward than Emile Heskey in Danny Welbeck.

In Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain there is some genuine craft and while Wayne Rooney may be suspended for two games, he may as well have been for all four in South Africa. One day we might add Jack Wilshere to this mix, too.

Dig below the surface and even more progress is apparent with the FA’s work in setting out a proper coaching structure, revolutionising youth football with small-sided games and appropriately-sized goals, and in finally building a centre for study and training at St George’s Park.

Ready to go: England kick off their campaign on Monday

Ready to go: England kick off their campaign on Monday

All that, though, might yield results in 10 years. For now, we are stuck with the England of old.

At Euro 2012 we are more likely to marvel at Germany’s Mesut Ozil, re-acquaint ourselves with the joy of Spain’s Xavi and Andres Iniesta and the exquisite skills of Holland’s Robin van Persie and Arjen Robben.

And on Monday we may well witness a new France emerging as Karim Benzema, Yohan Cabaye and Samir Nasri combine.

The connection All three nations have taken youth development and coaching seriously for the past 20 years, while the English game just grew fat and lazy on Sky’s money.

While Roy Hodgson may not excite, at least the FA have managed to avoid indulging in the cult of the personality that fooled English football for so long. Hodgson is dependable and England are well organised.

It may not sound inspiring but it is a start. It would be facile, in any case, to expect Hodgson to correct ancient failings after 40 days in the job. In the past week we have watched a poor Norway side and a decent Belgium team out-pass England. Neither qualified for this tournament.

When was the last time England played with panache and flair at a major tournament

Heartache: England last reached a major semi-final in 1996

Heartache: England last reached a major semi-final in 1996

The 1990 World Cup semi-final against Germany Euro 96’s famous 4-1 victory against Holland, followed by another epic semi-final against the Germans The heroic failure against Argentina in 1998 That lamentable record is unlikely to change here.

Neville, prior to his appointment to Hodgson’s team, spoke about the grid of straight-line, 4-4-2 football that bedevils England.

By conceding possession to technically superior teams, England end up compressed deep in their half. Forwards then drop deep looking for the ball and midfielders who rampage in the Premier League instead find themselves playing a yard in front of their centre-halves.

When England finally win the ball, they cannot get into a creative attacking shape so lose the ball again and the process repeats.

The team end up chasing shadows and the nation grows ever more dispirited. Most international teams play in between those straight lines and rotate positions constantly. England have rarely done so.

Hodgson and Neville know England have to correct that and, in time, they may prevail. But this is likely to be a tournament too soon. Solidity may be the most we can hope for; expansion will have to wait.

Six Nations 2011: Dylan Hartley and Dan Cole have score to settle in France

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Driving force! England pair have score to settle in France

Redemption. That's the profound target for two members of the England pack in Paris a week on Sunday.

When Dylan Hartley and Dan Cole square up to France's renowned front row, they will be hell-bent on settling a score.

Rewind two years and the national team travelled across the Channel and won acclaim even though they lost 12-10.

In retreat: Cole faces the French in 2010

In retreat: Cole faces the French in 2010

That RBS Six Nations finale was seen as a watershed moment for Martin Johnson's side in playing with more attacking purpose, fired by the introduction of dangerous strike runners like Ben Foden and Chris Ashton.

But if the overview was positive, it was a negative night for Hartley and Cole. England were routed in a first-half scrum onslaught against a French pack anchored by mighty Perpignan tighthead prop Nicolas Mas.

At the interval, Hartley and Cole were cast as the scapegoats and suffered the indignity of being replaced with 40 minutes remaining, despite subsequent suggestions that Tim Payne, the experienced loosehead, had been particularly culpable.

Back then, the pair were raw rookies. Now Hartley, the 25-year-old Northampton hooker and captain, and his right-hand man, the 24-year-old Leicester prop, are more settled and street-wise.

They feel prepared for what awaits them and are suitably driven to make amends. Hartley won't be going through the video again – the episode is etched in his mind.

'I can still picture it – I can still see those scrums,' he said. 'A little bit of redemption would be nice this time. There are some demons to exorcise. It is inexcusable for an English pack to be pushed back on our own ball.

Bouncing back: England are hoping to put the defeat to Wales behind them

Bouncing back: England are hoping to put the defeat to Wales behind them

Bouncing back: England are hoping to put the defeat to Wales behind them

NEXT FIXTURES

Sunday: France v Ireland (3pm).

