Declan Rice’s red card on Saturday has divided opinion among the football community.
FA’s policy on it’s website, regarding time wasting reads: “delaying the restart of play – this includes kicking, or carrying the ball away or provoking a confrontation by deliberately touching the ball after the referee has stopped play.’
By the letter of law, Rice does tap the ball away when it’s Brighton’s free kick to take.
Rules say nothing about how far away the ball should be kicked or if the official had been consistent earlier in the game.
While Mikel Arteta acted ‘Amazed’ by the decision, the PGMOL did sit all parties down in the summer and stress this was an area they would have zero tolerance on.
Can the sending off be considered harsh?
Could the ref have had a quiet word with our midfielder instead of insisting on a second yellow card? Of course.
Which begs the question why didn’t that happen?
Once you rule out the idea that Chris Kavanagh is part of a nationwide conspiracy against Arsenal (and it can be proven that’s not the case) then why are we at the point where officials have been ordered to be strict towards ‘time wasting ‘?
That’s the angle Simon Jordan approached the subject from on Talk Sport. The presenter said that it’s been the conduct of player’s for years that has made the sport governed this way.
While Rice suffers in the short term, is it in fact the actions of his peers which led to this past weekend?
Allot of observers have asked for common sense to be utilised at times but that’s only if everyone is on the same page. Players can’t be treated like adults if they going to act like Children.
That’s Mr Jordan’s point, believing that the same individuals who have tried to cheat and manipulate every policy written now want sympathy when there is zero benefit of the doubt.
Once upon a time, a casual word would have been afforded to the player but it’s those same players (not all) who tried to manipulate rules by time wasting.
Clubs can’t have it both ways. They can’t time waste constantly (all do that) then complain when tougher sanctions are introduced.
We had this a couple of seasons ago regarding stoppage time. FIFA were at pains to underline how much time during a match there was little action so ordered each half for the exact time the ball was out of play to be added on.
This was mirrored domestically. Manager’s, players and owners were fuming that double digits were being thrown on to each half, citing player welfare as a concern.
In reality, studies showed that before this tweak, in 90 minutes, the football was on the pitch for approx. 60 minutes.
So, for half an hour the ball is out of play. The audacity, for the same companies who are cheating their customers out of their money’s worth, to act like they are being mistreated.
Mr Jordan uses VAR as a device which contradicts what clubs want.
They wanted video technology to override human error, but have done nothing but complain about the Technology since its introduction. Then, when they were given the option in the summer of getting rid of Video Technology, 19 out of a possible 20, voted for it to stay.
Does the system need to be utilised more consistently?
Without question.
Yet the reason Rugby, Cricket and Tennis don’t have as many controversies is that there is a professionalism which eliminates how many things can go wrong. In those sports you don’t get play acting, diving, time wasting, managers swearing at 4th officials.
When you do, all are aware who’s in charge and understanding the consequences of any verbal abuse.
A second booking was harsh on Rice.
Although the letter of the law was followed, common sense seemed suffice.
I heard many say, “if that’s a red card, where is our sport going?”
Ask yourself though how we got here?
It’s not just incompetent officiating.
Dan
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