The current standard of officiating

[Tooj]

A lot of problems IMO with refs nowadays is their egos are writing cheques that their bodies can't cash.

[Shearer9]

I find it curious that football referees are so well known.  Test and ODI cricket is the only other example I can think of where referees are very well known, and that people actually look at their assignments and follow referees, etc.  Referees are anonymus in almost every other example I can think of, yet in the Premiership at least 5-10 referees are houshold names amongst football supporters.  Referees should never be trotted out to explain decisions to the media, and in fact, I think the FA should attempt to downplay referees as characters themselves, by forbidding them from doing interviews, releasing books, etc until after they've retired. 

[Wullie]

I find it curious that football referees are so well known.  Test and ODI cricket is the only other example I can think of where referees are very well known, and that people actually look at their assignments and follow referees, etc.  Referees are anonymus in almost every other example I can think of, yet in the Premiership at least 5-10 referees are houshold names amongst football supporters.  Referees should never be trotted out to explain decisions to the media, and in fact, I think the FA should attempt to downplay referees as characters themselves, by forbidding them from doing interviews, releasing books, etc until after they've retired. 

 

Probably because the influence of the big decisions in those two sports are so massive. Football's obviously not a high scoring game and an incorrect dismissal/non-dismissal in cricket can have a huge say in the result.

[Kimbo]

Lampard has had his ban overturned.

[Guest guyb]

yep - more evidence - England International and chelsea player Fat Frank gets his overturned despite booting and shoving Boa Morte. 10 stone wet through frenchman Aliadiere gets a match more than Martin Taylor for daring to challenge his when he tapped the face of a guy who had him by the throat (who also got away with it).

 

The message is simple - you might as well get hung for a sheep as a lamb so instead of slapping them, deck someone.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Until the panel is the same every week we will get no consistency.

 

Personally, I don't believe there should be any right of appeal against the decision of the matchday official. Only serves to undermine their authority.

 

Just accept the decision and get on with it.