When A-League referee Gerard Parsons blew his whistle, pointed to the penalty spot and gifted the Central Coast Mariners the decisive goal in their match against Melbourne Heart last Saturday, a wave of indignation course through my potato couched body.
I was angry.
Yet again, an A-League match was being decided or marred by an inexcusable error from the referee. In this instance, Parsons mistook Jonatan Germano for an octopus as he expertly controlled the ball with his shoulder in the penalty box.
After the match, a despondent Melbourne Heart manager, John Van’t Schip, wryly observed that the only way the referee could have got this decision wrong was by getting hair in his eyes.
Gerard Parsons would need to spend twelve months in Nimbin before he could use his hair as an excuse for his bloopers.
“Sometimes you need luck,” Mariners manager Graham Arnold said after the game.
Melbourne Heart wouldn’t know what luck is if it hit them square in the face at the moment. When it comes to referees influencing games they are feeling doubly aggrieved as they have seen vital points disappear to the sound of an ill judged whistle.
“Season seven of the A-League with season one referees,” the exasperated Australian football community groans with every passing round of matches.
Surely, an important issue like sub-standard officiating in the A-League should be focusing the minds of Australia’s opinion makers and dominating our media space.
But, then again, I am being too unrealistic.
The Australian mainstream media have a more important issue to deal with. A matter of such national importance that issues like our asylum seeker policy or our troops in Afghanistan pale into insignificance.
Yes, we’re talking about Kyle Sandilands.
What chance do the errant whistles of A-League referees have against the rancid ravings of a pusillanimous d-grade show biz personality.
And, sure enough the mainstream media kicked into gear with wall to wall coverage not seen since the previous Kyle Sandilands controversy.
As one of the greatest thinkers of the last century, Bill Hicks, sagely observed. “The righteous indignation dollar, that’s a big dollar. A lot of people are feeling that indignation.”
All that “righteous indignation” got me thinking.
If only Kyle Sandilands was an A-League referee.
We would then see the media using up acres of column space dumping on Kyle and his cohorts for making poor decisions and giving dodgy penalties.
And amongst all the hoopla from the opinion makers in this media storm, you can expect some serious questions to be directed at the FFA, the director of referees, Mark Shield, and the state federations.
Questions like:
How is it that almost every referee on the A-League panel hails from NSW?
How is it that, more than likely, not one A-League match will not be refereed by a Victorian this season?
It’s time for petty factionalism and politics to be put aside and a panel of the best referees this country has to offer be assembled and developed into referees that do A-League proud.
If Kyle Sandilands was an A-League referee we would probably be getting somewhere.
*Today is the last day of Movember. Bill Shankly said, ”Football is a matter of life and death, except more important.” Well, not quite Bill. If you have not made a donation to this great cause, please do so today.
Athas Zafiris is on Twitter @ArtSapphire
Thanks Jane for your lucid observations. This might very well turn out to be the season of the "homie" ref.
Jane
Guest
On a serious note, I disagree with the idea that only Heart supporters are whinging. Although we have been ridiculously unlucky with decisions this season, what about Gold Coast against Melb Victory? Van den Brink foul on Archie for a penalty when the ref calls it from the half-way line? You have got to be kidding. Chris Beath got a week off after that game and he was reffing that game after returning from a week off from his previous appalling performance! (At least he is consistent. How bad does he have to be before he is sacked altogether?) On the weekend one ref was officiating his first ever A-League match and he awarded 3 penalties. Why do they want to have so much influence over the game? On a separate issue, my fiancé has observed throughout this season that all refs are consistently favouring home sides, while Sydney seem to be favoured in all games. Is this a ploy to ensure Sydney FC is a success, and thus the FFA is secure? Has the head of referees, Mark Shield, directed to A-League refs that the home team should be given the advantage each week? And if so, why? That policy is not exactly going to support the strategy of expanding the league. The only positive I've noticed from refs this season is the way they are officiating the advantage rule, allowing play to continue from a free kick unless there is no advantage and only then is it called back. This has been surprisingly sensible through all the mess. Come on FFA, work your s--t out! Let the media talk about these issues so they can be fixed. This might also gain some much needed coverage on free-to-air. Stop fining coaches and players for expressing their opinions, that is what fans want to hear, not the boring media lines they learn off by heart. GC coach Miron Bleiberg is a brilliant example! (He got fined for his comments after the Victory match). Professionalise the referees!!! P.S. Harry Kewell - WHAT A WASTE OF MONEY!
Haha, Jane. Thanks for the great comment I can see Kyle dishing out insults to the players and the players getting their own back by hacking him down :)
Jane
Guest
Great article! Totally agree! Imagine if Kyle Sandilands was a W-League ref!
