Although several first division referees were suspended after a disciplinary hearing into match-fixing this week, not all the men in the middle deserve the abuse directed at them
Andrew Muchineripi
Just when the Castle Premiership was bursting into life with the prospect of a thrilling finish to the title race, a new menace has emerged to cast a dark shadow over the national championship. I refer to the way referees, their assistants and fourth officials are being intimidated by footballers for no other reason than unhappiness with decisions that usually happen to be correct. Player rage was there for all to see last Sunday during the Premiership clash between Ajax Cape Town and Kaizer Chiefs at a well- populated Newlands stadium in Cape Town. Namibians Mohammed Ouseb and Robert Nauseb were among the worst offenders and if looks could kill, Ouseb would be standing trial for the “murder” of the man in the middle. Do these “gentlemen”, and several others, believe wearing the legendary black and gold gives them the right to amnesty from the rules governing the beautiful game? Not that coach Muhsin Ertugral exactly sets a good example. I sometimes wonder what is more volatile: Mount Vesuvius or the Turkish-born man in charge of Chiefs. I am more than happy to pay tribute to the undoubted coaching strengths of Ertugral, but his touchline antics bring only shame to the game and often border on crowd incitement. Perhaps the honourable members of the Fourth Estate have been slow to react to the menace posed by Ertugral, while Paul Dolezar of Sundowns is another coach who often carries a box of matches into an oil refinery.
Instead of roundly condemning such behaviour, which often borders on extremely subtle intimidation of match officials, there is a tendency to hero-worship such animated acts and dismiss them as fun. No one is suggesting South African referees are above criticism this week’s report by the South African Football Association’s disciplinary hearing proves otherwise but my belief is the vast majority of match officials are good men who do not deliberately make incorrect decisions. What is developing in the Premiership is similar to the problem experienced in recent seasons by referees with players from several English clubs, notably Manchester United. Remember those pictures of six or seven furious Red Devils, led by David Beckham, Ryan Giggs and, naturally, Roy Keane, staring down the throat of some official who had the cheek to award a penalty kick against them. Returning home, did you notice how the players from Ajax and Free State Stars questioned numerous decisions in the midweek Premiership match shown on television. One serious danger from all this is that young viewers will grow up believing such action is the norm that referees and those who assist them are fair game for verbal and physical abuse. Also, what sort of signal does this send to budding referees who want to emulate young Johannesburg schoolteacher Daniel Bennett and take charge of matches at the highest level. Only 24, Bennett has been a revelation, with his courage, control, commonsense and sound knowledge of the laws of the game. We need more like him to enhance the image of our game. It should be remembered these gentleman are not doing it for money there are many less stressful ways of earning lucre than risking the wrath of public and players alike. No, they do it because they love the most popular sport in the country and want to make a meaningful contribution. Of course there are a few rotten apples, but that’s life and one trusts efforts are being made to eradicate them.
What the Premier Soccer League needs to do is make an example of a few offending players. There is nothing like a six-match ban to get the message across that crime does not pay. Otherwise stand by for anarchy, on and off the field, if the rulers of our football fall into the familiar trap of waiting until the horse is 5km from the stable before rushing to bolt the door. Referees deserve our respect and protection because the sport cannot function without them and, all too often in the past, media criticism of them has proven to be completely unfounded.