These incidents prove we need two refs

FLASHPOINT ... City's David Silva is clipped by Chelsea's Jose Boswinga

THIS could make me just about the most unpopular manager among my colleagues in the Premier League, but I reckon it might be a good idea to have not one but TWO referees in every match.

I was at a dinner on Monday night and got talking to Shaun Edwards, the rugby league legend, now coaching with the Wales national union team.

He told me it works a treat for them and I thought 'Why not football too?'

Last weekend was full of controversial incidents in the Premier League. It seems hardly a week goes by when referees and managers' reactions are not creating headlines and friction in the game.

Refs have a tough job, I know that. The other managers know that.

I don't want to criticise them, but if we can think of a solution where they can work more effectively and we avoid these fall-outs surely it must be better for us all.

At Chelsea on Monday night, Manchester City had a penalty appeal turned down.

To everyone it looked a blatant penalty. Maybe it was, maybe it wasn't. But had City scored it they would have been 2-0 up and perhaps it would have been game over.

The path the Premier League season is taking now could have been vastly different, because Chelsea came from behind to win and now the top of the table is wide open with six teams in with a shout of winning the title.

In Blackburn's match against Sunderland, the keeper jumped too early in a challenge on Chris Samba, the ball flew over his head and a Rovers player headed in what looked like a perfectly legitimate goal.

« Previous1234Next »