Saturday March 10: Wales v Italy
(2.30pm); Ireland v Scotland (5pm).

Sunday March 11: France v England (3pm).

'I remember being sat in the changing room in Paris after that game thinking, “Wow, you just don't get taken off at half-time”. It was my second Six Nations and myself and Dan have played a lot since then. I've played against Mas when we've played Perpignan in the Heineken Cup, too.

'I like to think we feel more equipped to cope now. Alex (Corbisiero) and Dan played against France last year – when they had Mas and Servat in there – and did a really good job.

'Before our games against Scotland and Italy there were question marks about us, with talk about caps and experience, about Euan Murray and (Martin) Castrogiovanni, but in both those games scrum penalties won us the final points of the game. I'd like to think we can look after ourselves.'

Cole was still finding his feet at Test level at the time of the setpiece setback in March 2010. Like Hartley, he feels ready for the impending re-match.

'Two years ago, they were on fire,' he said. 'It was only my fifth game for England and they dominated us. The French scrum attack teams, no matter who you are, but they probably looked at who was playing, targeted that area and got some success.

Allez! England were narrowly defeated by France at the Stade de France

Allez! England were narrowly defeated by France at the Stade de France

Allez! England were narrowly defeated by France at the Stade de France

'Now, they might have a bit more respect than before. I'm more pumped up for this game because of what happened there last time.

'That must be the toughest rugby experience I've had. We went backwards so I probably did deserve to come off. As the tighthead, if the scrum's going forward I'll take the credit for it, but if it's going backwards …that's how it works. You learn from it.

'Motivation-wise it's a good thing for next week. It's going to be hostile in Paris, without doubt. There's 22 of us against the whole stadium. It feels like us against the world. In a funny sort of way, you enjoy that.'

He and Hartley will enjoy it if they are both still on the pitch deep into the second half, and on the front foot. That would represent redemption.

David Luiz shrugs off criticism

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I've survived a lot worse, says Luiz as Chelsea defender shrugs off criticism

Bouncing back: Luiz excelled on Saturday

Bouncing back: Luiz excelled on Saturday

Chelsea defender David Luiz has insisted his critics cannot 'kill' him because he has endured much worse in his life than their abuse.

Luiz has been made one of the scapegoats for the Blues' stuttering season, with the errors he has made forever being highlighted.

But the the man who arrived from Benfica for a reported 26.5million just over a year ago enjoyed one of his best days in a Chelsea shirt in Saturday's 3-0 win over Bolton.

The 24-year-old opened the scoring with
what is fast becoming a trademark goal and, more importantly, helped
Chelsea keep a clean sheet.

Luiz was raised in the unforgiving Sao
Paulo satellite town of Diadema and left home at 14 after being told by
his local club he was not big enough to be a footballer.

His 1,200-mile move to Esporte Club
Vitoria on Brazil's north-east coast forced his parents into debt, so
the flak he has taken this season pales into comparison to his previous
problems.

Luiz said: 'The guys who have never touched a ball can't kill me. This is impossible.

Triumph through adversity: Luiz was rejected by Sao Paulo as a youngster

Triumph through adversity: Luiz was rejected by Sao Paulo as a youngster

'Because I know my life when I didn't have anything, I know my life when my family needed me a lot.

'I know my life when I left home at 14 years of age and I told them “I will come back one day and give you a good life”.'

Luiz admitted criticism was 'normal' when a team produced a winless run like the one Chelsea ended on Saturday.

He added: 'I play in a big team and when a big doesn't win for five games or six games, the pressure's so, so big.

'I believe in my job, I believe in my work every day, I believe in me.

'I know my football, I know my personality.'

Case for the defence: Andre Villas-Boas was pleased with Chelsea's defending against Bolton

Case for the defence: Andre Villas-Boas was pleased with Chelsea's defending against Bolton

Luiz refused to take credit for what was only Chelsea's third clean sheet at home in the league under Andre Villas-Boas.

He told Chelsea TV: 'All the players defended well, not just David, not just (Gary) Cahill, not just Ashley (Cole) or Ivo (Branislav Ivanovic) – all the team defended well.

'This is needed for the rest of the games.

'I want now a clean sheet for the next game.'

Some of Luiz's critics have suggested he should be moved from defence to midfield, where he learnt his trade before converting to a centre-back seven years ago.

But manager Villas-Boas said: 'I think he has excellent central-defender characteristics and we will continue to promote him in that position.'