Does iron hand or velvet glove work best for man in middle?

Sports writer

Wednesday 31 October 2012

Beyond the immediate implications for Mark Clattenburg and the authorities who are now investigating allegations that he used "inappropriate language" towards the Chelsea players John Obi Mikel and Juan Mata, goings-on at Stamford Bridge last Sunday pose significant questions for match officials.

Clattenburg sends off Fernando Torres on Sunday. Picture: EPA

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Richard Wilson

There is claim and counter-claim, with Clattenburg denying the allegations, but how should a referee address players on the pitch in general? Clattenburg has a reputation for being matey and casual with players, yet at times that has caused friction when the moment has called for a tone of integrity.

The Metropolitan Police confirmed yesterday they have launched a formal inquiry into the allegations of racial abuse, with the Football Association also investigating. In the meantime, Clattenburg's career hangs in the balance.Mikel was said to be furious when team-mates informed him of the comment they believe Clattenburg made, and, along with other Chelsea players and officials, confronted the referee afterwards. Mata, too, did not hear any specific comment, and also acted on the information of team-mates.During a post-match melee in the referee's room, it is also alleged an unidentified Chelsea player threatened to break Clattenburg's legs. The hostility of a match can spill over, but these allegations are serious and ought to be dealt with swiftly and firmly.Reputations and livelihoods hang in the balance, but so, too, does the image of the game at a time when black players feel ill-served by the way racism is handled. The incidents will be pored over, but what of the implications for refereeing? There is a view that match officials can be too aloof and authoritarian, that the best referees are able to communicate with players. It is also true that the language of the football field tends to be crass and vulgar.Should referees be able to respond in kind when they are being harangued or jostled over a decision? It seems precious of players to react as though offended when a referee swears back in response to their own harsh language. There is no defence for the terms Clattenburg is accused of using, but it is legitimate to ask how a game should be handled by those in charge.If the referee and his assistants are to be figures of authority, then they should rise above the cursing and hostility. Players can be booked for using foul and abusive language, so there is no justification for referees doing the same.Match officials wear microphones to communicate with the fourth official on the touchline. In rugby, officials' conversations, including those with players, are relayed to spectators in the crowd who buy the appropriate radios.There has been little appetite for this in football, not least because it would expose some of the language and behaviour of players who can earn significant amounts of money in endorsements and sponsorships. However, rather than using the language and mood of the players to communicate, referees need to be beyond reproach. There is a fine line between not appearing dismissive, but also being too familiar.Clattenburg has been considered both during his career, since some in the game consider him standoffish, but David Moyes, the Everton manager, said after one Merseyside derby that he felt Clattenburg was too close to the Liverpool players, and that skewed his decision-making. Subsequently, Clattenburg didn't referee a game involving Everton for five years.The former referee David Elleray was a high-profile official with an officious style. A house master at Harrow, he was resolutely old school and had an aloof manner. Clattenburg is generally considered to be at the other end of the scale, with well-groomed hair, expensive tastes in cars and a tendency to think of himself as one of the boys. An easy-going manner can defuse some situations, but in truth, in the heat of a match, players expect decisiveness and authority.Referees have encountered trouble in the past when suddenly lost to a tense moment and uttering an expletive. They cannot be expected to be coldly detached, but the ideal is a manner that does not antagonise, or be too imperious.It is a fine line, and the authorities ought to help the officials by introducing goal-line technology and video replays, minimising the number of contentious decisions. There can never be an Identikit personality for referees, and Clattenburg's circumstances are unique, but they do raise questions about demeanour and tone, and how they impact on trying to keep a match from boiling over.

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Does iron hand or velvet glove work best for man in middle?

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