Jol gives Poll his backing
Tottenham boss Martin Jol has backed Graham Poll following the
referees controversial performance at White Hart Lane last week.
Poll was accused of deliberately targeting Premiership champions
Chelsea during Spurs victory but Jol points to the Tring
officials previous record as one of the countrys top
referees.
Poll made a high-profile blunder at the World Cup this year when he
gave Croatias Josip Simunic two yellow cards without sending him
off until he issued a third, but Jol still believes he is one of
the best.
Hes certainly one of the biggest personalities, Jol said. On
performances in the past, if you judge him on that, hes probably
one of the best. In Europe they would judge him as one of the best.
If you look at Graham Poll and if you only judge him, for example,
on the three yellow cards in Germany, I would call that scoreboard
journalism if someone makes a mistake hes bad. I dont believe
in that. It would be the same if he made a mistake next time and
gave them (the opposition) a penalty. I wouldnt change my
mind.
As well as Polls controversial performance on Sunday, Arsene
Wenger and Alan Pardew clashed on the touchline earlier in the day
when the West Ham manager celebrated a goal in front of his Arsenal
counterpart. Jol was celebrating Tottenhams win himself when the
final whistle went at White Hart Lane and Spurs had beaten Chelsea
in the league for the first time since 1990.
He admitted he should have stayed clear of Chelsea boss Jose
Mourinho, but added: Mourinho was good. I was celebrating, I
didnt even realise he was in front of me, and still he was good to
me. Pardew did the same with Wenger and he wasnt. I was standing
in front of him, I shouldnt do that, but it was spontaneous. I
think hes a good man.
