Mark Halsey has praised Chelsea star Eden Hazard, who has been dealing well with poor challenges…
Former Premier League referee Mark Halsey has criticised the current crop of domestic officials, who he believes are struggling to tell the difference between careless and reckless challenges this season.
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Reports on Goal.com carry quotes from Halsey, who used Chelsea’s Eden Hazard as his example. Blues boss Jose Mourinho has regularly criticised referees this season, and Halsey’s comments imply that the Portuguese manager might have a point.
“He should be taking all the plaudits for getting straight back up after the heavy challenges he has received this season,” Halsey said of Hazard earlier today.
“But because he is getting back to his feet so quickly and going after the ball, instead of staying down and appealing, he is giving the referee the easy option of doing nothing and letting play continue – even though a foul has been committed.
“If Hazard stayed on the ground, it would force the referee into action, and we would likely see more yellow cards as a result. Referees have a duty to protect the Premier League’s best players but, at the moment, they are struggling to tell the difference between careless and reckless challenges.”
Halsey proceeded to discuss a second example, which was the controversial red card handed to Swansea City’s Wayne Routledge, who retaliated after a found by QPR’s Karl Henry.
“That was a clear red card,” Halsey said of Henry’s tackle, “And failing to deal with the situation meant another was caused by Routledge’s retaliation.
“Referees can certainly protect the players who are open to the more physical challenges but the crucial part is recognising the severity of the tackles. At the moment, it’s all over the place in the Premier League.”
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