Graham Poll's View in Daily Mail

Not sure if anyone else has posted this, so apologies if so.

Graham Poll writes on Refereeing matters in the Mail and, in an article about several bad incidents for football this week he writes the following:

"Watching the slow-motion replays of Sheffied United captain Chris Morgan elbowing Barnsley's Iain Hume reveals just what a violent act it was.

Morgan braces himself, sets his stance, then delivers his elbow with maximum force to the side of Hume's head with both feet on the ground. We must assume Morgan did not want to cause his opponent a fractured skull but the act was violent conduct and should have warranted a red card. Andy D'Urso saw the challenge because he produced a yellow, but was too lenient. He must cringe when he sees the footage.

What will the FA do now?. Under FIFA's demand not to referee incidents on the field of play, they appear unable to act. However, there is a precedent. You will remember Ben Thatcher's shocking tackle on Pedro Mendes which resulted in a booking. The FA acted retrospectively only because referee Dermot Gallagher admitted he did not appreciate the force with which Mendes was sent crashing into the advertising hoarding with a follow through from Thatcher's arm.

That allowed the FA to act belatedly and with the support of Manchester City and, in particular, their manager at the time Stuart Pearce, who accepted that an additional punishment was necessary. Will Sheffield United do the same here?

Neil Warnock, Morgan's old manager, has defended him. And I thought it was refs who didn't understand football!!!".

 

So for the FA to act

It appears that Andy D'Urso has to admit he made a mistake. What are the chances of that happening?

 

Nice one Graham!!

 

I presume a sly dig.....

...bearing in mind Warnock's many run-ins with Poll over the years.

 

RE: I presume a sly dig.....

Yep so do i. He's not scared about saying things now. He's a regular on Setanta and says what he thinks

 

If a "senior" referee is prepared to voice such an opinion

then I cant see how the FA can sit on its hands, irrespective of D'Urso's seeming inability to admit his error(s)

 

RE: If a "senior" referee is prepared to voice such an opinion

Hasn't Dermot Gallagher and Jeff Winter also come out and said that it needs punishing??

3 "senior" referees atleast

 

RE: If a "senior" referee is prepared to voice such an opinion

The matter has not being squashed -currently under review By the FA .

 

FA & FIFA

Is it not about time these two bodies followed the lead of Tennis, Rugby and Cricket and used modern technology. Football is still run as it was at the begining of the Century (the 20th that is)

 

hear (blody hear)

 

Re: Graham Poll is right in what he says but its just an opportunity to.........

..........have a dig at wingeing Warnock............both of these guys have a very strong dislike of one another

 

Re: Graham Poll is right in what he says but its just an opportunity to.........

Whatever his motives I am still very pleased that he has said this in a national newspaper - he has it absolutely spot on and i applaud him for saying it.