Mark Halsey makes complaint to police over twitter abuse from Liverpool fans

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19703504

Dunno why you'd have twitter as referee, but still. Usual idiots making comments behind a computer screen.

/start{pedanticmode}

We don't technically know they're Liverpool fans do we?

/end{pedanticmode}

Idiots.

I thought he refereed the game well?

Some one eyes Liverpool fans may disagree but you can't blame him for them failing to put the ball in the net.

There really should be some sort of IQ Test before being allowed to connect to the internet. Failing that, I'd like to beat these people with a big stick.

It's to easy for people to be nasty isn't it.

Gary Barlow taking abuse when his kid was still born is beyond words.

Why would anyone choose to be a ref these days?

I thought Halsey was spot on with the penalty decisions and the sending off was justifiable (you can't fly into challenges like that with the ways the game is reffed now - wasn't an unarguable red card like Odemwinge's the other week, but certainly was within the range of tackles that have seen players sent off for the last 2 or 3 years).

As an aside, a couple of weekends ago I watched half a match of our local village team - the behaviour of the two teams and the abuse that the officials got was absolutely awful. Just because the pro's (at least the EPL and other top leagues) think they are better than the match officials should not give a Sunday league hacker the right to argue every decision. Of what I saw the officials didn't make a seriously wrong call all half (obviously a few are marginal, such as clmbing or backing in when two players jump for the ball)

I thought Halsey did pretty well on the big decisions. Certainly no howlers.

I agree with dummy_half's final paragraphs. A few (4?) years back I agreed to ref an inter-uni challenge match thing (from what I understand it opposed two rival societies). 20 minutes into the game I was called an effing special by one of the players for giving a throw-in (allegedly) the wrong way. A throw-in! Scarcely a match-turning decision... Needless to say I never reffed a football match again.

The change has to come from the top. It has to come from the Premier League issueing clear, unambiguous instructions and then giving the first ref who sends off 4 players for back-chat (as will inevitably happen) their full backiing by giving them a prestige fixture the following week. It also has to come from commentators/pundits - remember the reaction in the studio when Mascharano was sent off (via a second yellow) when he ran in to confront the ref (Mike Riley?) over booking Torres (?)? Alan Hansen spending at least 5 minutes each week-end castigating referees with the help of 6 action replays doesn't help either.

Trouble is, with this amount of monney at stake I can't see that sort of action being taken. Maybe pay the refs as much as the players?

Someone (Olly) posted about reffing standards. Football has the refs it deserves I'm afraid.

Nothing this is saying makes any excuse for the behaviour of those who think it's ok to abuse someone from behind their keyboard. But it does put it in context.

I watched the game and thought he did alright, with the benefit of different camera angles it was highlighted that he got the Suarez penalty wrong but at the time I didn't think it was a penalty, I thought Suarez got their first but like Halsey I too felt he dived, I think it was the way he threw his head back, it all just looked too unnatural, again with the Utd Penalty I felt he got it spot on, whether it was delibrite or not Johnson clipped Valencia's ankle when he was just about to shoot, add to that the slight push on the back at the same time and its easy to see why he'd lose his balance.

I felt he got the red card wrong, it looked like an honest challenge from two committed players however if you look again you'll see Halsey taking instructions from the 4th official before ordering him off, he made that decision off the back of advice from an assistant he must have believed had a better view of the incident, you can't fault him for that.

Manchester United did get the rub of the green but I don't think there was anything sinister about that particular officials performance on Sunday

There is no clear evidence they were Liverpool fans where as the Sky cameras captured thousands of United fans singing songs about people dying in the first half of the game, but whoever they are they should be ashamed of themselves but so should Halsey for being a horrible cheat. I also think its time David Gill was placed under investigation, he is worth at least 15 points a season for United while he is the fa board and if that was in Italy there would be calls for titles to be taken off a team whos cheif exec is on the fa board.

dublfcynwa wrote:There is no clear evidence they were Liverpool fans where as the Sky cameras captured thousands of United fans singing songs about people dying in the first half of the game, but whoever they are they should be ashamed of themselves but so should Halsey for being a horrible cheat. I also think its time David Gill was placed under investigation, he is worth at least 15 points a season for United while he is the fa board and if that was in Italy there would be calls for titles to be taken off a team whos cheif exec is on the fa board.

