Thing is we're being told what referees are thinking, until they come out and say 'I've been threatened' we can't say that its 100% true. After all we were told Steven Craven resigned over 'death threats' which we now know to be a pack of lies. So I make no apology for my cynicism on this issue.
Is this the same Steven Craven that sold his story to the tabloids ... pardon me for also being a bit cynical but I choose not to believe anything that these sort of folk come out with.:p
Also may be worth remembering that Celtic won the match in question and the correct result in awarding no penalty was eventually taken ... though I believe you guys are not even remotely interested in that fact now.
Is this the same Steven Craven that sold his story to the tabloids ... pardon me for also being a bit cynical but I choose not to believe anything that these sort of folk come out with.:p
Actually, Craven refused to accept any cash for the interview.
Why didn't the media and SFA go after Myth the same way that they are going after Lennon? Why was there no bid coverage about Myth manhandling the 4th official?
You are missing the point - yes managers/clubs do have run ins with officials it goes with the territory ... but the fact that you could condense those Walter episodes from 3 or 4 years into a couple of weeks of Lennon and Celtic surely tells you something.
"Referees and their assistants have changed their ways. They guard their words and look over their shoulders like ventriloquists' dummies.
They look shell-shocked and haunted. It shouldn't be this way."
Stewart Regan confirms that referees from outside Scotland can be brought in to referee games at the weekend.
By the hour the position of the scottish referees weaken.
If I was Stewart Regan I'd go ahead and appoint whatever foreign refs are neccessary for the weekend and say that they will continue until the refereeing hierarchy in Scotland has been overhauled to help improve standards and transparency within the scottish game. Until that has been achieved the current batch of refs can stay on 'strike'
This could end up backfiring spectacularly for the refs, if foreign officials are brought in get rave reviews from the fans and media.
Even if that did happen, where would it leave the game in Scotland? If the refereeing fraternity is finding the current environment intolerable, why would anyone want to do the job as an up and coming official?
Stewart Regan blames the media for their scrutiny over the last couple of weeks describing it as intolerable. Says he does not support the strike and the fan/customer comes first.
SFA had a meeting with the referees on Friday and they did not mention anything about striking so he is surprised at this.
Officials will come from all over Europe if neccesary.
Regan's investigation into the way refereeing decisions are made will continue with the full support of the SFA board.
Cancel the games until the refs decide whatever they want to happen has happened and they come back?
I think the SFA have failed the referees up to this point with their inaction. Celtic should have been absolutely carpeted in the wake of both Tynecastle and the comments at the AGM.
I think they owe it to the officials to allow them to make their point in showing that they are an essential resource and need to be protected.
As much as I would have sympathy with any club losing short term revenue as a result of a one week strike, I think this is such an important issue that it goes beyond that.
Even if that did happen, where would it leave the game in Scotland? If the refereeing fraternity is finding the current environment intolerable, why would anyone want to do the job as an up and coming official?
We wouldnt have this sh*t storm if the standard of refing was higher, it's the training that's the problem IMO and I reckon that's backed up when 80% can't pass an exam
if I was in charge I'd have them on a flexible refresher course over the summer and then re-examine them and those who dont pass get binned, next step would be teaching reform as clearly it isn't working, I'd make fitness levels more strict ( a bugbear of mine) and id offer young refs and those who pass the exam the chance of going full time
We wouldnt have this sh*t storm if the standard of refing was higher, it's the training that's the problem IMO and I reckon that's backed up when 80% can't pass an exam
if I was in charge I'd have them on a flexible refresher course over the summer and then re-examine them and those who dont pass get binned, next step would be teaching reform as clearly it isn't working, I'd make fitness levels more strict ( a bugbear of mine) and id offer young refs and those who pass the exam the chance of going full time
Everyone wants refereeing standards to be as high as is humanly possible, but it will never be 100% correct due to human error.
If I thought there was an real agenda striving for stronger refereeing behind this campaign by Celtic I would support it myself. In my opinion that, along with lie by McDonald, is a red herring amongst the real motive, which is intimidation of officials and pandering to the paranoid, lunatic fringe in the Celtic support in order to mask inadequacies.
