SLAPPED WRIST ... ref Mike Dean
With the title, Champions League qualification and
relegation all in the balance, players and managers will come under
intense scrutiny.
Selection, tactics, performance and every decision made
during games will have an effect on the success and failure of each
club.
Tens of millions of pounds, people's jobs and the hopes
and dreams of hundreds of thousands of fans are at stake.
But for the men in the middle who take charge of the
matches, even if they have a stinker the worst that can happen is
they will get a slap on the wrist.
Take Mike Dean for example. His failure to award
penalties (one to each side) in the match between Manchester United
and Chelsea three weeks ago was dreadful.
Dean then allowed Didier Drogba's offside winner to
stand, His punishment? He was sent to referee in the Championship
the following weekend where his fee was slightly less.
He must have done well though as he is back in the big
league this Saturday in charge of Arsenal v Manchester City - a
game which has huge significance in the Champions League race.
Dean didn't make any comment to try to justify his
blunders at Old Trafford and no one at the Professional Game Match
Officials (PGMO) board has explained his re-emergence this
weekend.
But it is exactly that lack of accountability which
will be the subject of a Premier League review this summer.
Several clubs intend to raise the issue of match
officials at the Premier League's AGM in a bid to raise standards
before next season.
And one of the issues up for discussion will be
referees being obliged to do a post-match Press conference as well
as more stringent punishment for bad performances.
As one Premier League manager said: "If I make bad
decisions then ultimately it will cost me my job but if a referee
does the same all he gets is a weekend in Watford."
Steven Gerrard could be punished after appearing to
flash a V-sign at ref Andre Marriner during Liverpool’s defeat at
Wigan
Andre Marriner has been appointed to Saturday's
Manchester United v Tottenham clash at Old Trafford.
It's an interesting choice given that Marriner felt the
full fury of Alex Ferguson after three controversial incidents
during United's defeat at Liverpool last October.
Fergie accused the official of being influenced by the
Anfield crowd in his failure to award United a penalty and send off
Jamie Carragher.
Then last month Marriner decided not to dismiss Steven
Gerrard for flicking a V-sign at him, which would have seen the
Reds skipper banned for the return at Old Trafford.
Yet referees' chief Mike Riley decided Marriner should
ref a game which will have a massive say in both the title and race
for fourth.
Of course, if officials weren't considered for games
based on the criticism of a manager, United would struggle to
fulfil their fixture list.
However, the point is still valid that sending a ref to
a ground where he has recent 'history' is putting the official
under extra pressure.
