Carl Asaba on Sheffield United: If managers and players are publicly held accountable then why not referees?

I’m not talking about being accosted by a pack of disgruntled wild youths. I mean to be questioned in an orderly, civil manner in a post-match Q&A carried out in the confines of a football club's media suite where qualified, balanced reporters ask for an insight into events of a match to then convey to us all.

As it stands, paid match officials can enter a football match to officiate knowing that whatever they decide to uphold during a match, once they blow the whistle for the final time, they face nothing but internal back patting or a furrowed brow from an elderly former ref.

Approaches from managers or players, who can have their careers impacted by decisions, face huge fines if they speak frankly and question the calls made by officials.

How on earth in a sport which drives so many of our lives and with so much money invested can these people not also face a post-match interview just as the managers and players must. To allow the players to understand what they did right or wrong so as to improve the next time out, and also to let them know that just as in any other walk of life accountability is waiting for you so be the best you can be as you will be explaining it all.

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I have played in some amazing matches and suffered some crazy decisions. I had a wonderful three-minute spell playing for Stoke where I got booked, then scored, then got booked again so sent off - no real complaints aimed at the ref for his decisions.

I’ve endured the life-changing effects of Mark Halsey adding six minutes of stoppage time in a play-off final against Man City in which they scored the late goals in that period.

Our own local super ref Uriah Rennie sent me off twice. I didn’t lambast him, shouting profanities whenever I saw him (yes I was well aware of his black belt status, but I promise this had no weight in my smiling whenever near him) so we live in a society where we can accept things not going our own way without demanding change.

However, this season I have witnessed two of the worst displays from a referee I’ve ever seen, against Millwall at home and Blackburn at home.

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On Wednesday night the Blades again fell foul to bad decisions, and you know what, the players and staff who gave their all to gain a result and the fans who travelled to cheer their team on get no explanation at all. It is not right. Things must change.

If I chose to be a professional referee I would welcome the chance to show my excellence in my paid role and explain why I was right in making the decisions I made, they are human.

We would also respect a referee or assistant who said ‘I was wrong’ but hearing nothing and them being above approach makes things hard to reconcile.

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When I scored the winner in my first Steel City derby I was happy to speak to all media, the following season when I was terrible and played badly I also faced the media.

We need to strive for public accountability and transparency for all and from all who impact the sport we love.