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Gold Coast coach Miron Bleiberg unleashed an extraordinary commentary on A-League refereeing, saying some officials favoured home teams, following his side’s dramatic 3-2 away loss to Sydney on Sunday.
One of the competition’s most outspoken and entertaining coaches, Bleiberg delivered some powerful comments on referees before taking questions at his Sydney Football Stadium press conference.
His side lost to a contentious stoppage-time penalty and he queried whether it would have been awarded at the other end of the field, in the same circumstances.
Bleiberg claimed Gold Coast should have got a penalty for a push on his striker Maceo Rigters and was adamant there had been an incorrect decision in the leadup to Sydney’s second goal.
He suggested referee Peter Green was looking for any excuse to give Sydney the game.
Bleiberg also praised referee Ben Williams for being brave in sending off two Melbourne Victory players in their 2-2 home draw with Brisbane on Saturday night.
“When you talk about referees there are a few types,” Bleiberg told reporters.
“I know everybody was quick to slam Ben Williams about his display in Victoria, it doesn’t matter the quality or the truth of the decision, but one thing you can say, the guy was brave.
“There were 25,000 Victorians there and … he saw what he saw.
“That’s one type of referee, the brave one, and the other type of referee is the referees that we call the ‘homey’ one.
“You know why the ‘homey’ one? Because all the time they favour the home team.
“Even when it’s 50-50, it goes the way of the home team.
“I bet with you when I go home and you go home and you watch the throw in that led to the second (Sydney) goal, you can watch 200 million times, it maybe 50-50 but it was never a (correct) throw in for Sydney.
“He did the same to me two weeks ago when we play against the Roar (in Brisbane), the foul that led to the first goal, it was never a foul and we conceded the goal.
“I can ask you a rhetorical question, but I’m asking myself, had this penalty (for Sydney) whether it was touched or not touched, (happened) in the 92nd minute of the penalty area of Sydney, would he have given it?
“That’s what left a bitter taste in my mouth.”
He laced his criticism with some sarcasm saying it was good for football in Australia that Sydney are winning and close to the top.
“If that’s mine and my team’s contribution to the benefit to the A-League (then) so be it.”
“Hopefully next time Sydney will have 15,000 and then 20,000 (spectators) and everybody happy.”
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