Managers to put referees in spotlight

The League Managers Association have called a meeting for next month to discuss ways in which refereeing standards can be improved. LMA chief executive Richard Bevan has arranged the get-together which will involve managers from the Premier League, the Championship and Leagues One and Two.

There will be discussions over the performance, consistency and training of officials, which will result in a series of recommendations to be made to the Football Association and Professional Game Match Officials Ltd (PGMOL).

Bevan said: "The LMA has organised this debate to generate proposals that will improve refereeing standards in all professional leagues. Our members have unrivalled depth of knowledge, experience and expertise and we are going to harness that for the benefit of the game.

"Managers have sympathy for match officials, who are doing a tough job in often difficult circumstances, and they genuinely want to explore ideas that bring improvement in the way games are refereed. We will present our recommendations to the FA and the PGMOL with the intention of stimulating discussion that drives football forward in a positive way. The large number of managers who are planning to attend, from right across the four top leagues, is an indication of both the depth of feeling on refereeing issues and their strong desire to offer ideas and be a part of the solution."

The announcement of the meeting comes as the first cracks in the FA's Respect campaign are starting to appear. Respect was introduced this season in response to what was viewed as a falling standard of behaviour in the professional game, plus the dwindling numbers at amateur level willing to become officials.

The initiative was launched with the backing of all major bodies within the English game, including the LMA and the Professional Footballers' Association.

However, after initially receiving a positive response, a newspaper report has claimed at least two, unnamed, Premier League managers are thinking about "walking away" from Respect amid claims of a one-way street in dealings over disciplinary matters.

The FA argue it is far too early to assess the impact of Respect, which was always viewed as a long-term programme, as results can only be analysed over a significant period of time.

The FA find allegations of unfairness in the system hard to stomach. They feel the evidence points to a robustness and flexibility not evident elsewhere in Europe.

Only once this season has a punishment been increased because of a "frivolous" appeal and there were just seven instances last term. And in overturning the dismissals of John Terry and Habib Beye, the FA believe they have shown a willingness to ensure fair play. Soho Square officials are convinced there would be little chance of such red cards being rescinded anywhere else. They also feel there is ample chance for managers to state their views, either straight after games, when they could speak to the referee's assessor or Premier League delegate, or to the FA, either directly or through the PGMOL.

As there is regular dialogue between the FA and the LMA, the governing body feels ample lines of official communication exist without resorting to the media.

"The FA believes its system is the fairest. It is something we have fought hard for and will try to preserve," said an FA source. Whether such assessments have any impact remains to be seen but it has been pointed out that Respect is not just in operation when an official has made a favourable decision for one team or another, but rather as a whole entity. PFA chief executive Gordon Taylor also feels supporters have to play their part. Recent high-profile incidents at Villa Park and the Stadium of Light have placed a major question mark over supporter behaviour, which Taylor is anxious to see improved. "It is time to re-emphasise the Respect campaign," said Taylor.

"It is about the referee involving the captain to say things are getting out of hand, or even the manager. But it is not just about players and referees on the field, it is about people watching the game as well. Recently, we have had a number of crowd issues with people throwing things, some injuries and some nasty incidents. It is a problem and it needs to be stopped."

The amount of times an FA punishment has been increased this season after a 'frivolous' appeal, compared with seven last season.