Graham
Guest
Yep. Parsons got that one wrong. but I am still in the even up over a season/career corner as i have sat at bluetongue and seen many a legitimate penalty shout for the Mariners waved away. As for deciding /marring please lets stick with marring. Heart were lucky to still have 11 men on the padock as there was a strong argument that Shroj should have had an early bath for his deliberate flailing arm nose breaker on Griffiths. Not what we all want but remember the swings and roundabouts.
Axelv
Guest
Sigh, I wrote this hours ago but forgot to click the 'Add comment' button :roll:
Axelv
Guest
Despite the controversy, I'm actually happy with the way that the refereeing has gone this season. In past seasons the A-League referees have been way too lenient, not protecting the players, tolerating way too many fouls (free flowing fouls and hacking is not entertainment) and they've been too scared to award clear cut penalties. While some people such the the Fox Sports commentary team liked the Australian interpretation of the games rules, it simply was not football and was reducing the standard of the league, we want football not hackball. An English style referee is suitable to the A-League, as just like England, we have a physical league and a culture that doesn't endorse diving and play acting (according to some people it's part of the game therefore it's okay). The linesman have also been getting it terribly wrong, getting the one on one opportunities with the keeper that were onside wrong 9/10 times. This has denied the A-League dozens of goals each season. Mark Shield as head of the referees is a new initiative, and just like any football team it will take time for him to train his referees to raise their standard. Eventually the referees and players will know what to expect, and there will be more consistency in the games. It's still a work in progress. Give it time, it will be beneficial as a whole to the A-League in the long run. Referees and umpires all over the world in all sports are always lambasted and criticized, yet without them there would be not game at all. As for video technology, for the goal line, yes as long as it's done within 20 seconds. Anything else is a waste of time and sucks the fun out of the game as displayed in Cricket and NRL, Tries/Catches/Wickets being reviewed and reversed is always delayed celebration with all the joy being sucked out even when the initial decision was the correct one. I watched the game on the weekend, and I must say that the Heart were really hard done by, the Mariners first 2 goals were non goals, a dirty foul by Simon (Simon is such a dirty player, he is the Muscat version of a striker) and a shoulder by Germano given as a handball penalty. That's just bad luck but the referees will improve.
Rellum
Roar Guru
That we did.
Bondy
Guest
I thought The Heart overall played for a point regardless of the refereeing descision . That would be unusual Kyle in a pair of stockings (football socks) blowing a whistle .
pbedo - I would say for certain the manager had everything to do with it. The Uzbek players would have got a ticking off from him if they didn't follow instructions. Only way to avoid this is to score a goal and make them chase the game. Olyroos couldn't do it. I agree with your observation on power hungry refs, or ego driven refs to exact. Where some of them try to become the focus of the game.
Haha, don't know how that's happened. I can tell you for certain that it hasn't grown over the last few weeks :)
pbedo
Guest
I was thinking the same thing. Maybe their coach lead told them to do it. More annoying was the linesman flagging when the ref had already decided to let play on. Sometimes I think refs are power hungry and by interrupting the game they get their kicks!
Axelv
Guest
Athas, your face is in the wrong aspect ratio :) Looks like a 4:3 stretched to a 16:9 with the sides chopped off.
I agree Mid, maddening to see weak refs allowing players to time waste and simulate injury as was the case last Sunday. Sad thing is the Uzbeks didn't need to resort to such tactics. They looked very comfortable against the Olyroos.
Midfielder
Guest
Athas Its a growing issue ... I have always said that football family needs to move forward together otherwise it will not work... the screaming over the years that went on about the technical qualities of the A-League and its coaches IMO was always over done... the media ... FFA and as you point out Referring needs to improve at the same time... The famous Flying Hackers V Mariners match in Hal 3 was the worst example I have seen....but you are right something needs to be done and training and education seem to not be on the agenda ... However it not only the A-League refs I went to the Olyroo match on Sunday ... the ref was a joke with fouls it was maddening...
Roarchild
Guest
5 stars for the headline alone.
Tristan Rayner
Editor
I've updated that now. Thanks.
So you're happy with the high number A-League games being influenced by poor decisions. There is no guarantee that Heart will get an equal about poor decisions go there way by season's end. And I don't expect Frank, Ben and Lyall to send a letter of apology. The least I expect is a focus on improving the standard of refereeing so it matches the increase in playing standard.
Thanks for the heads up. Chris, trying to get it fixed as I speak. Lucas was a golfer by the way. Got no idea how he got into my head. Very Strange.
Chris
Guest
Who is Lucas Parsons? The ref's name is Gerard Parsons. Basic factual error. Come on.