Kenny Clark fears new Scottish ref strike

[ian1964 10,720]

Retired grade one referee Kenny Clark fears match officials in Scotland may consider more strike action.

 

Clark was dismayed after Rangers' Madjid Bougherra escaped punishment for grabbing a referee's wrist.

 

"I suspect most referees will be shaking their heads in disbelief," Clark told BBC Scotland.

 

"I think they'll be wondering if people have very short memories in relation to what happened earlier this season and their withdrawal of services."

 

Bougherra and team-mate El Hadji Diouf were both sent off when Rangers lost a Scottish Cup replay at Celtic on 2 March.

 

As well as an automatic ban for next season's tournament, the players faced charges of "serious misconduct", but each escaped with fines after going before the Scottish Football Association's disciplinary committee.

 

Bougherra was shown a second yellow card in stoppage time and reacted angrily, appearing to try to prevent referee Calum Murray from showing his cards.

 

The defender also held on to Murray's wrist after the first-half dismissal of team-mate Steven Whittaker.

Continue reading the main story

 

I'd like to think there would be some changes made over the summer to make referees think they are getting greater support

 

Kenny Clark Former grade one referee

 

"It's an extraordinary decision, particularly in relation to Madjid Bougherra, that's the aspect that worries me most," said Clark.

 

"Players must know that it is entirely unacceptable to lay hands upon match officials.

 

"This decision from the SFA disciplinary committee sends out the wrong message to players at every level."

 

Diouf was booked after a first-half flashpoint on the touchline and he was shown a second yellow card for dissent after the final whistle.

 

"If the disciplinary committee had applied common sense to this situation, they would have recognised that everybody regarded the conduct of both Madjid Bougherra and El Hadji Diouf as extraordinary - and I mean that in a bad sense," continued Clark.

 

"The SFA labelled it serious misconduct, but the punishments meted out don't seem to me to treat it that way.

 

"I would say the disciplinary committee are not living up to their name and have conducted themselves in an incompetent manner on this particular occasion, especially in regard to Madjid Bougherra."

 

Referring to November's unprecedented decision to strike by Scottish referees, Clark went on: "That was brought about by concerns about the level of abuse being directed towards them - and that impacting upon their families.

 

"Here we have a situation with a player in a highly intense, heated situation was laying hands upon the referee and failing to leave the park when ordered to do so.

 

"Then we had Diouf at the end of the game also failing to leave the park when ordered to do so.

 

"All of the match officials in Scotland will be thinking, where is the strong lead coming from that they were promised by the SFA?

 

"I think they will be very unhappy and concerned at this latest development.

 

"I doubt very much that there would be any further action before the end of the season.

 

"And I'd like to think there would be some changes made over the summer to make referees think they are getting greater support."

 

SFA chief executive Stewart Regan has promised to streamline the disciplinary procedure, with those reforms to be voted on at the annual meeting on 6 June.

 

"Stewart Regan, at the time of the withdrawal of labour by referees and again in the immediate aftermath of this Old Firm match, talked in very strong terms about giving support to match officials," added Clark.

 

"Unfortunately, his disciplinary committee don't seem to be following his lead.

 

"It will certainly be frustrating for Stewart Regan and I think he will do what he can to appease the referees by saying he will try to bring about change, which will allow stronger action to be taken, perhaps without relying on committee-type structures.

 

"But I think he has a difficulty in that respect and that's the big problem facing the SFA and Scottish football."

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/scotland/13070335.stm

[ian1964 10,720]

the SFa should have stuck up for the referees earlier in the season when BHEAST FC were attacking their refs and maybe we would never had the refs strike,don't jump on the BHEASTS band wagon and start blaming Rangers ya choob

[BrahimHemdani 1]

Whilst as Rangers supporters we all sigh with collective relief there is no question that in Bougherra's case it is an extrordinarily weak decision. I'd go so far as to say it is incomprehensible. The referee's person must be sacrosanct and Bougherra violated that code not once but twice and has escaped with a fine of what half or a third or less of a week's wages. As Kenny Clark says what kind of signal does that send out to other players at all levels of the game. If players are to be allowed to manhandle referees with more or less impunity, then there won't be many games taking place because there won't be many referees and this time I doubt foreign officials would step in.

 

I am less sure about Diouf. KC reached far greater heights as a referee than I ever did, so I would normally bow to his knowledge but I am not certain that a player can be physically ordered off the field of play once the full time whistle has gone. In my belief, he could only be reported for such an incident on the basis that if it had taken place during the 90 minutes of play then it would have resulted in a second yellow card and hence a red.

 

Also throwing his jersey into the crowd would be reportable but given it was at the Rangers end, it wasn't the crime of the century either in a footballing sense or a criminal sense, presumably why he wasn't arrested for ignoring the Match Commander's "advice". (Obviously if he had been arrested at the time there would have been a riot but the police could have taken action later if they had deemed it sufficiently serious and clearly they did not.)

[ian1964 10,720]

THE SFA were advised to throw the book at Madjid Bougherra - by the man who insisted Neil Lennon should be hammered for grabbing Stuart Dougal six years ago.

 

Gers ace Bougherra was let off with a �£2,500 fine, despite manhandling ref Calum Murray in last month's shame game at Parkhead after he was sent off.

 

SunSport understands refs' observer Willie Young's report suggests Bougherra should have been banned.

