Red card still a very sore point

14/10/2011 |

3 Comments: First | Last

David Moyes has stressed that no amount of support for his view that Martin Atkinson got it wrong when showing Jack Rodwell a straight red after Luis Suarez's playacting will make up for the referee's atrocious decision, which ruined the Goodison derby a fortnight ago.

"It is pleasing and it was correct — the right decision was made (by the FA)," Moyes said about the red card being rescinded, but he warned that the amount of focus on the referee's performance in the wake of the derby controversy is in danger of damaging the Premier League's image abroad.

"We've tried to move on from it but obviously it is still very much on our mind, Moyes said. "We have been told that the image of the game is vitally important to the Premier League... I think at the moment it is close to the referees' decisions giving the Premier League a difficult image.

"Ever since the derby, the only thing that people have talked about is the referee. I find that quite incredible. "It was a big derby game and we wanted to try to win it if we could but that was hindered. The hardest thing is that every single person I meet in the street comes up and says 'it was the worst decision I've ever seen'."

"The image of the game is being enhanced by the footballers in this country and by the levels of the managers. I am not convinced that it is being enhanced by the performance of the match officials at this present time."

Moyes claimed to be unmoved by the lack of an apology from Atkinson for Rodwell's sending off. "I won't be calling Mike Riley [the head of referees] in here and having a meeting with him, but I have always said good men do the right thing."

[Additional quotes sourced from The Guardian]

Original Source: Setanta Sports

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Jon Cox
1 Posted 14/10/2011 at 19:52:55

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Amen...

Declan Brown
2 Posted 16/10/2011 at 16:31:43

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I doff my cap to you, David Moyes. Nailed it spot on.

Now we hear that Suarez is now being accused of racism?

Peter Barnes
3 Posted 17/10/2011 at 10:53:13

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I really do think we need to move on from this. Poor refs are nothing new. And Atkinson is a poor referee.

Comments such as the refs are letting the league down are unproductive. Especially when he adds that the players are adding their quality and honesty to enhance the EPL. Quality ok but honesty ? hardly... aka Luis Suarez.

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