Referees demand respect at special summit

FFA and the referees and coaching associations are set to meet in a bid to bridge divide that threatens the football community.

Thomas Kristensen of the Roar argues with referee Adam Fielding who has the Respect logo on his left sleeve covered with tape. Picture: AAP

Football Federation Australia and the referees and coaching associations will meet early next year in a bid to repair a fractured relationship that threatens to divide the football community.

Professional Referees Association president Stebre Delovski told The Australian yesterday he will sit down with A-League boss Greg O’Rourke and Professional Coaches president Phil Moss in the wake of a damaging week for the sport.

The referees took an unprecedented stand during all five A-League games last weekend when they covered the word “Respect” on their shirt sleeve in protest over FFA’s failure to sanction Wellington Phoenix coach Mark Rudan for comments made following his side’s loss to Perth Glory recently.

“It couldn’t have been more one-sided,” Rudan said at the time. “I’ve never seen anything like it. It got to the point where I had to laugh. I turned to my coaching staff and it was hilarious. It was a joke, an absolute joke.

“If he (referee Adam Kersey) can sleep well at night, good on him. But you know, he’s cost us — he certainly has.”

In a situation that has pitted coaches against coaches, Newcastle Jets boss Ernie Merrick subsequently came out in support of the referees on Monday, accusing FFA of double standards in that the head body fined him last season for comments he made about referees yet let Rudan, who he did not name, off the hook.

And now the situation is likely to blow up even further amid suggestions FFA could act against a coach for comments made following a game on the weekend. If the coach is sanctioned it is certain to lead to more angst regarding the Rudan situation.

Delovski said the situation has got out of hand because of FFA’s failure to take action.

A-League boss Greg O'Rourke. Picture: AAP

“This has been going on for a number of years where no action has been taken toward these types of comments,” Delovski said.

“This is the culture now creeping in, not just in football but Australian sport, where it is almost acceptable to have a crack at the referee. Well, enough is enough. The fact there was no action (taken in the Rudan case) was the straw that broke the camel’s back.

“We had spoken to FFA for two weeks and they chose not to do anything and we said ‘OK, we have no choice we need to make a stand on this one’.

“We followed through with our decision to cover up the Respect badge. A line was crossed in which a referee’s integrity was questioned and he was basically called a cheat. That is not acceptable.”

Delovski, a former A-League and FIFA rated referee, says something needs to change and called on coaches to have a look at themselves: “The coaches association came out and said referees are amateurish, but they should look at themselves and how they are addressing the behaviour of some of their members.

“I’ve spoken to Greg O’Rourke in the last few days and to Phil Moss from the coaches and we are having a meeting early new year to discuss a way forward because, at the moment, the message to the coaches is that they have a free hit to have a go at referees.

“What sort of message is that to send to the other 9000 refs in the country? If these types of comments are deemed acceptable and continue then we will continue to have these issues.”