SteelmaninOZ Posted November 24, 2010 Report Share Posted November 24, 2010 Maybe we could get some cards printed... Love it have a ... ...or should that be a Yazoo? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Spark Posted November 24, 2010 Report Share Posted November 24, 2010 Thought this was a MFC message board,with a topic on the refs strike! Why should anyone feel sorry for refs?Yes any personal abuse/threats are out of order,but top refs are without exception in skilled/highly paid professions,refereeing is lucrative sideline,all they will lose by a so called strike is a weeks bonus They'll still make mistakes,they are only human,they've always had criticism,they knew they would before they started refereeing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Posted November 24, 2010 Report Share Posted November 24, 2010 They'll still make mistakes,they are only human,they've always had criticism,they knew they would before they started refereeing I think you're missing the point. Refs have been pummelled for wrong decisions ever since the game began. What is getting them is the inference of bias against Celtic; calling into question their integrity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoF Posted November 24, 2010 Report Share Posted November 24, 2010 Ever since people starting diving and playing dead (allegedly) Haha! I don't know what smiley fits that. Good yin though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweed Posted November 24, 2010 Report Share Posted November 24, 2010 I think you're missing the point. Refs have been pummelled for wrong decisions ever since the game began. What is getting them is the inference of bias against Celtic; calling into question their integrity. Absolutely a big part of it but I think the bigger issue is that the SFA have not supported them. the fourth official at Tannadice should have instructed McDonald to send him off for the way he spoke to him but didn't. However after that there should have been some reactive action against Lennon - there wasn't When Hooper spoke out saying there was anti-celtic bias there should have been action against him - there wasn't When Reid spoke out there should have been action against him - there was no indication there was going to be any. By letting them going unchecked it actually gives the story an ounce of credibility. If the SFA had nipped this in the bud by punishing people earlier the bandwagon of conspiracy would have probably remained in tabloid hotlines and Internet messageboards rather than in boardrooms. Which whilst not an ideal situation it was tenable. And I did read a thread on Pie and Bovril tonight where a Celtic fan claimed that 'death threats were part of the territory'. As long as you have people believing that you have a problem. Nobody can realistically expect Celtic to eradicate that thought process but it is not unreasonable to expect them to not stoke it up. I think that the strike will be called off tomorrow. I think some of the actions the referees want are beginning to be done by the SFA - they have absolutely made their point and hopefully we can grow from this. What needs to happen is if people speak in an inappropriate way about referees they are punished heavily so that we remember this is not open house. In my view there is nothing wrong with saying 'I think we should have had a penalty' or something in a reasonable manner in a post match interview but to still be banging on about it six weeks later and be admitting it is in a dossier suggests a belief of an ulterior motive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kmcalpin Posted November 25, 2010 Report Share Posted November 25, 2010 In my view there is nothing wrong with saying 'I think we should have had a penalty' or something in a reasonable manner in a post match interview but to still be banging on about it six weeks later and be admitting it is in a dossier suggests a belief of an ulterior motive. Exactly. There are several angles to this debate with faults on both sides. No referee should be subject to abuse or threats and this is what Neil Lennon was up to lets be honest here. In committing these acts he was at best condoned by Celtic and at worst actively supported by Celtic. Death threats by fans are totally unacceptable. I have no problem with Celtic or any other club writing to the SFA, in private, to air concerns over conspiracies, providing they have hard evidence and Celtic have produced none - simply unfounded allegations. Contrary to what the redtops might print (or might not print) its Celtic and Celtic alone who have engineeered this crisis. For their part, referees have done themselves no favour over the years. Year in year out we've seen a catalogue of inconsistency and poor decision making. We all make the odd mistake and I can accept that. However, over the years there has been the odd bad egg, as there are in all occupations. Referees are no different to any other occupation in that respect. They have a duty to explain controversial decisions and to date to have failed to do so, hiding instead behind a cloak of secrecy and arrogance. Its high time video evidence was brought in to protect clubs, players, fans and yes referees. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjw Posted November 25, 2010 Report Share Posted November 25, 2010 Anyway, there ARE as many cases of abuse in the protestant church as catholic and that pal is a fact. They are just much better at covering it up. weather you lot believe that or not i couldn't give a dam. Maybe you could open your minds a little research or would you be to scared of what you may find. This religion pish is a huge scar on this amazing country. Kids are brought up to think its normal and its how its meant to be. That needs to change to rid scotland of this bile. I hate it all with a passion. Its all wrong wrong wrong. It pisses me off a bit as well seeing it on a MOTHERWELL FC forum. Keep motherwell fc clean.Were to good for that crap. We are motherwell fc!