We all know that refereeing is a difficult job and every other cliche that’s peddled out after a bad performance, but there’s a growing feeling that refs don’t actually face any consequences for making mistakes.
If players don’t perform then they get dropped, managers get sacked if they make dreadful decisions, but referees just seem to be awarded the next big game and everyone has to pretend to be shocked when it keeps happening.
VAR was supposed to fix everything but everything is run by the same people who made the decisions before so it’s still a work in progress, while hell mend anyone who dares to speak out about it.
West Ham’s star midfielder Declan Rice has just found this out the hard way, as it’s confirmed that he’s been given a two-game ban from UEFA for branding Spanish official Jesus Gil Manzano as corrupt following their Europa League Semi-Final defeat to Frankfurt last season.
Declan Rice suspended for two matches by UEFA for tirade at ref post-match following @WestHam Europa League semi-final defeat by Eintract Frankfurt. Manager David Moyes gets one-match ban for incident in same game.
— Simon Stone (@sistoney67) June 17, 2022
West Ham are in the Conference League this season so it’s now likely that Rice will miss both legs of their next tie unless an appeal is launched, but it’s hard to see how it would be successful.