Excuse me?

When did he cheat?

He cheated Liverpool out of the game, him and PC Plod Howard Webb are both cheating corrupt scum.

dublfcynwa wrote:He cheated Liverpool out of the game, him and PC Plod Howard Webb are both cheating corrupt scum.

Diddums, a bitter Liverpool fan. Wheras if he had given Suarez a pen for his blatant dive he would be a good ref.

A ref in our league head butted a player who threatened to beat him up, no one gave him any more back chat.

Another ballsy ref gave a police report after several opponents attacked 2 if our players after a game, despite threats of paramilitary action an to burn his house down.

People need to be brought up better, no point blaming footballers that are on tv- football reflects society not vice versa.

At the end of today the most creative pass for Liverpool was from Paul scholes and they created 0 clear cut chances under their own steam- blaming the ref is pathetic.

I watch local football when I get the chance and the abuse the ref's have to put up with is shocking...

Well one week the ref was abused all game, players threatening him and pushing his around, shocking behaviour. What the didnt realise was the ref was pretty well connected with some questionable characters the the local area. Few of his rather large mates came down with tennis rackets and bats.

The look on the players face was priceless. No assaults took place, but the players pooped themselves.

dublfcynwa wrote:He cheated Liverpool out of the game, him and PC Plod Howard Webb are both cheating corrupt scum.

You're really covering yourself in glory on here aren't you

Kay Fabe wrote:if you look again you'll see Halsey taking instructions from the 4th official before ordering him off, he made that decision off the back of advice from an assistant he must have believed had a better view of the incident, you can't fault him for that.

Not sure about that. You see Halsey talking to the 4th official via his earpiece, but I thought I'd seen him shape to the back-pocket (so commited to a red card) before then? My guess is he was warning the 4th that a red card was coming, which is something I've seen a few times, although it seems a bit redundant. I guess it's so that the 4th can concentrate on looking at the benches/crowd for troublesome behaviour rather than having to watch the ref issue to RC to make sure.

Possibly, he could have been asking the 4th official for a second opinion as he didn't want to rashly give a straight red without checking it out

This "Halsey for being a horrible cheat" and "He cheated Liverpool out of the game, him and PC Plod Howard Webb are both cheating corrupt scum".

If the above is trolling or not, unfortunately this is the general attitude of 99% of the yobish crowd that follow football. Thankfully the other 1% seem to have posted on this thread because there are some great points that have been made. I love watching a game of football but hate what it has become and has turned me off to it.

Kay Fabe wrote:Possibly, he could have been asking the 4th official for a second opinion as he didn't want to rashly give a straight red without checking it out

True, but it doesn't look good when the 4th official has just listened Ferguson's rant about giving him a red card before offering his advice.

I don't think it was a red card, both went lunging in (Evans with two feet), Evans comes off worst, rolls around with the theatricals to get him sent off. And is up on his feet 20 seconds later.

I don't think Evans lunged like Shelvey, who was way off the ground. Evans' studs were up but that was it.

His stud were up and it was a two footed challenge, which is a red card its self according the the letter of the law.

Mmm, possibly. Wouldn't say he was rolling around trying to get Shelvey sent off though. Looked a tad painful to me.

I beg to differ.

Soldier_Of_Fortune wrote:I beg to differ.

Well, that's what makes Football (and sport) so great. We can all have an opinion and not be right or wrong.

Yep, like I thought.

Lumbering_Jack wrote:I watch local football when I get the chance and the abuse the ref's have to put up with is shocking...

Well one week the ref was abused all game, players threatening him and pushing his around, shocking behaviour. What the didnt realise was the ref was pretty well connected with some questionable characters the the local area. Few of his rather large mates came down with tennis rackets and bats.

