Very interesting article on the handshake.. (Guardian)

[Aussie!]

Mike Dean's reversal of handshakes helps Wayne Bridge shun John Terry

• Referee reversed protocol so City passed down Chelsea's line
• Decision meant Terry could not demand anything from Bridge



Graham Poll has claimed that Mike Dean, the referee in Saturday's match between Chelsea and Manchester City, spared John Terry and Wayne Bridge the embarrassment of a pre-match stand-off by reversing the Premier League's handshake protocol.

The assistant referee, Bobby Pollock, suggested to Dean that he ask City's captain, Shay Given, to lead his team-mates down the Chelsea line, writes Poll in today's Daily Mail.

The focus before the match, which City won 4-2, was on whether Bridge would shake Terry's hand after the pair fell out over tabloid allegations. Usually the home side's captain leads his team down the visitors' line in order to welcome them to the ground and, of course, that would have been Terry. Dean's decision to alter proceedings ensured the Chelsea captain could not stand in front of Bridge and demand a handshake.

Instead Bridge was able to walk past Terry and reject his outstretched hand with the minimum of fuss, thereby avoiding a potentially ugly confrontation. Bridge was, therefore, able to make his point to his tormentor and an intrigued public before going on to help City to a cathartic victory.

One problem solved, Dean still had a busy afternoon in a fiery match, awarding a penalty for each side and sending off Chelsea's Juliano Belletti and Michael Ballack as Carlo Ancelotti's side imploded on their way to a first defeat at home this season.

 

[ALL OUR LIVES]

mike dean..............what a guy !

 

[erocsevil]

The real reason is because Terry was stood next to the ref, so they had a better view of what went on!

 

[Dhenry]

Have to say, handled it really well, the ref. I mean, there was plenty bookable in the first half as well but he kept the cards in his pocket to cool the play down and when it did become necessary, showed players (starting with Zaba for questioning him) his authority.

Very impressed with his performance and the consistency as well - I'm sure if we had got the pen and them not, they'd be arguing injustice and vice versa. However the fact that whilst our pen (in my opinion) was a light one and a 60% chance I would've called that myself as a neutral, the same situation in the other box got called just as well.

Well played to the ref - both in terms of this as well as the pre match handling. Wonder if he had anything to do with City lining up further back than Terry in the tunnel as well. Glad it got a mention in the papers - refs get lots of stick for bad decisions, rarely for very tough but good calls. Mike Dean deserves credit here.

 

[mcfc_die_hard]

i thought there was something going on because the home side usually walks past the away team

imagen if terry had to walk past him and stood there while bridge didnt shake his hand and bridge would have nutted him lol

 

[stonerblue]

All this handshaking before every game gets on my tits. It never used to happen until blatter decided it was a good idea and would promote 'respect'.

 

[Aussie!]

All this handshaking before every game gets on my tits. It never used to happen until blatter decided it was a good idea and would promote 'respect'.

i dont see the problem with it to be honest...

 

[charliebigspuds]

It would have been better the usual way, john Terry would have gone down the line, got to Bridge and held his hand out and then you would be able to read Bridge's lips "go and f*ck yourself d*ckhead", Terry would have had to just walk away, now that would have been funny.

 

[Del Monte]

What would have been funny would be seeing Terry walking down our line, and every single City player just completely ghosting him, not acknowledging him at all. He would have walked down the whole line with his hand out. I'd pay just to see that.

 

[Weston Blue]

stonerblue wrote:
All this handshaking before every game gets on my tits. It never used to happen until blatter decided it was a good idea and would promote 'respect'.




i dont see the problem with it to be honest...

Aussie, I think a lot of us take the Stuart Pearce view. The time to shake hands is after the game not before it when you are in a competitive situation. I would prefer it not to take place and just shake at the end.