Did Everton’s James McFadden say Graham Poll was an “effing cheat” against Arsenal or that his decision was “effing shite”? And did he say effing or f***ing? Probably the latter.

Maybe calling Poll “shite” isn’t as bad as calling him a “cheat” (it’s definitely closer to the truth) but it’s still foul and abusive language, and bottom line is that you can’t swear directly at referees, no matter how incompetent they are and no matter how Scottish you are. But the fact that McFadden thought he could shows how little respect players have for referees.

The English game is in a bit of turmoil. Former Manchester United hard man Roy Keane recently branded the Premiership full of cheats. Maybe the man who destroyed Alf-Inge Haaland’s knee ligaments and led a pack of Manchester United players on an impromptu Andy D’Urso hunt isn’t the most trustworthy source, but he’s definitely got a point.

The way to reduce cheating, diving and everything else is to re-establish respect for referees, and Poll may have stumbled upon a way to do this. If referees consistently enforced laws about foul and abusive language, especially towards themselves, then players would be forced to show more respect to the men in black (or green or yellow or whatever they wear these days).

How can you respect a man if you can call him “f***ing shite” and get away with it?

Check out the original article and discussion at
http://www.caughtoffside.com/in-defence-of-graham-poll-and-other-terrible-refs.html