Will the media demand Hearts be put in their place?
Off the pitch, not on it.
Kilmarnock certainly put Hearts in their place on the field at Tynecastle with a stunning 3-0 victory but we’ll consider that in more detail later.
The media, amongst their other spin about Dallas and McDonald telling lies have managed to paint the picture of Celtic moaning about everything and to quote Gordon Waddell, “needing to be put in their place.â€
A fairly sinister remark from a fairly sinister man but the media rush to paint this as a Celtic issue is, as usual, very wide of the mark. Hearts have never been slow to voice their displeasure at officials, with Dougie McDonald causing great consternation with poor decision after poor decision vexing Hearts.
Never ones to miss a good opportunity, Hearts have released a statement regarding the current situation on referees. The statement can be read on the Hearts website:
“I would not like to comment on any specific situation in the game in Scotland, but I would like to suggest that the refereeing standards need to go up significantly.â€
“Referees need to come out after the game and comment and explain their decisions. Refereeing is a big part of the game and people want to see high standards, hear the reasons behind decisions and gain clarification. Human error is part of the game, but it should be in minimal proportion.â€
“There is no place for a high proportion of human error meaning low standards – it can easily be a cover for bias and match fixing.â€
“If the Scottish FA is interested in showing there is no bias and minimizing the risk of match fixing the organisation needs to continue working to improve refereeing standards, by implementing the best practices available in the world and being innovative to insure that the Scottish game is not a place for reputation damaging situations.â€
“And there should be no double standards – all clubs need to be treated equally, not just those that dominate the game. I do not remember any other situation where referees have been so strictly cautioned when it involved any other club outside the Old Firm.â€
“In an era where players, managers and clubs are suspended or fined heavily for their actions on the pitch, it will leave a bitter taste in the mouths of every honest employee and supporter of football clubs around the country that match officials could act as deceptively as has been reported.â€
“It is time that the Scottish FA implements a proper system of accountability otherwise the integrity of our game will be further diluted by future incidents. How long might it be before attempts by a referee to verbally engineer a situation to suit his own purposes spills into a referee actively engineering situations through actions rather than words? Only a fool would say ‘That could never happen’.â€
“However it is also crucial that our referees are helped in every way possible. In addition to the actual support that a proper system of accountability would provide for them, they should be encouraged to be transparent in their actions.â€
“When players and managers are interviewed in the minutes after a game, referees should also be given the opportunity to explain decisions to supporters.â€
“We would also urge the Scottish FA to continue its lobbying in world football for the implementation of video technology. We appreciate this is a wider issue but it has to be adopted in time otherwise the spotlight will remain on the officials as much as the players and managers.â€
“Until then, honesty amongst our match officials remains paramount to the game. Those officials that fail that basic character trait should realise that the football pitches of Scotland are no place for them. High standards and not double standards – this is what we need to raise the game to a higher level.”
A fairly pointed, and if we say so, well argued statement from Hearts and one which certainly gets our backing. The issue about Scottish refereeing is far bigger than just one club or the agendas that arise when conversation falls on referees….it should be about making the standards clearer and better.
Hearts should be commended for releasing this statement, it will be interesting to see if any journalists insist that Hearts are also put in their place.
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Gordon Waddel is an arse of a man. Incidentally his column came out the same day and the same paper as the Steven Craven ‘exclusive’! The baldy knobend clearly doesn’t do irony.
Chick Young was spitting fire and thunder because of this statement but, reading it, I don’t see why. His take on it seemed to be that because Hearts have debt it means they have no right to comment. Chick’s trouble is that he is too pally with those who benefit from the arrogant complacency that has brought Scottish football down to third world status.
the sooner these arsehole journalists are put in there place the bettter dont buy the rags.
The sooner Romanov leaves Scotland the better. At the end of the day, his disrespectful comments have resulted in bad refereeing decisions and his implication that they are match fixing is a disgrace!
ROMANOV MUST GO!