The look on the players face was priceless. No assaults took place, but the players pooped themselves.

I wouldn't want to live round your way, tennis racket assaults seem to be on the up.

Didn't know they played Tennis in Newcastle?

Aye, there well up for it!

Spoiler:

Like most major cities, you are never too far away from arguing chavs. As it happens in this case, the ref and his mates did nothing from in my opinion. Fight fire with fire and all that.

Re the article. Is a 2 footed challenge actually against the rules? I thought the specific rule was about the contol you have of your body? Anyone know the actual rule?

Well its obviously different for Man Ure.

I can remember Kompany getting sent of for a two footed tackle on Nani and he didn't even touch him and won the ball completely.

Spoiler:

Agree, that was a good challenge.

City also get the benefit of such decisions though. Not just Man Utd that get the benefit of such decisions though. De Jong broke Ben Arfa's leg with a disgraceful challenge and it wasnt even a free kick . The national coach was so digusted he dropped him.

Ent wrote:At the end of today the most creative pass for Liverpool was from Paul scholes and they created 0 clear cut chances under their own steam- blaming the ref is pathetic.

Such a daft comment. Liverpools one fault from the last 18 months is putting the ball in the back of the net, we create loads of chances but don't have a clinical goal scorer. Maybe there's one in the reserves who should be given a go I don't know.

Halsay got a few decisions wrong, the penalty on Suarez was key, but he made it look unnatural with his head movement. Had he not done that I still don't believe he would have got the decision because due to his repuation, but it is up to the official to call the decision as they see it and not allow reputations interfere with that.

The red card in hindsight was probably the correct decision, he left the ground and had no control however as some have said Evans also went in two foot and was out of control and it was clear from the refs view how Evans went in, both could have been sent off. I believe that it was the first card of a highly emotional game as well, and had Shelvey been booked for a late tackle earlier I doubt he would have gone in like that so whether the ref still had that challenge in the back of his mind I'm not sure.

Sadly a few fans from both clubs have acted poorly and stupidly and fans of other clubs will then always tar fans with the same brush.

The Suarez decision was spot on. He dived as usual.

Lumbering_Jack wrote:The Suarez decision was spot on. He dived as usual.

No he didn't, he gets to the ball first Evans then clips his foot and their knees colide, Suarez goes down but throws his head out making his fall look suspicious. Don't see how you can not see the contact, if not from the foot from their legs coming together. My suspicision is a hatred of either the player in question or the club is clouding your judgement.

He was fouled but he made it look like a dive. Can't blame an official for not giving that.

Stella wrote:He was fouled but he made it look like a dive. Can't blame an official for not giving that.

Not blaming the official, as I said before because Suarez made exagerated the fall Halsay would always be suspicious. But I doubt even if he had just gone down he would have got the penalty because referees judge on players reputation rather than the incident sometimes.

hampo171 wrote:

Stella wrote:He was fouled but he made it look like a dive. Can't blame an official for not giving that.

Not blaming the official, as I said before because Suarez made exagerated the fall Halsay would always be suspicious. But I doubt even if he had just gone down he would have got the penalty because referees judge on players reputation rather than the incident sometimes.

He may have got it? The problem was, the kick wasn't hard enough for him to go down. Maybe he should work on going down in a more realistic fashion, like other players do.
I do agree, players do get judged (wrongly) on reputation.

Football is a contact sport. Just because Evans made contact with Suarez does not mean it is a foul. He quite easily could have stayed on his feet, but instead he opted to launch himelf to the floor like he usually does. Thankfully refs are wising up to his blatant cheating.

If find the "their was contact" excuse pretty annoying actually.

If I bumped into him in a shopping centre would he roll around on the floor? No. Not sure why people think it is acceptable to do it on a football pitch.

Lumbering_Jack wrote:Football is a contact sport. Just because Evans made contact with Suarez does not mean it is a foul. He quite easily could have stayed on his feet, but instead he opted to launch himelf to the floor like he usually does. Thankfully refs are wising up to his blatant cheating.

