A Country Of Free Speech - Not...!

It's ok for the n*bheads like BBC's Hansen and Lawrenson to openly criticise managers and players for poor performances/wrong tactics/poor choice of passes etc...
But it's not ok for managers and players to criticize referees?

Sir Alex Ferguson has just been find 20k and banned from the touchline for 2 matches for expressing his opinion on referee Alan Wiley...

I know there's a 'Respect' campaign going on at the minute, so Fergie's timing wasn't the best, but at the end of the day all he was doing is voicing his opinion... I thought I lived in a country that embraced free speech?

The FA may as well start wearing jackboots and growing little Charlie Chaplin moustaches...

If I were a manager or player I would refuse to undertake any post (or pre) match interviews with the media...

Sir Neil Warnock had the best idea to get around being fined and banned - when asked for his opinion on a contentious decision he produced a manuscript from his jacket pocket, and proceeded to quote what someone else had said on a similar subject (in that particular instance it was Alex Ferguson!)

The game is being run by idiots...

Originally posted by blade68
It's ok for the n*bheads like BBC's Hansen and Lawrenson to openly criticise managers and players for poor performances/wrong tactics/poor choice of passes etc...
But it's not ok for managers and players to criticize referees?

Sir Alex Ferguson has just been find 20k and banned from the touchline for 2 matches for expressing his opinion on referee Alan W in that particular instance it was Alex Ferguson!)

The game is being run by idiots...

the same policy generally applies in all of the American sports. Players or coaches who publicly criticize the officiating are generally subject to fines.

This isn't a "free speech" issue. The league isn't forcing anyone to participate - but those who do must adhere to the league's rules. The government isn't going to prosecute anyone who criticizes officials - although a court will uphold something that someone agreed to as part of a contract they voluntarily signed.

The basic idea here is that if a league allows everyone to openly criticize the referees, you'd end up with everyone doing little else besides complain about some call that didn't go their way. And officials would feel immense amounts of pressure to make calls that benefitted the people complaining the loudest - which would just encourage players and coaches to whine even more about the calls.

It's best to leave referee-bashing to the media, and let the players and coaches focus on the game itself.

Ferguson has been criticising referees as a deliberate policy of intimidating them to gain an advantage for years. He's long overdue such a punishment.

Commentators not only criticize players and managers, they criticize referees, as well. Would you be okay with Wiley turning around in a post-match interview and criticizing Fergie's team selection or tactics?

Originally posted by mtthw
Ferguson has been criticising referees as a deliberate policy of intimidating them to gain an advantage for years. He's long overdue such a punishment.

'a deliberate policy'?, what proof have you that its a deliberate policy?

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
'a deliberate policy'?, what proof have you that its a deliberate policy?

No proof, other than it being obvious. Or he's a moron who doesn't realise the effect - and I don't believe he's a moron.

Originally posted by Fleabitten
Commentators not only criticize players and managers, they criticize referees, as well. Would you be okay with Wiley turning around in a post-match interview and criticizing Fergie's team selection or tactics?

Absolutely!