The FA seem to have a lot of double standards, highlighted again during this weekend’s games. And it’s embarrassing the English game. Is it any wonder we didn’t have a single referee represent us at last year’s World Cup? The answer is, it wasn’t a surprise, none of them can be trusted to make a correct decision.

Just yesterday, a referee decided to send off Wolves manager Nuno Espírito Santo for running on to the pitch to celebrate a last-minute winner. This was the same referee that earlier this season decided not to dish out any punishment when Jurgen Klopp ran onto the pitch to celebrate against Everton.

Nuno ran down the touchline and joined the celebrations of his team in the corner of the pitch. He was then asked to leave the touchline due to his actions. Klopp ran onto the centre of the pitch to celebrate with his goalkeeper but didn’t get sent off. Let me repeat, this was the same referee.

The same happened a couple of season’s ago. In September 2017, Mourinho was sent to the stands for momentarily stepping on the pitch by referee Craig Pawson during United’s 1-0 win over Southampton. Yet the same season, Pep Guardiola ran on to the pitch to celebrate Raheem Sterling’s last-minute winner in City’s 2-1 win over Southampton. But he went unpunished. Where is the consistency by The FA? There isn’t any, they have double standards.

Another instance of double standards was when Mourinho was sent-off and then charged by The FA for kicking a water bottle in United’s 1-1 draw with West Ham back in 2016. He was sent to the stands in the 27th minute. A one-match touchline ban followed this. Yet when Arsene Wenger kicked a water bottle back in 2009 against Manchester United after Robin Van Persie’s last-minute equaliser was ruled out for offside, he was sent to the stands, but rather than receiving a touchline ban, he received an apology from The FA instead.

Another recent instance was when Benitez was fined £60,000 for saying he “had confidence” in referee Andre Marriner before he was due to referee Newcastle’s 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace in October 2018. Yet Guardiola avoided punishment for saying that Anthony Taylor “did not want to make mistakes” ahead of the Manchester derby the month after.

They really need to sort themselves out, it’s becoming embarrassing. There is no consistency. And there is no accountability. If I was to be consistently doing my job wrong I would be called out on it, and it would probably end up with me being taken off that job. Why does this not apply to referees? If they keeping making errors in their job, they should be demoted to refereeing the league below.

If it continues, we won’t have another referee ever represent us at a World Cup, the Euros or in the Champions League ever again. The FA have become a disgrace to this country. 

Featured Image by Ben Sutherland. Displayed under Creative Commons.