The FA’s Respect Campaign, of Wembley Stadium, London, UK, died Sunday, November 8, 2009 at Stamford Bridge, London after a short fight against the rotten core of football.
Born in Stamford Bridge only 20 months ago, in the fiery aftermath of Ashley Cole’s attempted to break Alan Hutton’s legs and when shown leniency with a yellow card he then proceeded to throw all the toys out of the pram in an act of defiance which has since become known as “just the way Chelsea play.”
During it’s brief life, The Respect Programme attempted to curtail some of the more despicable acts of disrespect toward referee’s in the lower leagues, pub games, family events, youth football, by highlighting the respect that the professionals show toward referees at the very highest level. It was by all accounts, a massive, massive failure.
Sure, Wayne Rooney was sent off, once, for throwing the ball at the ref. But Rooney is one of the highest profile players in England. His smiling, jug eared, face is plastered on literally every inch of football advertisement in the country. So when it is that every week he calls the referee a ‘fucking wanker’ and waves his arms in dismissal at pretty much every call that goes against him, it’s no surprise that little Johnny Higgenbotham of Cheshire and his father act the same way as their hero.
And it wasn’t just one player, whole teams of players exist who do this every week, called “Chelsea.” And as Respect was being touted with banners and interviews with former referees, teams started taking a different approach: they would surround the referee and complain at every major call.
Thus, on a respirator for the first 6 months of it’s life Respect tried a different approach, no more surrounding the ref, only the captain was allowed to speak to him from now on. Plus, they sewed some little tiny black strips of cloth on the sleeves of the EPL shirts which in barely legible type says “RESPECT,” I think.
But Respect was dealt another harsh blow when that other icon of English Football, Sir Alex Ferguson, decided to start publicly complaining about the referees after not just one match, but every match — even the ones they win. Calling referees fat, questioning every call, and basically calling the referees cheats while his team continue to disrespect the referee week in and week out on and off the pitch. Respect’s short life was certainly in danger if managers were allowed to slander match officials after every match.
On antibiotics, a respirator, and a triple dose of Demerol, Respect finally expired last night as ugly scenes marred Chelsea’s 1-0 win over Manchester United. The match itself featured a kung-fu kick, Joe Cole smacking a United player in the head, and outrageous flying tackles which would be assaults if they took place on your local playground. Coupled with the winter tradition of Chelsea and United both surrounding the ref and roasting him while on the sidelines Sir Alex Ferguson, he’s a Knight Bachelor and Commander of the British Empire such is his esteem, was bursting with rage on the 4th official with every call.
But it was after the match where Respect truly and finally died. Reminiscent of the ugly scenes of Chelsea’s loss in the Champions League last year where Didier Drogba verbally assaulted the referee after the match and then on international television called him a cheat, Wayne Rooney delivered Respect’s penultimate blow: mouthing the words “12 men” into the camera after the loss.
Sir Alex Ferguson then quickly struck Respect’s death blow by saying
It was a bad decision, but there’s nothing we can do about it. You lose faith in refereeing sometimes, that’s the way the players are talking in there – it was a bad one.
Predictably, the FA have decided not to charge anyone and are not reviewing the match for the several red cards which were missed by the match official.
And so it was that Respect took one last gasp, exhaled, and expired: November 8th, 2009.
sad, but so so true.
November 9th, 2009 at 9:33 pm
@nicholas, No. I mean its true what he says happened on Sunday, but its not true that the respect campaign has died. I dare you, wait until Arsenal play the next match and if they are stupid enough to repeat what John “England” Terry, Wayne “England Hero” Rooney, Cashley Cole, Joe Cole or John Evans did. You will see it will jump from the dead as if it just crouching waiting to spring up. I didn’t see you mention the Kung-fu kick by John Evans on Drogba. Many people would have everybody believe that Drogba feigned injury irrespective of what they saw. Even if he feigned, that play by John Evans was nothing else but a straight Red Card. Full stop!
The Mancs are just sore losers. In the past their will to win has been admirable and a large part in their success, but for me they have stepped over the line.
If you cant accept defeat and learn from your mistakes then the team cannot progress. That is the lesson they need to learn IMHO.
You’ve got it spot on, Tim.
I felt dirty after watching the match yesterday….You just knew it would come down to referee manipulation, and so it did. Perhaps this is why Ashley Cole is considered the world’s best at his position…..
And Drogba actually feigning spasms on the ground….A new low.
The referees simply do not have sufficient tools in their arsenal to counter the manipulation AND they seem under direction to allow play to continue at all costs. Imagine if yesterday’s goal had been called back because Drogba pulled a defender to the ground.
A final thought is that Arsenal simply cannot compete in referee manipulation with Chelsea and ManU: we lack the depth of British players (and Managers) who somehow are given license by the media to complain, complain, and complain without censure or ridicule AND we lack the cynicism in depth among our foreign players (the exception being Drogba’s countryman, Eboue) who fail to approach the game putting referee manipulation as a priority above actual play. Additionally we’ve been branded as cheaters given the Eduardo incident.
