Mark Clattenberg

[gelly]

Re: Was there something more sinister happening last night?

Oh good, another new "Clattenburg is bent" thread. We've not had one for 4 minutes now.

I agree with you that knee-jerk 'blame the ref, if we lost he must be bent' threads aren't really helpful, but you are somebody who has reffed in the game, so let me ask you this: do you think that Premier League football is compeltely free from corruption?

I think so Chris yes, but I accept that I'm an eternal optimist and I probably can't even allow myself to think that it can happen. I'll do my best to explain why I think that way.

Having followed Pierluigi Collina's thoughts on the game for some time, I know that he stated in his autobigraphy that he had seen some attempts at a form of corruption in his days, not at league or club level, but at International level where a couple of smaller countries football authorities would offer nice hotels, nights out at casinos with the tab paid for etc for visiting FIFA officials, but that he (rightly) believed that integrity was the cornerstone of any FIFA match official, and he believed that all of his contemporaries viewed it in the same light. He used to steer well clear of these approaches and had no knowledge of anyone accepting the offers.

His belief was that ANY breach of integrity even on a tiny scale, a free meal, a complimentary limo ride, anything, could be potentially career ending and damaging to the game. Believe it or not, match officials love the game as much as any fan or player.
Added to that is the scrutiny that officials are under... now I have to admit that I am not privy to whether the FA have sight of Mark Clattenburg's bank accounts, but going by the writings of Collina and others (including David Elleray) they are under pretty close scrutiny.


I do take your point that corruption has happened in cricket (by players remember, no suggestion that officials had a hand in the recent Pakistan betting saga) but players are in a far better position to influence or throw a game, certainly in terms of benefitting a betting syndicate.

Just my thoughts. I'd like to think today's officials are well above corruption, but I suppose there will always be doubt in some minds.

Regardless of corruption, there's always going to be a subconscious bias and intention that can affect decisions and swing the pendulum one way or another. I see it in big international matches, where the referee sometimes subliminally favours the big countries due to ingrained bias and perception. This is why Barcelona are getting the big decisions in their favour in Champions League in the past 2 seasons they won. This bias needs to be somehow neutralised.

 

[mat]

It's open Knowledge that Clattenberg had business meeting with shinawatra when he was chairman. Coincidence we won every match with him reffering in that period?

 

[Mugatu]

Gelly: Admittedly I think there IS pressure on referees and sometimes they do go with the easier option in any given 50/50 situation, but that's not corruption, it's human nature. I was only addressing the question of actual corruption in its traditional, "decisions for cash" connotations.

 

[gelly]

Gelly: Admittedly I think there IS pressure on referees and sometimes they do go with the easier option in any given 50/50 situation, but that's not corruption, it's human nature. I was only addressing the question of actual corruption in its traditional, "decisions for cash" connotations.

I see, misunderstood. But human nature and error should be minimised. Clattenberg may have gone into the game with a subconscious intention for City to lose. Due to pressure from colleagues media etc.

 

[blue b4 the moon]

Re: Was there something more sinister happening last night?

Oh good, another new "Clattenburg is bent" thread. We've not had one for 4 minutes now.

I agree with you that knee-jerk 'blame the ref, if we lost he must be bent' threads aren't really helpful, but you are somebody who has reffed in the game, so let me ask you this: do you think that Premier League football is compeltely free from corruption?

I think so Chris yes, but I accept that I'm an eternal optimist and I probably can't even allow myself to think that it can happen. I'll do my best to explain why I think that way.

Having followed Pierluigi Collina's thoughts on the game for some time, I know that he stated in his autobigraphy that he had seen some attempts at a form of corruption in his days, not at league or club level, but at International level where a couple of smaller countries football authorities would offer nice hotels, nights out at casinos with the tab paid for etc for visiting FIFA officials, but that he (rightly) believed that integrity was the cornerstone of any FIFA match official, and he believed that all of his contemporaries viewed it in the same light. He used to steer well clear of these approaches and had no knowledge of anyone accepting the offers.
His belief was that ANY breach of integrity even on a tiny scale, a free meal, a complimentary limo ride, anything, could be potentially career ending and damaging to the game. Believe it or not, match officials love the game as much as any fan or player.
Added to that is the scrutiny that officials are under... now I have to admit that I am not privy to whether the FA have sight of Mark Clattenburg's bank accounts, but going by the writings of Collina and others (including David Elleray) they are under pretty close scrutiny.


I do take your point that corruption has happened in cricket (by players remember, no suggestion that officials had a hand in the recent Pakistan betting saga) but players are in a far better position to influence or throw a game, certainly in terms of benefitting a betting syndicate.

Just my thoughts. I'd like to think today's officials are well above corruption, but I suppose there will always be doubt in some minds.

Sounds great but wasn't he doing tv adverts for the main sponsor of AC MIlan whilst still reffing?

Bottom line is very very few people don't have a price.

 

[Mugatu]

Re: Was there something more sinister happening last night?

Sounds great but wasn't he doing tv adverts for the main sponsor of AC MIlan whilst still reffing?

Bottom line is very very few people don't have a price.

I'm not sure, I'd not heard that. Which company was that at the time, out of interest? I know he did an advertising campaign for Adidas, I can remember it quite well.

Either way I'm not sure you can say that a high profile official doing adverts is corruption, whether it's a company that sponsors a club or not. A sponsor pays a club to raise the profile of their company / product, they don't have a lot of sway with what happens on a pitch. Forgive me, I'm not seeing the link but I'm happy to discuss it if you can guide me to how that influence could work.

 

[kevodevo]

He is just a buffon -simples really and inconsistent buffon

 

[Pigeonho]

He is just a buffon -simples really and inconsistent buffon

We should sign him as cover for Hart.

 

[Mugatu]

We should sign him as cover for Hart.

Lol. Buffon indeed. Great keeper, shit referee. :-)

 

[Chris in London]

We should sign him as cover for Hart.

Lol. Buffon indeed. Great keeper, shit referee. :-)

Isn't Buffoon the rags keeper?