Heres a great angle for you LJ, the clip on the foot he can stay up from however it is not this contact he goes down under. His left knee colides with Evans outstretched leg, causing him to go down. That is a penalty, if you can't see that then you are just arguing because of who it is.

Spoiler:

Lumbering_Jack wrote:If find the "their was contact" excuse pretty annoying actually.

If I bumped into him in a shopping centre would he roll around on the floor? No. Not sure why people think it is acceptable to do it on a football pitch.

It's not but most players do it.

hampo171 wrote:

Lumbering_Jack wrote:Football is a contact sport. Just because Evans made contact with Suarez does not mean it is a foul. He quite easily could have stayed on his feet, but instead he opted to launch himelf to the floor like he usually does. Thankfully refs are wising up to his blatant cheating.

Heres a great angle for you LJ, the clip on the foot he can stay up from however it is not this contact he goes down under. His left knee colides with Evans outstretched leg, causing him to go down. That is a penalty, if you can't see that then you are just arguing because of who it is.

Spoiler:

Its not a pen. No amount of pictures are going to change my mind. Contact was made but not enough to make him fall to the ground. Anyone who has played football at any level will appreciate that.

Stella wrote:

Lumbering_Jack wrote:If find the "their was contact" excuse pretty annoying actually.

If I bumped into him in a shopping centre would he roll around on the floor? No. Not sure why people think it is acceptable to do it on a football pitch.

It's not but most players do it.

I agree, it is something I feel very strongly about. Diving needs to be an immediate 2 game ban, regardless of any advantage gained and where the free kick is. If that means 4 or 5 from each club being banned then so be it.

One only has to look at the recent sportmanship of Steve Harper in the recent Everton and Norwich games. Twice he was wiped out and each time he immediately got up and went over to the ref to advise his the player went for the ball and it was slightly mis-timed. Sadly this type of conduct is missing in todays game, and players like Suarez, Gutierez, Nani etc... ruin it for the rest of us.

As soon as contact is made then it could be a pen. You nudge a player in the back in the penalty area then it will be a pen. This nudge will not make you fall over but it doesn't matter.

Lumbering_Jack wrote:

Stella wrote:

Lumbering_Jack wrote:If find the "their was contact" excuse pretty annoying actually.

If I bumped into him in a shopping centre would he roll around on the floor? No. Not sure why people think it is acceptable to do it on a football pitch.

It's not but most players do it.

I agree, it is something I feel very strongly about. Diving needs to be an immediate 2 game ban, regardless of any advantage gained and where the free kick is. If that means 4 or 5 from each club being banned then so be it.

One only has to look at the recent sportmanship of Steve Harper in the recent Everton and Norwich games. Twice he was wiped out and each time he immediately got up and went over to the ref to advise his the player went for the ball and it was slightly mis-timed. Sadly this type of conduct is missing in todays game, and players like Suarez, Gutierez, Nani etc... ruin it for the rest of us.

It's near on impossible to say if a player was diving in some instances though.

Lumbering_Jack wrote:

hampo171 wrote:

Lumbering_Jack wrote:Football is a contact sport. Just because Evans made contact with Suarez does not mean it is a foul. He quite easily could have stayed on his feet, but instead he opted to launch himelf to the floor like he usually does. Thankfully refs are wising up to his blatant cheating.

Heres a great angle for you LJ, the clip on the foot he can stay up from however it is not this contact he goes down under. His left knee colides with Evans outstretched leg, causing him to go down. That is a penalty, if you can't see that then you are just arguing because of who it is.

Spoiler:

Its not a pen. No amount of pictures are going to change my mind. Contact was made but not enough to make him fall to the ground. Anyone who has played football at any level will appreciate that.

Are you telling me that if you clash knees with a defender at pace you're not going to fall over?

To be fair, there wasn't much pace.

Stella wrote:To be fair, there wasn't much pace.

Or contact... Other than those 2 insignificant facts, yes I would fall over.