José Mourinho’s latest confrontation with officialdom suggests that the Football Association has finally reached the limit of its tolerance with regards Chelsea’s extravagant manager. By calling to account a number of breaches related to behaviour, language and questioning of officials, the FA’s charge of misconduct laid down on Mourinho is not before time.
Regardless of the character and entertainment that the Portuguese manager brings to the Premier League, the impact of such behaviour on future generations of football fans, officials and players has to be checked. There is no doubting that dull clichés and minimal controversy makes for poor headlines and, in that respect, Mourinho, and others with a similar flare for speaking their mind, should be applauded. The likes of Ian Holloway, and potentially Jürgen Klopp, are also genuinely honest and that is respected, appreciated and celebrated by fans of all teams.
However there is a line to be drawn; a line that must be recognised and enforced. Football already struggles with the notion of respect when it comes to officials, and the Rugby World Cup in England has only highlighted that fact. Dissent is common-place amongst players, and, despite a major campaign to improve touchline behaviour in youth football, unchecked behaviour amongst the very role models that these young players watch on television week in, week out will not change a culture.
So, to allow managers the freedom to criticise match officials, amongst others, would be to allow football to choose its own path and to serve up an unpalatable vision of the game in 10 years’ time.
There is no doubting the importance of the referee in the high stakes world of the Premier League. Fortunes are made and lost on the back of a single point or two come May each year. Yet, from the first whistle blown in August, Premier League managers have 38 games in which to influence the outcome of their finishing position. Of course, some managers are fortunate enough to have a healthy transfer fund to play with, but putting that to one side, there needs to be a much greater appreciation of the opportunities players have to affect any game in the 90 minutes available.
That’s not to say that referees don’t make bad decisions. Of course they do; it’s an incredibly difficult job to position oneself for the best available view of every controversial moment of a match. Inevitably some calls go against your team, but that’s sport. Football needs to learn to accept that.
Clearly the dreadful start that Chelsea have made to this campaign has played a role in José’s actions, and whether you choose to believe that he actually feels slighted or whether he just trying to create a smokescreen, the fact remains that he’s gone too far this time.
The Mourinho misconduct charge for his latest adventures simply serves to remind everyone that those involved in football are duty bound to respect the game and its legacy to others. The Premier League is watched by a global audience of millions – whatever your opinion of the Football Association, they are duty bound to uphold the beautiful game by ensuring that the face of football is projecting the right image.
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