Uriah Rennie in the doldrums once again
Demotion looms for Rennie over 'appalling' gaffe
Alan Biggs
Monday January 22, 2007
Guardian
Uriah Rennie faces being dropped from the Premiership over the glaring error that enabled Newcastle to fight back for a 2-2 draw with West Ham. His mistake in allowing James Milner's goal to stand when Scott Parker was clearly interfering with play in an offside position is also likely to be used as a demonstration video for referees on how not to apply football's most complicated law.
The gaffe was described last night as "an appalling piece of refereeing" by one former official, Kevin Lynch.
The referees' chief, Keith Hackett, has a policy of temporarily removing officials from the top flight in such instances and Rennie is almost certain to find himself demoted to the Coca-Cola League for a fortnight at least.
"People claim the law is confusing but in this instance it is very clear, leaving no room for misinterpretation, because there was interference," said Lynch. "The assistant was quite right to put up his flag, in my opinion. To overrule him was extremely poor refereeing - a big mistake."
West Ham's manager, Alan Curbishley, unsurprisingly concurred with this view. "I am so disappointed with their first goal," he said. "It changed the whole face of the game.
"The linesman put his flag up - he admitted he put his flag up - but because Scott did not touch it he [Rennie] did not give it. I do not know what Scott Parker is doing if he is not gaining an advantage.
"The rule is if you are looking to gain an advantage you are in an offside position. He was standing right in front of Roy Carroll and deliberately dummied it so it could go in the net.
"He [the referee's assistant] put his flag up and if he had kept it up I do not think anybody in the ground would have complained. But what can you do? We cannot do anything about it."
Newcastle's manager, Glenn Roeder, said further explanation was needed of the current interpretation of the rule. "That is how the rule is now," he said. "We had that against us on Wednesday night [against Birmingham City].
"It is very much a grey area. I do not think it is the referees' fault at all. They apply the law as they see it and as they have been told to apply the law."
Alan Biggs
Monday January 22, 2007
Guardian
Uriah Rennie faces being dropped from the Premiership over the glaring error that enabled Newcastle to fight back for a 2-2 draw with West Ham. His mistake in allowing James Milner's goal to stand when Scott Parker was clearly interfering with play in an offside position is also likely to be used as a demonstration video for referees on how not to apply football's most complicated law.
The gaffe was described last night as "an appalling piece of refereeing" by one former official, Kevin Lynch.
The referees' chief, Keith Hackett, has a policy of temporarily removing officials from the top flight in such instances and Rennie is almost certain to find himself demoted to the Coca-Cola League for a fortnight at least.
"People claim the law is confusing but in this instance it is very clear, leaving no room for misinterpretation, because there was interference," said Lynch. "The assistant was quite right to put up his flag, in my opinion. To overrule him was extremely poor refereeing - a big mistake."
West Ham's manager, Alan Curbishley, unsurprisingly concurred with this view. "I am so disappointed with their first goal," he said. "It changed the whole face of the game.
"The linesman put his flag up - he admitted he put his flag up - but because Scott did not touch it he [Rennie] did not give it. I do not know what Scott Parker is doing if he is not gaining an advantage.
"The rule is if you are looking to gain an advantage you are in an offside position. He was standing right in front of Roy Carroll and deliberately dummied it so it could go in the net.
"He [the referee's assistant] put his flag up and if he had kept it up I do not think anybody in the ground would have complained. But what can you do? We cannot do anything about it."
Newcastle's manager, Glenn Roeder, said further explanation was needed of the current interpretation of the rule. "That is how the rule is now," he said. "We had that against us on Wednesday night [against Birmingham City].
"It is very much a grey area. I do not think it is the referees' fault at all. They apply the law as they see it and as they have been told to apply the law."
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