My hope is that we don’t try and sink to the level of the top two and that we actually try to win games by outplaying the opponent and not the referees. After yesterday’s match, however, I can’t see us coming higher than third in the league. Perhaps we can do better than that in the Champion’s league, with continental referees.
Actually, what do you guys think? Should chelski’s goal have been disallowed? Drogba was clearly off side and intended to poke the ball
November 9th, 2009 at 11:48 am
@Yan, I’m not sure he was offside. I watched it 5 times in slo-mo from 2 angles and couldn’t be sure, mainly because the prostrate body of Wes Brown that may end up keeping him onside after the header. But it is a valid question as to why Brown, who was in front of DD, spontaneously decided to take a nap alongside him — and I would’ve disallowed the goal on that basis.
Well said!!!
The FA are pussys. Double Standards FA as per normal.
Now if that was Arsenal or Wenger making such comments… we all know what Monday morning papers would be reading!
Sad, but very true.
There is only one way for the Respect campaign to work, and that is if the FA truly backed their referees. Only then would the referees feel capable of showing the red cards that would stop all this happening. Players aren’t stupid – they know what they can get away with, and will push the boundaries until an official pushes back. In that way, they are like children.
I’ve often thought that I’d love to be a referee, walk into both dressing rooms before a game, and say:
“Right lads, I’m going to apply the rules today. If you call me something obscene, you’re getting a red card. If you lay a finger on me, including this patronising arm round the shoulder you all like to do, you’re getting a red card. If a defender pushes a striker in the box while defending a set piece, I’m giving a penalty, and if three or more of you are hounding me, I’ll be flashing my cards quicker than you can get an expletive out of your mouths. Don’t say you weren’t warned”.
And then, after the inevitable 9v9 ending, I’d happily go on Sky and explain what I’d said, and what rules I’d applied. Then, when the analysts talk to me about common sense, I’ll ask where the players’ common sense was so soon after my very clear direction.
But this is what gets me – top referees must have some sort of intelligence. After all, they are at the top of their profession. So if their treatment angers us so much, imagine how they feel? The only reason I can imagine that they don’t do exactly as I’ve outlined is that they know the FA won’t back them. Worse, the FA will probably drop them down a league to ‘take them out of the limelight’.
The FA created the Respect campaign, and no matter how hideous the actions of the players, the FA have also destroyed it.
My favorite moment yesterday was after Terry and Ivanovic took each other out at midfield. Chelsea played on as if nothing happened but immediately surrounded the ref demanding that he stop play after they lost the ball. I just sat there laughing – very happy that we didn’t have to deal with that nonsense. It looked like I might get one of my wishes later in the game but no luck this time.
I always wish for any one of three things when they play:
1) a meteor hits the stadium and vaporizes everyone in it or
2) visiting team is ripped to shreds by insane home fans after going up 6-0 and the home team’s 4th red card or
3) 0-0 tie with a bench clearing brawl that results in 42 red cards – ending with ancelloti holding fergeson in a headlock and the ball boys kicking him in the ass
I know. Unlikely but one needs dreams to get him through the day.
Nice work as always.
November 9th, 2009 at 12:14 pm
@Alex,
nice one alex,
my friends how now i love football always ask me who i want to win when rivals play each other (it must be an american sports sort of question) and i always say i hope a meteor hits the stadium and they look at me in shock disgust like how can i be so cynical. but it’s good to now there are like minded individuals too.
I have always maintained that ManU & Chelsea are the worst example to young players in England or elsewhere. The FA are far too corrupt to be any use to football. Their corruption is only second in level to their ineptitude.
Only God knows how my Arsenal team can survive in these high levels of favouritsm.
In that game Evans shd have been sent for clattering into Drogba’s chest with his studs.The referee could have been intimidated by the red faced cunt.I find there is no consistency in the standards of refereeing.
The FA shd make it mandatory that two footed lunges be rewarded with a red card. Some referees have done that. I feel all refs shd dish out the red and leave no grey areas.
When the gunners meet Chelsea with the stakes so high I’m afraid someone is going to get seriously injured.I fear for the gunners because the Chelsea guys physically outmuscle the gunners. Yes I know the gunners soccer brand can cause problems for Chelsea.It aint as easy as that.
AW says he will commit infanticide if he buys someone.He forgets he will be committing murder if Arsenal with a good chance of silver ware don’t sign the guys who can add impetus to the trophy drive.
We will have to wait and see.Winning ugly is alien to AW but he better know that you can’t combine winning with pretty soccer.
November 9th, 2009 at 9:36 am
@David,
“Winning ugly is alien to AW but he better know that you can’t combine winning with pretty soccer”
Tell that to Barcelona.
Spot on. An absolute fucking disgrace, both of them. Looks like Fergie is getting away scot-free after his comments too, which is another absolute fucking disgrace. The FA are a limp-wristed caricature and the Respect campaign has as much influence as a local council ‘Keep Off The Grass’ notice. Pathetic.
