Taylor backs moves to curb players
Players’ union boss Gordon Taylor has given his qualified support to an impending crackdown on swearing at referees.
Football Association chief executive Brian Barwick has signalled a tightening of the rules ahead of the new season as he condemned players who harangue match officials.
While there were no specifics given by Barwick in his speech, it seems likely that referees will be urged to caution players who repeatedly verbally abuse them.
After all, Wayne Rooney’s four-letter tirade at the match officials at Highbury last February, which went unpunished, was cited by several critics as an example of why the game needed to clean up its act.
Taylor, the chief executive of the Professional Footballers’ Association, believes a “sensible approach” is called for, but he accepts that players have a duty to protect the image of the game.
“It’s always good to have clear guidelines ahead of a new season, rather than a crackdown suddenly being implemented that not everyone is aware of,” he said.
“We are happy for there to be a no-go area around referees as it is otherwise not good for the image of the game. No referee has ever changed his mind. We have been working hard with the FA to create respect for referees. The general behaviour of players has been improving, even if there have been some high-profile incidents.
“Football is very high-profile on television and close-up camera shots can tend to exaggerate the situation. However, it is not good for the game if industrial language is blatantly directed at a referee.
“We need a sensible approach. Players should not abuse or harangue referees but instead work towards mutual respect.”
In his annual address to the FA council’s summer meeting, Barwick made clear that players would not be allowed to continue raising question marks over their status as role models.
He insisted: “We all recognise there are elements of player behaviour, most notably in the areas of abusive language and the haranguing of match officials, that need some serious attention in the close season.
“We have been working with our friends across the football family to gain a consensus on a positive way forward.
“There is little doubt, it is expected of us. And as the ultimate governors of the game in this country, we will be neglecting our duties if there is not significant improvement in this area.”
