A new low in football officiating...

[Elite_Pie]

I don't see what else the ref could do. His job was simply to apply the laws of the game, which it appears he did correctly. It's very dodgy ground when you start asking a ref to take emotions into account when making decisions.

[jackal2]

He was right though.

Well no. Applying a stupid rule or law correctly does not make it right. Take your pick as to whether you put the lion's share of the blame on the ref or the rule makers (probably the latter), but booking a player in those circumstances was not "right".

[jackal2]

I don't see what else the ref could do. His job was simply to apply the laws of the game, which it appears he did correctly. It's very dodgy ground when you start asking a ref to take emotions into account when making decisions.

Again, as I've said above, the problem is probably more with the rule rather than the referee, but what is football if it's not an emotional game? Who defines what "over-celebrating" is? Nobody had even heard of the term 20-30 years ago. For example, is it not understandable that if a team scores a last minute equaliser in high pressure game, the celebration may be greater and more extravagant than if they scored at another time in a perhaps less significant game? Of course officials should be able to take circumstances into account. What do we want? A game played by robots?

[Elite_Pie]

Well no. Applying a stupid rule or law correctly does not make it right. Take your pick as to whether you put the lion's share of the blame on the ref or the rule makers (probably the latter), but booking a player in those circumstances was not "right".

Can't agree at all. The ref was 100% correct in what he did and should get no criticism at all for that decision. He was just doing his job. Whether the law is stupid or not is debatable. As P4U said, why does celebrating a goal involve taking your shirt off?

[Elite_Pie]

What do we want? A game played by robots?

No, but we do want a game refereed by robots.

That's on the basis that robots are programmed to do as they are told without error or emotion.

[jackal2]

Can't agree at all. The ref was 100% correct in what he did and should get no criticism at all for that decision. He was just doing his job. Whether the law is stupid or not is debatable.

You cannot operate "without error or emotion". Sometimes acting without emotion or compassion is in itself an error of judgement.

"I was just following orders" is not a legitimate excuse for doing the wrong thing, as history has shown many times, but in the constructive sense I agree that the problem is ultimately with the law, the stupidity of which is actually not all that debatable.

[Glad2BeAPie]

Why the need to take off your shirt anyway, stupid way to celebrate a goal.

[Elite_Pie]

"I was just following orders" is not a legitimate excuse for doing the wrong thing.

Possibly correct, but this ref didn't do the wrong thing, his decision was undoubtedly correct.

Anyway, no harm was done. Leicester got the result that very few neutrals would begrudge them.

[jackal2]

Why the need to take off your shirt anyway, stupid way to celebrate a goal.

The debate about the law aside, I must admit I've never understood why taking your shirt off should be a reflex celebration, but so many players do it that it does seem that way. Perhaps it's an instinct going back to gladiatorial days!

[Elite_Pie]

The debate about the law aside, I must admit I've never understood why taking your shirt off should be a reflex celebration, but so many players do it that it does seem that way. Perhaps it's an instinct going back to gladiatorial days!

Nah, it's a continental that's crept into our game just like diving and play acting.

At least it will all stop with Brexit.