I delayed commenting on the yellow card shown to Nabil on Saturday until i'd had a chance to see it a second time on the video, but it is appears as ridiculous as ever on second viewing. Nabil has scored a hat trick with a close range finish, and essentially flops against the fence, where he is mobbed. I know there are issues in games at the top level with huge crowds, but to see a yellow card for this was a further sign that the FA has lost the plot, issuing such instructions to their match officials. I can think of a dozen similar occasions where one of our players would have received a yellow card for such celebrations in past seasons. We saw the impact of Nabil picking up 5 bookings last season, and need to avoid that happening again.
I think clubs need to establish if players have to celebrate within the white lines - and if football is no longer trying to be a form of entertainment where supporters can celebrate a player scoring a hat trick with no risk of inciting any trouble.
The referee let himself down on an earlier occasion when he failed to realise that using an elbow to deliberately block a corner might be an offence, so perhaps he has shown further misjudgement here.
The Game Has Gone
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Three of Diamonds
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Re: The Game Has Gone
I completely agree, that's the daftest reason to book someone I've ever seen.
AFC R & D member number 34
