- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
Was Gerard Parsons’ performance last Saturday night the worst by a referee in the A-League? The video of Parsons officiating Melbourne Victory versus Perth Glory has now become mandatory viewing for all potential top flight referees.
It will be called “How a Referee Can Help Put Players in Hospital.”
The man with a passing resemblance to Larry from “The Three Stooges” did remember to bring his whistle to the game. But, inexplicably, he forgot that he also carried two coloured cards in his pocket.
A yellow one and a red one.
Some of the eye-watering tackles during the game, most notably from Jacob Burns, merited yellow cards and one in particular, a straight red. Parson’s would blow his whistle for the foul and just when you expected a card to come out … nothing. Not even for persistent fouling.
Did Burns receive some sort of immunity from Parsons before the game?
Parsons’ startling indifference emboldened Burns to persist with his dangerous tactic and draw Victory players, namely Brebner, into taking retaliatory action. By the end of the game, the players realised that the only way they could be sent off was by breaking a leg.
And even that was no guarantee.
Instead, they began laughing at Parsons, hoping they would get through the game unscathed.
Someone tweeted on ‘The World Game’ last night that Parsons should go back to refereeing the Under 12′s. For the sake of our football playing children, I hope this is not the case.
Are you the ultimate team manager? Pick your own superstar team and go head to head with other football fans for glory and cash prizes on Draftstars. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.