Comments
Is this the same Steven Craven that sold his story to the tabloids ... pardon me for also being a bit cynical but I choose not to believe anything that these sort of folk come out with.:p
Also may be worth remembering that Celtic won the match in question and the correct result in awarding no penalty was eventually taken ... though I believe you guys are not even remotely interested in that fact now.
Actually, Craven refused to accept any cash for the interview.
Erm Jim White for starters you basically ripped him to shreds for something he read on air.;)
You are missing the point - yes managers/clubs do have run ins with officials it goes with the territory ... but the fact that you could condense those Walter episodes from 3 or 4 years into a couple of weeks of Lennon and Celtic surely tells you something.
And denied the threats took place before giving the interview.
http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/3239442/United-ace-piles-it-on.html
If it had been deliberate handball Tumelty would've given the penalty. I'm sure he likes his windows to have glass in them.
As I said on saturday, I can understand why he didn't see it but there no excuse for the linesman.
Doesn't excuse the fact that we only had ourselves to blame though.
SPL not involved in ref talks
SFA have obligation to provide refs and have contingencey plans in place
Hopes strike called off
Games all on
SFA decide where refs come from
Would accept lower league refs - not happy though
Annoyed about effect on fans
Neil Doncaster live on SSN
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/scot_prem/9216507.stm
Gordon Strachan even gets a mention.
"Referees and their assistants have changed their ways. They guard their words and look over their shoulders like ventriloquists' dummies.
They look shell-shocked and haunted. It shouldn't be this way."
By the hour the position of the scottish referees weaken.
If I was Stewart Regan I'd go ahead and appoint whatever foreign refs are neccessary for the weekend and say that they will continue until the refereeing hierarchy in Scotland has been overhauled to help improve standards and transparency within the scottish game. Until that has been achieved the current batch of refs can stay on 'strike'
Even if that did happen, where would it leave the game in Scotland? If the refereeing fraternity is finding the current environment intolerable, why would anyone want to do the job as an up and coming official?
SFA had a meeting with the referees on Friday and they did not mention anything about striking so he is surprised at this.
Officials will come from all over Europe if neccesary.
Regan's investigation into the way refereeing decisions are made will continue with the full support of the SFA board.
If that happens it would set a terrible precedent, and I wouldn't expect a Scottish referee to officiate at a match again this season.
What else are we meant to do?
Cancel the games until the refs decide whatever they want to happen has happened and they come back?
I think we will have scottish referees refereeing at the weekend, might still have some foreign refs though.
I don't think it's as clear as saying it's all Celtic's fault as they would've said that they were striking on Friday.
I think the SFA have failed the referees up to this point with their inaction. Celtic should have been absolutely carpeted in the wake of both Tynecastle and the comments at the AGM.
I think they owe it to the officials to allow them to make their point in showing that they are an essential resource and need to be protected.
As much as I would have sympathy with any club losing short term revenue as a result of a one week strike, I think this is such an important issue that it goes beyond that.
Until we're told the result we'll never know.
Kenny Clark want other SPL clubs to turn on Celtic, forgetting Hearts statement of a couple of weeks back.
Kenny McIntyre and his cronies are desperately trying to get Regan and Doncaster to criticise Celtic.
We wouldnt have this sh*t storm if the standard of refing was higher, it's the training that's the problem IMO and I reckon that's backed up when 80% can't pass an exam
if I was in charge I'd have them on a flexible refresher course over the summer and then re-examine them and those who dont pass get binned, next step would be teaching reform as clearly it isn't working, I'd make fitness levels more strict ( a bugbear of mine) and id offer young refs and those who pass the exam the chance of going full time
Everyone wants refereeing standards to be as high as is humanly possible, but it will never be 100% correct due to human error.
If I thought there was an real agenda striving for stronger refereeing behind this campaign by Celtic I would support it myself. In my opinion that, along with lie by McDonald, is a red herring amongst the real motive, which is intimidation of officials and pandering to the paranoid, lunatic fringe in the Celtic support in order to mask inadequacies.
The problem there is that, as members of the SFA, the SPL and SFL would basically be suing themselves. Which is probably not even legal.