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Mayb What do you think this whole campaign by celtic is based on? Billy Mcneil says Celtic haven't had a fair decision in 50 years and John Reid says they wont be treated any less than anyone else, the accusation they are making in a snidey way is that anyone not connected with celtic is part of an anti-irish anti-catholic agenda.You can make all the posts you want greeting about scotlands religous problems but the bottom line is the old firm need the divide to stay in business. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burn_Broomfield Posted November 25, 2010 Report Share Posted November 25, 2010 Strike goes ahead. Some games may be on however with Foreign refs in charge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wellfan1984 Posted November 25, 2010 Report Share Posted November 25, 2010 Surely our game will be on? Since it is a LiveTV game I'm sure ESPN (and if their is any SkySports game) will defo want "their" games to be on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonesy Posted November 25, 2010 Report Share Posted November 25, 2010 I our game not on Sky? Sure I saw an avert the other day saying ot was on Sky Sports 4. Not sure if ESPN have a Saturday game or if they are showing Rangers on Sunday. I agree with you anyway, I'd imagine that the TV games and probably the Challenge Cup final will get priority. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wellfan1984 Posted November 25, 2010 Report Share Posted November 25, 2010 Is our game not on Sunday? If it is Saturday I'm not gonna be happy as I don't have a babysitter for my son so won't be able to go! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelboy Posted November 25, 2010 Report Share Posted November 25, 2010 i'd be suprised if they get any foriegn refs. they've been kb'd by all the home nations, eire, iceland, denmark and norway. i can't see any refs from a respected country wanting to be the ones to break the strike and the sfa will be a laughing stock if they bring in albanians or maltese refs. i think this could have been resolved if they hadn't bothered about foriegn refs at all. they were asking other fa's for help before even sitting down with our refs, that can't have went down well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wellfan1984 Posted November 25, 2010 Report Share Posted November 25, 2010 The Dutch have confirmed they'll send three referees if asked. Also no win for the SFA if they didn't approach the other FA's then message boards like this would have been slating them for not having a back-up plan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelboy Posted November 25, 2010 Report Share Posted November 25, 2010 The Dutch have confirmed they'll send three referees if asked. Also no win for the SFA if they didn't approach the other FA's then message boards like this would have been slating them for not having a back-up plan. aye but it's actually getting three refs (and 6 linesman) that will agree to go. all top refs seem to know each other through uefa and if i was a dutch ref i'd be wondering if strike breaking was going to harm my own or other duth referee's european and international prospects. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kmmfc Posted November 25, 2010 Report Share Posted November 25, 2010 I'd be very surprised any foreign refs make the trip over to ensure our games in the SPL go ahead, but here's hoping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelboy Posted November 25, 2010 Report Share Posted November 25, 2010 I'd be very surprised any foreign refs make the trip over to ensure our games in the SPL go ahead, but here's hoping. it should be the sfl that get first dibs on the refs as this full situation has been caused by an spl club. it's not fair that spl games could go ahead while clubs that desperately need the money lower down get shafted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milo Posted November 25, 2010 Report Share Posted November 25, 2010 It should just be Celtics game that the strike effects to be honest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kmmfc Posted November 25, 2010 Report Share Posted November 25, 2010 Spot on. This strike (withdrawal of labour) should just affect Celtic, not everyone else. And I also agree that any games which do take place should be the SFL matches since the problem has arisen in the SPL. I just don't get what the refs hope to achieve out of this. They aren't going to get a letter from Celtic saying that they are all honest when the fact of the matter is they aren't. Maybe they just want the letter to say that on the pitch they are honest, but off the pitch, they can't hope to get that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcguru Posted November 25, 2010 Report Share Posted November 25, 2010 I read somewhere we live in a democracy, so I thought I'd wade in with my 2 denaris worth: I'm a lifelong dosser and a referee, currently reffing youth games Sat/Sun U14-U19's. As I like to say to both sets of players and coaches before every game, even though ah'm fae Craigneuk, I do make mistakes now and again. My promise to them is to be up with play as best I can, get myself into the best position for play and call it as I see it. If