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Players setting example to managers over 'respect' campaign, says Webb
TOP referee Howard Webb believes the FA's Respect campaign is working and has noticed improved behaviour by players. Now he wants managers to curb their criticisms.
"The respect levels, from my experience of refereeing 11 Premier League games this season, has been really good," said the Rotherham referee now acknowledged as the country's No 1.
"I did the Everton-Middlesbrough game on Sunday and myself and my assistants came off talking about how respectful the players had been in accepting decisions.
"We accept football is a passionate game and emotions are a big part of what makes it the sport that it is, but apart from a bit of disappointment on the field, we have not really seen players surrounding or haranguing referees as a regular occurrence."
He feels the Respect programme was introduced for the right reasons."
"It is something to be welcomed. I didn't expect cultures and attitudes within the game to change overnight, I'm a realistic person and things like this take time," he added.
"But if we didn't do anything, then standards would only deteriorate. Only by education, by banging the drum all the time, will we get the message over and if we have consistently strong punishment of people who do step over the line will this programme be ultimately successful."
He said players had taken everything on board and he said that he had not had any managers being disrespectful to him although he realised some faced FA charges and managers need to accept there is a line they should not cross.
"Passion and frustration and disappointment is all part of football. In other sports we see people express a little bit of frustration and disappointment but then something kicks in and they say 'ok that's it, we mustn't cross the line' and that's all we are asking people in football to do - a little switch in their heads saying that's enough.
"We have to think about the image of the game for what they do on Saturday and Sunday afternoon, is seen by youngsters and emulated."
Webb was speaking at the launch of the FA's Respect spectator barriers in Barnsley which many clubs will start to use alongside their pitches after a successful pilot scheme across England. Already nine leagues in the Sheffield and Hallamshire FA Area have signed up for the scheme for which clubs can obtain funding.
"I think the barriers are a good thing and another step forward and I hope we get to the stage where abusing the referee on the local parks pitches becomes taboo and will help generate a better atmosphere in attitudes and behaviour towards referees on Saturday afternoons and Sunday mornings," said Howard.
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Saturday 04 February 2012
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