Sports Australia - Football Opinion: Are Trigger-Happy Referees Spoiling the A-League? [Sep 14, 2005]

Phill Chadwick reports the A-League referees are dishing out too many cards compared to their European counterparts.

I have been mulling over some of the statistics from the first few rounds of A-League action and I have been amazed.

There have been 52 Yellow cards and three Red cards issued by the match officials in just 12 A-League games. This is just absurd. Are they seriously trying to ruin the game?

Is the A-League so much more viscous than the major European leagues? Lets compare, say, England's Premier League, Championship and League One. (Source: Soccerstats.com)

Premier League, 156 yellows in the first 46 matches; average 3.39 per match
Championship, 270 yellows in the first 82 matches; 3.29 per match
League One, 318 yellows in 93 matches; 3.42 average
Lets say roughly 3.3 yellow cards per game for these leagues.
A-League, 52 yellow cards in the first 12 matches, that is an average of 4.33 per match. Use 4.3 for the purposes of comparison.

Take a look at that, is the A-League really 30 percent dirtier than three of the toughest world leagues? Wait a minute, what about Scotland? Surely that would have to be a harder competition. Not really, they had just 22 yellow cards in the first 35 matches. Average 0.63.

So what is going on? Are our referees not yet used to the pace of the new competition? Or is there some directive from above?

Maybe there is deliberate policy of whipping out the yellow card at the slightest sign of a mis-timed tackle. Is this something the FFA has decreed to sanitise the game and make it attractive to mums and kiddies? I hope not.

This sort of thing makes it less likely that dangerous play will be stamped out. When players are penalised with a yellow card for harmless tackles, when players are encouraged to exaggerate their pain in order to draw a caution for their opponent, I think that is entirely the wrong signal.

(Disclaimer: I am an Adelaide United fan, so I may be biased in this next comment) Thankfully I can't remember any Adelaide United player behaving this way in games I have watched, though some of the Queensland and Melbourne players were guilty, and should be ashamed of themselves.

What we usually see:
The ball bounces free. It is a 50/50 challenge. One player mis-times his tackle. His foot goes over the ball and clatters into his opponents shin guard. No real harm done. But that player makes a meal of it. He clutches his shin. He rolls around on the ground.

The referee runs in, blowing his whistle. Looks at the player on the ground, calls for the trainer. Reaches in and pulls out a yellow card. A melee ensues. Players from both sides join in a bit of push and shove. Another yellow card comes out.

Up in the stand, young Johnny and his mum are watching. Johnny likes playing football for his school team and he wants to join a club where he will get good coaching. His mum leans over and says "Johnny, do you like playing tennis?"

What we should see:
The ball bounces free. It is a 50/50 challenge. One player mis-times his tackle. His foot goes over the ball and clatters into his opponents shin guard. That player, not really hurt gives his leg a rub.

The referee runs in, blowing his whistle. Looks at the player on the ground as he is getting to his feet. A free kick is quickly taken.

Referees should penalise diving, and what the Europeans call "simulation". That is the real blight on the game. If a free kick has been awarded and the player receiving it makes a meal of it, reverse the kick. One or two of those and the actors and divers would soon get the message, get on with the game and do what they are paid for.

And then we spectators could happily comply with item one of "our" Code of Behaviour.

Hyundai A-League Spectator Code of Behaviour
It is important that all spectators at a Hyundai A-League match are able to enjoy that match in a safe and comfortable environment. Accordingly, each person present at a Hyundai A-League match must:

1. Respect the decisions of Match Officials;

2. Respect the rights, dignity and worth of every person regardless of their race, colour, religion, language, politics, national or ethnic origin;

3. Condemn the use of violence in any form, whether it is by other spectators, Team Officials (including coaches) or Players;

4. Not engage in discrimination, harassment or abuse in any form, including the use of obscene or offensive language or gestures, the incitement of hatred or violence or partaking in indecent or racist chanting;

5. Comply with any terms of entry of a venue, including bag inspections, prohibited and restricted items such as flares, missiles, dangerous articles and items that have the potential to cause injury or public nuisance;

6. Comply with the ban on bringing national and political flags, banners or emblems into a venue (except for recognised Australian or New Zealand national or state flags);

7. Not throw missiles (including on to the field of play or at other spectators) and must not enter the field of play or its surrounds without lawful authority; and

8. Conduct themselves in a manner that enhances, rather than injures, the reputation and goodwill of FFA, the Hyundai A-League and football generally.

Any person who does not comply with this Code or who otherwise causes a disturbance may be evicted from the venue and banned from attending future matches.

Could I actually be ejected from the ground and banned from attending future matches because I don't respect a Match Official's decision? If they enforce that one, there won't be many spectators left.