I get all the major decisions right in a game, I've done well. Occasionally even the losing team's coach will come over and shake my hand and say I had a good game. More often than not, I'm an easy and convenient scapegoat for their loss. For £30 a game, I certainly don't do it for the money. I do it cos I love football and living away from Lanakrshire now it's hard to get to Fir Park and pay £18-£22 every other week, with 3 kids you have other priorities. My last game was the Odense match. Now, onto the current crisis: Personally I would immediately instigate a rule where no-one from any club should be making any comments about referees before or after a game to the media. That means coaches, players, chairmen...anyone. Nothing positive can ever come from these comments. You may think that puts us down there with a North Korean dictatorship but it's a censorship price worth paying. Conversely, I'd like to see the referee, if asked, to make a brief on-camera appearance 30-60 mins after the game to answer up to 3 questions the interviewer may have. For example, after Tannadice-gate, the interviewer would surely ask "Why did you change your mind about the penalty Dougie?". If Dougie would have then said "I immediately realised I'd made a mistake, so checked with the linesman and he concurred so I re-started play with a stoat-up" than all would have been well. Except for Lennon's tantrum on the touchline of course. We have this so-called 'Respect' campaign but with the level of dissent it is entirely meaningless in my opinion. Why is there no dissent in other sports like rugby, NBA basketball, American Football to name a few? There's far more money in play in the US sports but there's no dissent. I do not believe Officials in other sports are not liable to make a mistake, just like when the striker misses an open goal or a defender fails to clear his lines, we're all human. Without the human chaos in sports it'd be oh so dull and predictable and no-one would want that. A line needs to be drawn. I am wondering if Dougie MacDonald will still be refereeing senior football in the new year. I can only guess he may have thought seriously about resigning if it would serve the greater good of the game for him to be offered as the sacrificial lamb given his self-confessed un-truth in how he came to his (correct) decision not to award a penalty. Dougie's words affects all referees even down at my level. Trust is wee word with huge consequences and that is missing from our game right now but I go to my next game on Saturday with optimisim and hoping to see some skillfull players. Oh aye, and my ambition has always been to be at Fir Park when the announcement is made "would any qualified referee make yourself known", ah'd be doon that touchline like a rat up a drain pipe. ps. I do NOT want to see any foreign referees brought over for any Scottish league matches, we need to sort this mess ourselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadywellToi Posted November 25, 2010 Report Share Posted November 25, 2010 It should just be Celtics game that the strike effects to be honest. Surely all that would do is give elements within their support further cause to cry of conspiracy theories if they alone are being targeted. They'll moan of fixture congestion, 3 games in 8 days costing them the league with the rearranged fixture. Also, their opponent (Inverness) is also being penalised and a mid-week fixture is going to decimate their support, not really fair for them when Butcher hasn't been out of order either. Let's be honest, the behaviour of their manager and chairman have been off the Richter scale and needs punishment. But there are a few clubs who have also strayed above the acceptable threshold of criticism in recent weeks. If anything it could be argued that Craig could have been a bit more vocal but it does give us the moral high ground. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelboy Posted November 25, 2010 Report Share Posted November 25, 2010 A line needs to be drawn. I am wondering if Dougie MacDonald will still be refereeing senior football in the new year. I can only guess he may have thought seriously about resigning if it would serve the greater good of the game for him to be offered as the sacrificial lambgiven his self-confessed un-truth in how he came to his (correct) decision not to award a penalty. mcdonald was reprimanded by the referee's committee, any further punishment or him resigning would just signal to celtic and their fans that their current tactics are effective and that they can overturn sfa decisions and hound refs out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rambunctious Posted November 25, 2010 Report Share Posted November 25, 2010 if celtic feel so hard done by why don't they just go on strike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaag Posted November 25, 2010 Report Share Posted November 25, 2010 It'll be interesting to see just how shite the foreign refs are in comparison to our own We'll be crying for them back by the end of the weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelboy Posted November 25, 2010 Report Share Posted November 25, 2010 dutch and unbelievably estonian referees have kb'd the sfa now. the refs are growing stronger, celtic are looking stupider and the sfa are going to be forced to take action to sort this out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
underboyleheating Posted November 25, 2010 Report Share Posted November 25, 2010 Strike set to go ahead according to the radio news. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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