Martin Tyler- incorrect knowledge Law 12

[NewRefBrendan]

Pretty minor, but seeing as I’m revising the LOTG for my upcoming ref course, I was watching the U21 Euro final last night and I noticed something that was said which was incorrect from the commentary team....

Basically... The ref failed to walk a player for a blatant red, he booked him instead. Martin Tyler said the player should have been sent off because it was “a reckless tackle”.

But, my understanding is that If the ref was in agreement with the comms team in that it was a reckless tackle, then surely he got the call spot on by cautioning three player, according to the LOTG?

That being said, the player lunged in and caught his opponent high and late, so I’d have definitely sent him off for SFP...

Perhaps the pundits need refresher training?!?!

 

[Trip]

If you're about to qualify as a ref you are about to discover that some pundits and commentators, including former professional players, have absolutely no idea about the laws.

"Oh does handball have to be deliberate?" - Jermain Jenas.

 

[socal lurker]

Even ones that understand the concepts don't have the right terminology. Not all of the words in the LOTG mean what a casual reader/watcher would think they mean.

 

[Sheffields Finest]

More like Bonnie Tyler... Total remiss of the VAR

I’m here all week!

 

[RustyRef]

In fairness, I've heard lots of referees say they sent a player off for a reckless challenge, and I've even seen it written in sending off reports. Its probably not great wording in the laws, as the word reckless probably describes something that a casual observer would think would be a red card offence. Dictionary definition talks about showing a lack of care / understanding about danger and the consequences of your actions, which to me sounds more red than yellow when translated to football.

I've met Martin a few times when he was coaching and I was refereeing, and he is certainly one of the more knowledgable coaches and pundits out there when it comes to the laws, something that I think has rubbed off on Gary Neville who is also one of the best at looking at it from the view of the referee. He has been the right hand man to Alan Dowson wherever he has gone - Walton & Hersham, Kingstonian, Hampton & Richmond Borough and now Woking. But he isn't a referee and therefore won't get hung up on the some of the wording and terminology as we referees (rightly) do.

 

[PinnerPaul]

Happens all the time.

Once you qualify and start refereeing, commentators/punters/journalists become ever more frustrating with their lack of knowledge of LOTG.

A game they are being paid to work on btw - so not buying some of the excuses for them above I have to say!

Why do we accept it in football - you don't get horseracing presenters/commentators/guests/journalists using wrong terminology or not understanding what a handicap race is for example - in fact its the exact opposite, most use their knowledge to enhance the viewers'/readers experience and to educate those who are not aware of all the intricacies of the sport.

Yet in football we allow those paid to inform/entertain us to not know the laws of the game, whilst at the same time criticisng the referee who, for all his/her faults, does!

 

[jofusref]

most of them havent got a clue mate, mr tyler is usually one of the better ones

 

[The Referee]

We can actually make football TV accurate if we want (at least in the UK):

- All UK broadcasters have a lawful duty to report accurately.
- Next time a pundit says something inaccurate/misleading, we should all complain to OFCOM.
- Pundits will soon be forced into reading the laws of the game.

 

[Sheffields Finest]

We can actually make football TV accurate if we want (at least in the UK):

- All UK broadcasters have a lawful duty to report accurately.
- Next time a pundit says something inaccurate/misleading, we should all complain to OFCOM.
- Pundits will soon be forced into reading the laws of the game.

Please... let’s enjoy the struggles

 

[cwyeary]

I wouldn't beat him up for that one. I've seen a ton of refs mess the one up.

 

[bester]

Mark Halsey frequently trots out ‘reckless with excessive force’

 

[Peter Grove]

That's probably one of the least egregious mistakes a commentator or pundit will ever make in terms of knowledge of the law. As various people have pointed out, even referees (both on this board and elsewhere) sometimes make the same mistake.

In one sense, it may not even be that much of a mistake to start with. Many tackles that are excessively forceful or dangerous to an opponent are also reckless at the same time - it's just that (in a way somewhat akin to the idea of punishing the more serious offence when two offences occur simultaneously) we take action based on whatever is the most serious aspect of the challenge. So if a challenge is both reckless and uses excessive force, we penalise the excessive force rather than the recklessness.

Same goes if the tackle has in fact only reached the level of being reckless - chances are it was careless as well but we penalise it as reckless.