November 9th, 2009 at 11:18 am
@fourstar, he he, “Scott-free”
Rooney gets a warning. Whoop-de-doo.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/8351245.stm
Cashley has a stress fracture and will be out for at least a month. Does that mean our Gibbsy will be in squad for the Brazil game? Probably not.
I know that the stakes are high when we meet Chelsea but we’ve veaten them befor efor God sake(and I mean as close as last season at Stamford Bridge) so the hue and cry of how much of a bashing we’ll receive when they come to Emirates at the end fo the month beats me.For all the form and strength they claim to have they know they have to prepare well and be at their very best(with more than enough muscling of course)to match what we have now.
Wenger wont change his tactics for ant team and I for one, respect that so much.If we attack and defend as a team (not doze off before the end of the game or take our feet off the pedal cos we are leading)I doubt if they will leave with even a point.Fear wont help and if this was the attitude of Wigan and Villa they wont have beaten Chelsea.I mean that they are beatable!Its ok if fans feel this way because we lost to them twice last season. But God forbid that this is the way the mindsetof the players is…!
I expect a match full of pace and trickery when we meet.But I am sure we can OUTSCORE them!
Tim, please make sure to offer my Condolences to RESPECT’s family and friends. RIP.
p.s.:
Drogba’s leg twitch after “supposedly” getting hit in the head was amazing, I’m surprised he doesn’t get more recognition for his creativity and superior muscle control.
I wonder if that was rehearsed or pure improv genius?
I’m a bit baffled by this. Yes, there was poor refereeing, yes, the players behaved as United and Chelsea players traditionally do. But an absolute fucking disgrace? All over Europe this weekend there were bad decisions and protests from players: what’s new? Have we forgotten the decisions at the United-Arsenal game that ended our Invincible run, where Rooney dived for a penalty and the Nevilles queued up to kick poor Reyes off the pitch? Have we forgotten Keown and Vieira and Lauren with his hands round van Nistelrooy’s throat? It all seems pretty standard for top Premiership clash, the only thing that was unusual about yesterday’s game being that the football was dull.
Poor Vieira: in the doghouse again, this time for breaking de Rossi’s cheekbone. As Ranieri complained, he did such things all the time in the Premiership.
November 9th, 2009 at 12:50 pm
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xb35xa_evans-kung-fu-kik-on-drogba_sport
Mia, this clip here should show you most of what you need to understand why the word “disgrace” is being thrown about…
Sure, Arsenal have had their fare share of “contentious” encounters, but as far as cheating and whingeing and moaning and “seizuring”, we’re not in the same league as ManUre and Chelski.
Another example is Ferguson’s illegitimate son, Fletcher complaining that the refs are against him after the Chelsea match because of Wenger.
This is the kind of stuff that makes us Arsenal fans despise and ridicule those teams.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:44 am
Violent, cheating, mouthy players, preening, incompetent refs: it’s surely a natural phenomeneon, like corrupt politicians or rain.
November 10th, 2009 at 3:33 am
This is the sort of thing I feel moral outrage about: the careless statement on arsenal dot com that the men and women who were slaughtered in the various wars from 1914-18 to Iraq gave their lives ‘for peace’. No they didn’t; the First World War and the Invasion of the Falklands (to take two relatively uncontentious examples) were fought for reasons of rampant nationalism, not to promote peace. I also object to the adjective ‘British’. Many of the men and women who fought alongside British soldiers in the Second World War were not in fact British, they were citizens of the Commonwealth.
You all see the Liverpool dive this afternoon? Talk about disgrace. You want to respect the referee, but when they call penalties when the guy’s not even touched on a clear dive, it’s hard to sometimes.
November 9th, 2009 at 3:18 pm
@ArseChicago, I did, it’s as clear a case in favor of video replay as I have ever seen
On a more important note Bendtner is to have a hernia operation on Wednesday. Recovery time right now is unknown.
When Song goes on ANC duty I say we bring in this footballer as a replacement in the Jan. transfer window: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1226395/Elizabeth-Lambert-banned-kicking-punching-pulling-opponents-hair–Womens-football-video.html
Not the ‘typical’ Arsenal player but we use this person against some of our more physical opponents
November 10th, 2009 at 3:34 am
Good idea.
This is curious. The Independent have a list of Europe’s top 25 supported clubs – no, I don’t know how they work it out – but it’s slightly surprising even when you don’t conflate ‘supported’ and ‘successful’. United are 1, which is fairly predictable, Barca are 5, we are 7, Liverpool are about 23 – I’d have expected top four – and Chelsea are .. . nowhere at all!
November 10th, 2009 at 5:00 am
Supported is based on the attendance, and Anfield being the small shitty ground it is, do not get very far. Nor does Chelsea. Ridiculous that Barca, Madrid and the Milans can not fill their stadium. Liverpool also funny: can fit 47000 guys in Anfield, but only have 43000
November 10th, 2009 at 8:18 am
Right, that would explain the absence of Juve – lots of fans, enormous stadium, but unfortunately a thousand km apart (most Juve being in the far south).