Wenger slams Tottenham ref change

[Spurger King]

Well if anyone would understand the problems of being friendless, it's Wenger.

 

[E.L.Strict]

I don't see why anyone has a problem with this. It's nothing new. All refs have to declare their support/affiliation for a team and then aren't allowed to ref those games. Friend hasn't been reffing Leicester games all season and this is just an extension of that. Makes perfect sense - why take the risk of him having some underlying bias - or even perceived bias. Imagine the fallout if he gave a dodgy pen even if he genuinely thought it was the correct decision.

This makes sense, but how about the fact that Friend was only announced as the referee for our game on Monday. Did the FA only learn of his allegiances in the last 4 days? Has a title race only existed for the last 4 days?

It really makes no sense to remove him based on the present circumstances when he was appointed in identical circumstances. What would have been a good decision is Friend never having been appointed in the first place, surely?

 

[TottenhamMattSpur]

I don't believe any ref is 100% impartial in all situations and I'm glad this has finally been addressed.

I'd love to see only foreign refs in any given league.

 

[Led's Zeppelin]

I don't believe any ref is 100% impartial in all situations and I'm glad this has finally been addressed.

I'd love to see only foreign refs in any given league.

Belgians please.

 

[UncleBuck]

the man quite clearly needs sedating, what with the comment that Ozil should get the PFA award.
Good luck with the zip this weekend Mr Wenger...

 

[Gaz_Gammon]

Fuck him.

 

[Chris_D]

We just need to get our performance right. No sense getting dragged into an argument about a referee who isn't going to be there. This is just Wenger stirring it up, ignore him.

 

[Redfap]

I'm regularly frusrtrated by refs in the premier league, but I certainly don't think their poor performance is because of a bias towards a club that they follow.

I expect them to be above bias towards a team they support and i'm sure Kevin Friend is. I appreciate that it may be done to protect him and the FA from any backlash, but it wasn't an issue, why make it one by mentioning it?

All the comments on here regardless of precise viewpoint seem to agree that refereeing matches in the same league that your team plays is not really an issue.

Why do we (the public) even need to know what team he supports?

 

[Twizzle]

does he ever stop whinging ?

 

[TottenhamMattSpur]

I'm regularly frusrtrated by refs in the premier league, but I certainly don't think their poor performance is because of a bias towards a club that they follow.

I expect them to be above bias towards a team they support and i'm sure Kevin Friend is. I appreciate that it may be done to protect him and the FA from any backlash, but it wasn't an issue, why make it one by mentioning it?

All the comments on here regardless of precise viewpoint seem to agree that refereeing matches in the same league that your team plays is not really an issue.

Why do we (the public) even need to know what team he supports?

You can expect an unbiased referee in much the same way you can expect a player not to simulate injury.
But they do.

Fact of the matter is, referees are people and people who like football. It's in their nature to favour someone particularly and imo it's inevitable that they'd eventually do something that reflects that.

The problem is, it's not even about who they support.
I don't know who Chris Foy supports but I'll never forget his performance in our match against Stoke. Something was going on that evening and it wasn't honest mistakes.

 

[carpediem991]

Sorry there are about 30 Refs available and it is just a mad decision in the first place to give that match to a Referee from Leicershire. It is so unnecassry and predictable that someone will make a fuss about that.
YOu have to think how these reports would have an influence on Friend. I am sure he is a professional ref but there is no reason why the fa should give any side an easy plattform to moan about a refs decision. Just pick someone else and go on.

 

[Danners9]

Sorry there are about 30 Refs available and it is just a mad decision in the first place to give that match to a Referee from Leicershire. It is so unnecassry and predictable that someone will make a fuss about that.
YOu have to think how these reports would have an influence on Friend. I am sure he is a professional ref but there is no reason why the fa should give any side an easy plattform to moan about a refs decision. Just pick someone else and go on.

As soon as it became an issue, online or wherever, they had to act. Suddenly every decision is under extra scrutiny.

You know Monday's/Tuesday's papers would mention it, and that calls his judgment into question. If he gets anything wrong, questions (silly questions, maybe) will be asked. For Spurs, is it because he is trying to make up for it.. for Stoke, is it because he favours Leicester.

Just easier to take him out of the firing line. And Wenger's a gimp for giving an opinion - again - about a game his team isn't involved in. Pochettino just brushed it off, yet Wenger has to complain.

All this talk of precedent.. well, select the referees properly. They have to divulge any info that might be deemed a conflict of interest - perhaps adding where they live to the list should be a regular thing. Someone from Liverpool shouldn't ref games in that city or Manchester.

Nothing goes unnoticed and social media is a breeding ground for newspaper furore.

 

[carpediem991]

As soon as it became an issue, online or wherever, they had to act. Suddenly every decision is under extra scrutiny.

You know Monday's/Tuesday's papers would mention it, and that calls his judgment into question. If he gets anything wrong, questions (silly questions, maybe) will be asked. For Spurs, is it because he is trying to make up for it.. for Stoke, is it because he favours Leicester.

Just easier to take him out of the firing line. And Wenger's a gimp for giving an opinion - again - about a game his team isn't involved in. Pochettino just brushed it off, yet Wenger has to complain.

All this talk of precedent.. well, select the referees properly. They have to divulge any info that might be deemed a conflict of interest - perhaps adding where they live to the list should be a regular thing. Someone from Liverpool shouldn't ref games in that city or Manchester.

Nothing goes unnoticed and social media is a breeding ground for newspaper furore.

Totally agree - that can't be too hard to do.
Do a profile about every ref at the beginning of the season with a list of teams/ matches they just shouldn't be part of. Just a thing of professional working....