Monday, 4 April 2011

Grant's Touchline Ban Absurd!

So, let's get this straight. Referee Jones pulls on red & white stripes at half time and carries Stoke into the semifinal of the FA Cup and the FA ask no questions. But Avram, in response to a direct question, makes some fairly restrained comments, stopping well short of calling the referee "bent", and collects a two game touchline ban.

Note, that's a two match touchline ban and NOT the suspended sentence that Fergie was given ahead of his 5 match ban.

So, let's bring out the scales of justice here shall we? In the left hand scale let's put Wayne Rooney's stream of obscenities yelled into a TV camera and microphone to a television audience of millions; and in the right hand scale let's put Avram's "I think maybe this is the reason the referee started the second half very strange. Until they scored the second goal he gave fouls, a penalty, everything for them. It was a penalty for us at the end which he didn't give. What happened with Tomkins was more bushido. Maybe he felt a little bit guilty. I think it was the effect of the first goal for us."

Hang on, those scales are rocking and....YES an exact balance, no difference between the two apparently. Amazing. And Jones? I expect Pulis has provisionally booked him for the semifinal!

Amazing and absurd.

5 comments:

Sav said...

Although I totally agree with you about the injustice and double standards, fortunately, it will not be a big loss not having AG at the touchline. I mean, what difference does it really make? Look at the Birmingham, Stoke and MU game yesterday for examples. The guy can take his pathetic clueless look up in the stands. It won't really make a difference.

Maybe it will motivate the team to work harder if he is not immediately visible to them during the game. And as for the half time talk and strategy how to win the game, it is business as usual. This could be part of his half time talk to the team: "You guys go out there and continue to do whatever you were doing before; just make sure no-one gets hurt!".

You are right about the unfairness of the system and how bad the referees are in England (I always said that). But really, it is no big loss to West Ham if Avram is not at the touchline.

the headmaster said...

Regrettably, I fear that Sav has it absolutely spot on. Big loss, not!

Stani Army said...

Who are these morons that make these decisions and why does every decision related to West Ham never seem to follow precedent but rather set a new one...which is then not applied to others?

As for uncle Avram...he'll still be in the dressing room at half time, where he seems to do his best work (sarcasm :))

Anonymous said...

It is an incredibly harsh and unfair punishment,

John said...

Punished severely for telling the truth. They should sack everyone in the FA and start again.