Is this cheating?

[Boogs]

The Premier League claim Graham Poll was not guilty of any wrongdoing when he warned Charlton manager Alan Pardew that Alexandre Song was close to being sent off in Monday's draw against Reading.

Pardew was quick to praise the official for giving him the chance to substitute Song, on loan from Arsenal, who had been shown a yellow card for a rash challenge on Steve Sidwell during the first half.

A Premier League spokesman said: "It has got to be beneficial that referees keep captains and management aware of any issues."

Pardew had already been forced to replace both Hermann Hreidarsson and Marcus Bent during the first half because of injury.

Following some more questionable tackles after the restart, the Charlton boss knew the time had come with just over 20 minutes left.

Pardew admitted after the Reading draw: "I went to see Graham Poll [at half-time] and I said to him 'I need to have some signal if it is getting close', and he sent me that signal, so Alex had to come off. He gave me a look - which more or less said it all. I think that is within the rules of the game."

Meanwhile, Pardew knows there is still plenty of work to be done but is adamant his side have "a great chance" of staying in the Barclays Premiership.

The Addicks moved a point clear of the relegation zone with five games left after the draw at Reading, and Pardew added: "We're not favourites but if we play like we did at times against Reading then there's no reason we can't go unbeaten between now and the end."

I am not sure about this. Personally I think it is not on as it would give more reason for the managers to moan if they did not get "the nod" and one of the players did get sent off.
Any thoughts?

[Draxdor]

I am not sure about this. Personally I think it is not on as it would give more reason for the managers to moan if they did not get "the nod" and one of the players did get sent off.
Any thoughts?

That all sounds a little dodgy to me...

[Bob]

It's wrong. A lot of what Poll does is questionable.

A manager should not be even allowed to speak to a "ref" at half-time. Period.

[Draxdor]

Where is this article from?

[TheStig]

A manager should not be even allowed to speak to a player at half-time. Period.

So what are they meant to do sit around in silence for 15 minutes?

[Bob]

So what are they meant to do sit around in silence for 15 minutes?

Err i have had eight beers. Give us a break.

[dww]

I actually think that Referees should have to say to both managers about any players they are having trouble with. Register some sort of official warning.

The way this sounds is that Poll may have thought about sending Song off but decided to just give the signal to the manager instead. Which is all well and good if it done for all players as most matches are better for being eleven vs eleven.

I guess it goes down as shrewd management by Pardew.

[Abro100]

It was obvious he was going to be sent off if there was anymore bad challanges, ray charles could see that, never mind a premier league manager ffs

[lfc4ever]

The Fiver:

Fair And Impartial Manner; and No Trouble At The Mestella

Scott Murray and Paolo Bandini
Tuesday April 10, 2007
Guardian Unlimited


GRAHAM POLL'S EASTER MONDAY DIARY

7.34am
Wake from sound night's sleep when alarm rings. My, it's early. Yawn! Never mind; rising with the lark keeps the old brain sharp. Time to rise and shine. Climb off top of wardrobe and get into bed.

7.35am
No, that can't be right. Get out of bed.

7.37am
Shower and shave. Then get dressed. Shorts on: check. Shirt on: check. Whistle in pocket: check. Notebook: check. Pencil: check. Funny flower: check. Fill funny flower with water: check. 7.41am
Smell funny flower.

7.42am
Wah! It's full of water!

7.43am
Dry face, then check calendar. Yay! It's Easter Monday! Rush downstairs to open presents.

10.08am
Bah! Santa hasn't come. What sort of Easter is it when Santa doesn't come? Well, if I don't have any pressies to open, I may as well go to work.

11.01am
Finally remember what work it is I do. Double check I've got my whistle, notebook and pencil, then rush out the door - but not before smelling my funny flower.

11.02am
Wah! It's full of water!

11.03am
Dry face, then jump in car with square wheels. Drive off to The Valley, where I'm down to referee the Serie A clash between Charlton v Reading in a fair and impartial manner. Honk!

12.32pm
Nearly there! The Valley's just after this approaching roundabout. Hope I make it for the 5.15pm kick-off.

12.33pm
Bah! Turn on radio and hear kick-off's not until 8pm, so I'm well early. Drive round roundabout to kill time for seven hours and 26 minutes. Hope I don't get so monumentally dizzy I don't know what the hell I'm doing.

7.59pm
Stop car. Get out of car. Oh lummee! Not only has the door come clean off in my hand, I'm so monumentally dizzy I don't know what the hell I'm doing.

