Is the country's top team of first-class referees cracking up under the pressure?

13 April 2012

They are touted as the 21st team in the Barclays Premier League. If so, England's elite group of referees have lost form and, it appears, confidence as the hectic Christmas programme approaches.

Too many of the big names are under-performing, while those seen as the next stars with the whistle are struggling to convert potential into performance at the end of a difficult autumn.

Flashpoint: referee Steve Bennett ignores Tottenham's protests after dismissing Didier Zokora

Steve Bennett ran into the fury of Sunderland manager Roy Keane at the Stadium of Light on Saturday for not dismissing Aston Villa's Craig Gardner for a horror tackle on Dwight Yorke and then disallowing a lastminute goal for the home side.

Yorke's team- mate Ross Wallace was still seething about it yesterday. 'The tackle was shocking,' he said.

'It looked bad at the time but when you saw it on TV afterwards it looked even worse. He should have seen red for that.

'Players have been sent off this season for much less than that. You just have to look at Liam Miller at Chelsea, who did far less but now sits out three matches.'

Roll the tape forward to Tuesday night and Bennett endured a nightmare in the Manchester City-Tottenham Carling Cup tie, issuing a red card to Didier Zokora which ought to have been yellow, and then a yellow to Steed Malbranque which should have been red.

The highly-rated Mark Clattenburg withered under the spotlight of a Merseyside derby in October and has been unable to recover his usual composure since. The Christmas holiday he booked several months ago was, as it turns out, perfectly timed.

Add in the pressure exerted by whingeing managers and the disparity between the abilities of the men in the middle and those who run the lines and it is justified to ask whether refereeing in the top flight is heading towards meltdown or simply going through a sticky patch.

The one notable exception is Howard Webb, who was yesterday announced as England's refereeing representative at next summer's European Championship — due reward for a consistency of performance that has eluded some of his colleagues.

Former referee now Sportsmail columnist Graham Poll believes questions must be asked of the support that officials receive from their bosses, most notably referees' supremo Keith Hackett.

Poll said: 'What are they doing and how are they motivating the likes of Steve Bennett and Mike Riley between matches when two of our most experienced referees are making mistakes you would not expect people of their experience to make?

'It seems that Steve maybe took a mistake at Sunderland into Tuesday's game and allowed that to come into his decision-making process for the first red card at Manchester City.

'And what are they doing with Mark Clattenburg? To the trained eye, mine, he is a superb referee and most people would say it. He had a poor match, Everton-Liverpool. No question. Everyone agreed and he hasn't recovered. The true test to having a poor match — and we all have them — is how you respond, and he hasn't responded.

'Why not? What have the management done to help him through it?'

FA Premier League spokesman Dan Johnson explained: 'Keith Hackett is very hands- on in terms of management of referees. 'He's a good man-manager. There is a resource managed by Keith to take the referees, in fortnightly get-togethers, through their performances. Where they have made a mistake, that is analysed.

'They have joint sessions as well as individual one- on- one coaching sessions.'

League Managers' Association chief executive John Barnwell believes there is a transference of the increased pressures on managers to referees.

He said: 'The management game is an absolute minefield now. You can see the pressure build up on a manager.

'He might be the most stable guy in the world but eventually if something happens on the pitch which is going to affect him tomorrow, rather than in six months' time, he is going to react.

'It's an emotive game. Managers have a right to criticise but they shouldn't get personal.'

SIX OF THE WORST PERFORMANCES

ROB STYLES (Liverpool v Chelsea, Aug 18) Gave Chelsea a penalty but replays revealed Steve Finnan made no contact with Florent Malouda. Appeared to show Michael Essien second yellow, but caution was for John Terry. Apologised for penalty.

MARK CLATTENBURG (Everton v Liverpool, Oct 20) Failed to send off Dirk Kuyt for lunge at Phil Neville, but dismissed Tony Hibbert for questionable foul on Steven Gerrard. Appeared to change his mind after a word from Gerrard.

MIKE DEAN (Fulham v Blackburn, Nov 24) Awarded Fulham a debatable penalty, then ignored their claims for two more. Rovers' equaliser was clearly offside — as was Fulham's second goal.

MIKE RILEY (West Ham v Spurs, Nov 25) Should have given Spurs a first-half penalty and sent off Robert Green, but awarded them a questionable late one which Jermain Defoe missed.

PHIL DOWD (Spurs v Birmingham, Dec 2) Awarded penalties to both sides — neither appeared justified. Showed a red to Robbie Keane for a challenge that merited only yellow. Birmingham came from behind to win.

STEVE BENNETT (Sunderland v Aston Villa, Dec 15) Failed to send off Craig Gardner for disgraceful challenge on Dwight Yorke. Incensed home boss Roy Keane further by wrongly ruling out Danny Collins' late winner for a foul on Scott Carson.

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