 

Bougherra and El-Hadji Diouf both escaped bans at their hearing on Tuesday but it is believed supervisor Young suggested a hefty ban for Bougherra.

 

The fact the �£20,000-a-week Gers star was hit with a relatively small fine has now infuriated Scottish refs who feel they are not been protected.

 

An SFA source told us last night: "Willie's report was submitted with all the relevant information. Every case is obviously different and has to be judged on its own merits.

 

"I think there is the feeling among referees that you can't just go about grabbing the arms of an official.

 

"I think it's fair to say everyone is pretty amazed that there was not some sort of a ban for Bougherra after this incident."

 

That report echoes comments made by Young six years ago, when as a player Lennon was sent off against Rangers.

 

The current Celtic boss copped a three match ban back then for man-handling Dougal.

 

Former top ref Young, who was then a newspaper columnist claimed it should have been MORE.

 

Speaking about the Lennon and Dougal incident in 2005, Young said: "In such circumstances, where there is physical confrontation with an official, they should be considering a five-match suspension.

 

"I am surprised that is not what they went for."

 

Former Grade One ref Dougal also hit out at the SFA's shock decision, claiming Bougherra deserved a ban. Dougal said:

 

"Stewart Regan has spoken out, but it doesn't look as if he's offering any serious protection for the officials.

 

"The SFA chief executive now really has to come out and tell referees why this decision has been taken.

 

"They should at least tell everybody why they haven't imposed a ban on Bougherra.

 

"Referees have only two interests, handling games well and being protected by authorities.

 

"We talk, in refereeing, about a standard of discipline on the field.

 

"What standard is the SFA setting here, with this decision?

 

"I can understand why they have done this but I don't think it sends out the right message.

 

"It has probably been looked at as a judgement on whether he showed aggression towards the official or pure frustration.

 

"However, anybody who has raised their hands to a ref must run a risk of picking up some sort of punishment, probably a suspension."

 

Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/3526625/Young-told-SFA-beaks-to-ban-Boug.html#ixzz1JRrZPCRG

[calscot 0]

From what I understood is that Calum Murray was not bothered about Bougherra's actions - so why is everyone else?

 

Bougherra may have touched the ref but it wasn't exactly violent or threatening or even intimidating. It was more of a "please don't do that, I didn't do anything" kind of action.

 

If Murray was really bothered about then I'd agree that Bougherra should be heavily punished but it seems the reason he got off was because the ref was ok about it - what is the problem in that?

[Guest Dutchy]

Clark is retired. Can he call for a strike?

[Bluedell 5,599]

From what I understood is that Calum Murray was not bothered about Bougherra's actions - so why is everyone else?

 

Bougherra may have touched the ref but it wasn't exactly violent or threatening or even intimidating. It was more of a "please don't do that, I didn't do anything" kind of action.

 

If Murray was really bothered about then I'd agree that Bougherra should be heavily punished but it seems the reason he got off was because the ref was ok about it - what is the problem in that?

 

It seems that the likes of Clark and Young want the referee's optinion to be ignored.

 

As for the strike, the SFA followed the referee's views and Clark thinks that the refs should strike because of that?

[BrahimHemdani 1]

Clark is retired. Can he call for a strike?

 

Yes, he's probably still a member of the referees association and even if he's not, his voice would be respected. In fact the current refs may be using him as thier mouthpiece rather than one of their number risk the wrath of the SFA in calling for strike action.

[BrahimHemdani 1]

It seems that the likes of Clark and Young want the referee's optinion to be ignored.

 

As for the strike, the SFA followed the referee's views and Clark thinks that the refs should strike because of that?

 

He might have been "OK about it" under questioning from Rangers lawyers, as in "did you feel physically threatened or in fear of physical violence", answer NO. But that still doesn't make it right, Far from it. Every kid in the land, every amateur, junior and senior player, will now take the view that it's OK to hold the refs arm if he wants to pull a card on you or one of your team mates. That's bad enough but what next, where do you draw the line. No player should be anywhere near a referee in those circumstances. End of story. The SFA had an opportunity to make that point and failed to take it. No wonder the refs are upset especially after the pronouncements about protecting them only a few months ago.

[Bluedell 5,599]

He might have been "OK about it" under questioning from Rangers lawyers, as in "did you feel physically threatened or in fear of physical violence", answer NO. But that still doesn't make it right, Far from it. Every kid in the land, every amateur, junior and senior player, will now take the view that it's OK to hold the refs arm if he wants to pull a card on you or one of your team mates. That's bad enough but what next, where do you draw the line. No player should be anywhere near a referee in those circumstances. End of story. The SFA had an opportunity to make that point and failed to take it. No wonder the refs are upset especially after the pronouncements about protecting them only a few months ago.

 

Are the refs upset?

 

Are you trying to say that a player from, say, St Johnstone will know it's OK knowing that he'll get hit with a �£2,500 fine? Bougherra was found guilty and was punished. Let's not forget that point.

 

Apparently Murray didn't report the incident in his ref's report, so it's Murray himself that the refs should be annoyed at and not the SFA.

 

Edit - the Evening times are reporting "the official’s report says that the player did so “in a pleading gesture not to be sent off”. It did not, therefore, constitute violent or threatening conduct. The Committee also heard evidence from Murray which downplayed the incident."

Edited April 14, 2011 by Bluedell