8.45pm
Still spinning out. Luckily nothing happened in the first half, apart from the time three Alexandre Songs scythed down three Steve Sidwells. Not for the first time in my career, I dip into one of my three breast pockets and issue three yellow cards.

8.46pm
Am apprehended by three Alan Pardews, all of whom will later claim: "I went to see Graham Poll at half-time and said to him I needed to have a signal if Song was getting close to being sent off. Please let me know." I give him a look, which the Pardews will later claim "more or less said it all".

8.47pm - 8.59pm
In an attempt to negate the monumental dizziness, I spend the break in the referee's room spinning round on my chair in the opposite direction to before. Hope this doesn't backfire so spectacularly that I'm even more monumentally dizzy, and subsequently make a ludicrous decision midway through the second half.

9pm
Cripes! That's torn it. I'm even more monumentally dizzy!

9.24pm
Midway through the second half, I note there are 17 Alexandre Songs running about - and they're all getting well out of control! I shoot the Alan Pardews a look. The Pardews round up all the Songs and take them off the pitch.

9.52pm
Thank God that's over. And I think I got through it without making myself look like a preposterous buffoon. "Full credit to the referee," said the Pardews. "Noone wants to see a team go down to 10 men." Yippee! See? I'm great! Though still a bit dizzy; how on earth am I going to drive home?

9.53pm
Vision suddenly snaps into focus when I consider how Charlton's relegation rivals - such as Neil Warnock and Paul Jewell - might want to discuss this matter with me, perhaps using sticks with nails poking out the end of them as debating tools. Wah!

9.54pm
Drive off in collapsing car at great speed. In my panic to escape, I leave behind the last scrap of my reputation.

[Monkeywool]

Happens inm rugby all the time, referees say to the captain look, any more of this sort of **** from this player then he is going off. Said captain then relays it back to the coach. Fair enough, saves punishment, saves turning the game into a farce and allows the coach to make a decision as to whether or not it is worth the risk.

It is all about being mature and adult about things, something which is seriously lacking in the football game.

[Red_Polo]

If a ref tells a manager to sub a player off, you have to question why. Is it instead of a sending off? If so, then of course it's wrong. If it's because he thinks a player is heading for a sending off then to be quite honest that's something any ****er can tell and is a managers job, not a refs.

For a ref to arrange some kind of deal to let a manager know when he should sub a player off to prevent him being sent off is totally unfair. The ref has effectively said to the manager, don't worry he won't get sent off because I'll tell you to sub him before it gets to that stage. That is bound to influence the ref when it comes to deciding how to deal with that player if he commits another offence.

If we want a rule whereby refs can demand a player is subbed rather than sent off, then fine, but it should be in the rules and should apply across the board, not on the odd occasion where a manager asks for it and the ref happens to desperately want to be chums with top managers and players. Pardew knew he was heading for a sending off and effectively bought the player one more bad challenge.

[Ron_Mexico]

that is cheating in my book. he's given charlton an advantage he hasn't given the other team

he should be removed from the premier league. not for this, but because he's a ****ing awful ref. so inconsistent

[certifiable]

If a ref tells a manager to sub a player off, you have to question why. Is it instead of a sending off? If so, then of course it's wrong. If it's because he thinks a player is heading for a sending off then to be quite honest that's something any ****er can tell and is a managers job, not a refs.

For a ref to arrange some kind of deal to let a manager know when he should sub a player off to prevent him being sent off is totally unfair. The ref has effectively said to the manager, don't worry he won't get sent off because I'll tell you to sub him before it gets to that stage. That is bound to influence the ref when it comes to deciding how to deal with that player if he commits another offence.

If we want a rule whereby refs can demand a player is subbed rather than sent off, then fine, but it should be in the rules and should apply across the board, not on the odd occasion where a manager asks for it and the ref happens to desperately want to be chums with top managers and players. Pardew knew he was heading for a sending off and effectively bought the player one more bad challenge.

Exactimundo.

Very clever by Pardew, but what sort of dumb referee would not see through that.
Once he'd agreed, he'd never have sent him off with the next bad challenge after giving his word to give a warning.
Crazy really

[Boogs]

Exactimundo.

Very clever by Pardew, but what sort of dumb referee would not see through that.
Once he'd agreed, he'd never have sent him off with the next bad challenge after giving his word to give a warning.
Crazy really

Not crazy, just cheating.

[Maestro]

I'd say Warnock and Jewell are fuming!