Phil Neville: The Referees favor the Big Clubs

Just watched Young of Middlesborough get struck in the back from a shot on goal and be penalised for handball!
An extremely harsh penalty call. Middlesborough were robbed for sure. Aston Villa got lucky!

As I watch the game of soccer after many years I am continuously amazed how many poor calls are made by officials and how many of the poor decisions effect the outcome of the game. I don't care if they only have a split second to make calls. The rules must be flawed if the officials are put under this pressure and can influence the result of so many games versus the players.

As for referee's favouring any side (wealthy, poor, top or bottom)unfairly - I am sure that as human beings this must happen for a variety of reasons - but that they are able to indicates the officiating rules are flawed.

I am also amazed that the players as a whole accept most of the bad calls so well. The game needs to get up to date with rule changes and technology. Fans have never attended games to watch the officials and do not want them to decide the result. The old adage - Well it's the same for all sides and averages out in the end - does not wash in the top levels of soccer there's far too much at stake. One poor decision can decide the fate of a team for the season.

As for the traditionalist that want to preserve all the old ways well the same applies - the modern game has changed immensly and warrants the same in the officiating/rule area also.

There are several areas that scream for attention - Time keeping - needs to be updated with a clock that gets stopped and not left to the whim of this all powerful god referee. Time wasting such as changing players with minutes or even seconds to go would be pointless with a game clock for all to see (e.g. take a leaf out of ice hockey's book to see the result).

One of the worst rules of the game as far as officiating must be the offside call - how many poor calls do you see per game - why live with this defect?
If you are going to rely on split second decisions by an individual to influence the success of some very expensive teams then surely you must allow some sort of on the spot appeal process to verify the major decisions such as penalties and disputed goals. Rugby does a good job of judging tries as an example.

Another example of a flawed rule is the need for a player who has been injured as a result of a foul by the opposing team and received treatment on the field - to leave the field of play - in other words you are fouled and penalised at the same time!

As far as I can see the games rules and methods of officiating (particularly for top levels of soccer that are profit based with tremendous investments at risk)are flawed from the start and urgently need revamping and updating.

I think this will only change if the top clubs and players insist that the bureaucratic league organisers stop their politics for a while and make the necessary changes.

Moo is obviously a liverpool fan. Kuyt's tackle was a red card, no matter how you look at it.

The big clubs in every league, and in every sport, get some degree of preferential treatment. They always have. Neville picked a pretty poor time to talk about it, just after being sent off himself, but it's true. I won't comment on this game in particular, because I haven't seen it, but I've definitely seen Big Four teams get "Jordon Rules" calls before, calls the opposition would never get. Just as the Old Firm does in Scotland, and every other star team everywhere. Everyone seems to agree Clattenburg did a poor job, and that's where the attention should be. One week off doesn't seem like the appropriate punishment for poor job performance on such a massive stage as a Merseyside derby.

Rubbish all around.

Clattenburg was bad, as have much of the refereeing this season. And Liverpool has endured a fair share of poor calls.

Gerrard dove? A knee to the leg that takes out your other leg and knocks you off your base is not a dive. He may have gone with it, which is the professional response.

Kuyt got air, some ball, and no Toffee. Yellow was just.

And Neville has lost his mind to consider his action at all justified. The rules are clear on it and he faces suspension to boot. Terrible mistake.

All that said both sides played poorly.

A yellow card should be immediately handed out to the first player who runs up and tries to influence the ref. Then he will have a clear mind on what he thinks the call should be on the initial foul. also a yellow card to the player who touches the ref. If Neville thinks refs favor the big 4 then he should stop throwing the game in the final minute against them like with Man U last year.

Clattenburg was terrible. I could make out from my TV set that Gerrard dived to get a spot kick...and Dirk Kuyt's lunge....man...surely a red card..it's the intent that matters not the end result (ask Ronaldo)..Everton deserved at least a draw..