Arsenal verdict shows double standards and the FA go hand in hand
After a weekend of thrilling Premier League football action there is another story about controversial ‘Tweets’ by a professional player; it’s starting to become a bit of a trend. There’s been Darren Bent’s rant to Daniel Levy in 2009 and Ryan Babel’s infamous FA charge at the start of the year, whilst a number of QPR players tweeted their feelings on El Hadji Diouf which caused accounts to be suspended. This weekend however, it was the Tweet of Arsenal midfielder, Jack Wilshere.
The Gunners youngster posted a comment about ‘inconsistent refereeing’ in regards to Abou Diaby’s sending off at Newcastle on Saturday. Wilshere felt that Newcastle’s Kevin Nolan should’ve been sent off for raising his hands to the Arsenal ‘keeper in the same game. It’s been labelled as an attack on the referee for that game, Phil Dowd, but the Twitter post has since been removed and it is unlikely Wilshere will face any FA punishment. Is it a case of double standards?
Just look at the punishment Liverpool’s Ryan Babel received when he made a Twitter post about referee Howard Webb. Babel had posted a mocked up picture of Webb in a Manchester United shirt after Liverpool’s FA Cup defeat at Old Trafford. Despite his apology for questioning Webb’s integrity, the FA charged Babel with improper conduct.
Although Wilshere did not post any mocked up pictures of Phil Dowd in his Tweet, he still gave a public opinion that referees are inconsistent. So what is freedom of speech for footballers? And what do the FA classify as improper conduct?
These are important questions with the growth of social networking sites like Twitter, which are able to bring the professional players that bit closer to the fans. If these stories continue for the rest of the season then we could see an FA ban on professional players using the social networking site, or at least using it as their own verified selves. Instead, Twitter could be full of pseudonym footballers who tweet in Morse code.
Ryan Babel will be asking questions to the Football Association after Wilshere escaped punishment for a pretty similar incident. Even though Wilshere wasn’t charged, I wonder where it leaves pro footballers and their social networking days. As if these stories keep occuring and the FA keeps reprimanding players, footballers will have no voice and become more distant from the fans who play a huge part in who they are.
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The questions that should be asked are those of referee’s integrity like Phil Dowd and Howard Webb. THey have been getting away with an actual misconduct of biased and unfair refereeing, so what is your point exactly?
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Was Wilshere wrong in saying the ref was inconsistent? He didnt say he favoured any one team he simply stated an opinion that the ref made 2 completely different decisions on 2 almost identical situations – that’s the very definition of inconsistency, right?
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I can’t understand why Babel should be charged for picturing Howard Webb in a United-shirt and then Wilshere escape for this? I don’t really see where the “line” is?!?!
When that is said I don’t think any of the two should be charged for stating their opinion on Twitter….
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Sam Reply:
February 8th, 2011 at 2:45 pm
Babel accused Webb of favouring Man-Utd. An accusation that cannot be proved.
Wilshere stated a fact saying that Diaby was sent of for attacking the oppostion players; whilst Kevin Nolan was not suspended inspite of grabbing Szechny by the neck and pulling him down. The refereeing was inconsistent. FACT. What can the FA charge him for then?
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Tom Jones Reply:
February 8th, 2011 at 3:05 pm
Sam – I don’t think you can say the Wilshere and Nolan incidents are the same – grabbing Barton by the neck vs wrestling ‘keeper to the floor to get the ball back.
In terms of the general debate, neither should be charged, we want footballers to be honest and Twitter is a good way for them to be just that.
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FA for once was right not to punish Wilshire, but wrong to punish Babel. I see your point. In the meantime refs like Dowd and Webb continue to go around scott free and ruin our game
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I think your right. Twitter brings footballers closer to fans, something people moan about all the time.
It’s nice to view a professional players opinion and as a fan you get a deeper insight into what is really going on.
All the incidents metioned above have made that particular story more interesting because we got the point of view from the ‘horse’s mouth’. Not a ‘source’ or a ‘very close friend’.
When someone tweets we know it’s from them, it’s their opinion and there’s no mistake in lost translation.
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All this punishment this, punishment that; what a load of nonsense; jobs seem to be cut in all the wrong areas. Sack the mini-me’s with their pathetic little minds; ooohhh you can’t do that, I’m gonna tell mummy. Babel’s twitter was brilliant, nothing wrong with it.
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refs are inconsistent. they work for the FA so is it any wonder that the fa is also inconsistent in its judgments?
squillaci sent off for committing a foul which denies huddersfield a goalscoring opportunity. huddersfield player commits a foul to deny bendtner a goalscoring opportunity but is not sent off. diaby raises hands and is sent off, nolan raises hands and is not sent off.
the fact that arsenal were the victims in these cases is irrelevant. but is there a word to describe the way the referees applied the rules in these games other than ‘inconsistent’?
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…Someone is trying to start another witch hunt, albeit, unsuccessfully. The posts sent different messages and had different implications for the FA.
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In Wilshere’s case he expressed an opinion that might easily be proven factually correct.
In England, free speech is allowed and if the FA seek to surpress it, they might be on the end of a bigger fine than Wilshere.
Babel ridiculed the referee by posting the picture which was not thesame thing at all.
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what part of the word inconsistent did you not understand? definitely, wilshere cannot be charge b/caus his opinion were blattant facts consistent with the happenings of the day;or how would you explain the fact kevin nolan never received even a yellow in a circumstance where diaby received a red?. shameless d**d.
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