" THE REFEREE ADMITS HE GOT IT WRONG "

2nd April 2012

Referee admits mistake - Cardiff boss Malky Mackay

Cardiff boss Malky Mackay says the referee who made the "horrendous decision" that "cost" his side victory over Millwall has admitted his mistake.

Cardiff's Aron Gunnarsson thought he had won Saturday's goalless draw when he headed in Liam Lawrence's free-kick.

Referee Tony Bates ruled out the second-half effort as assistant Andrew Rodda adjudged Gunnarsson pushed Millwall's Jimmy Abdou in the build-up.

"He called me back today and apologised because he's seen it," said Mackay.

"He watched it seven or eight times and said there's absolutely nothing wrong with it."

Mackay believes Bates' admission justifies his post-match reaction following a game in which the Bluebirds' Championship play-off bid continued to falter.

In the immediate aftermath of the game Mackay said: "We have seen the goal again and it's a horrendous decision.

“You need it to be a level playing field and it wasn't on the basis of that goal going in and it not being given”

"It is the third goal given against us by a linesman [this season].

"The previous two, the League Referees Association have phoned up after we showed them the DVD and admitted the linesman had got it wrong.

"Well they are going to be doing the same again, the minute they get this DVD.

"It was a dreadful decision.

"Sometimes games are won and lost on things like that and Millwall are fighting for the lives - sometimes it comes down to one decision.

"We opened them up on a set-piece, we scored a perfectly good goal and from 50 yards, the linesman has given it as a pull - and when he sees it again he will be absolutely embarrassed at the decision.

"Gunnarsson only has his eyes on the ball and their player pulls him down for [what should have been a] penalty. Everyone has said the same."

Iceland international midfielder Gunnarsson had a goal disallowed earlier on in the season and Mackay claims Cardiff have been wrongly denied four points that would now have put the eighth-placed Bluebirds in fourth.

But Cardiff, who have won just twice in 14 games, are two points adrift of the play-off places after failing to win their fifth successive home game.

"It is hugely frustrating," said Mackay.

"You need it to be a level playing field and it wasn't on the basis of that goal going in and it not being given."

BBC Sport have contacted the Football League for a comment on Mackay's claim.

Millwall had the ball Cardiff's net before Gunnarsson beat Millwall keeper Maik Taylor, however Lions striker Andy Keogh's effort from Tony Craig's cross was disallowed for offside.

"He is way offside when the ball goes in the net," added Mackay.

It is frustrating. We are loosing more confidence the less we win.
MM has every right to complain. Hope the linesmans getting sacked. Its so easy to point from the Canton there was nothing wrong with the goal never mind being 50 yards away.

Another argument in favour of video technology.

In addition that goal had it been allowed would have given us the 3 points and could have reinstalled confidence amongst the team and got us into playoffs.

it was a good goal, that was wrongly dissallowed, however yet again though it was from a set piece and seems to be what we rely on to get a goal these days...

we dont score enough from open play.

Yep, we were robbed of that goal!

I sit in the grandstand and was in line with that linesman, and could see there was nothing at all wrong with it!.

We should have had 3 points from that game

Malky has every right to "moan" as some people call it about officials if they are making silly mistakes like this.. it's quite a big deal!

Stuff like this makes me furious. Why the hell is it taking so long to get video replay technology!? 3 times this season we have been robbed because of poor officials.

The sad thing is this wouldn't happen to any other team in the league. As Malky says, we want a level playing field and at the moment we are not getting it. Unfortunately there is little we can do about it but hopefully as the officials have had to admit they've got it wrong 3 times now because of a cheating linesman, they will start to treat us equally and give honest, fair decisions from now on. We are playing poorly and if we played as well as we did earlier in the season, we wouldn't have to worry about the odd decision going against us. But right now, it's nearly the end of the season and we need to get our believe and confidence back. We need a boost and it's a shame that when we do score a perfectly good goal, the officials have to cheat us.

Previously posted here viewtopic.php?f=2&t=76284

That horrendous decision may have cost us a play off place. I think that some of these officials need to be re assessed. Does anybody think vid technology could be the answer after all or do you think it would ruin the game ?

That horrendous decision may have cost us a play off place. I think that some of these officials need to be re assessed. Does anybody think vid technology could be the answer after all or do you think it would ruin the game ?

It would ruin the game, I can't see how it wouldn't tbh.

That horrendous decision may have cost us a play off place. I think that some of these officials need to be re assessed. Does anybody think vid technology could be the answer after all or do you think it would ruin the game ?

It would ruin the game, I can't see how it wouldn't tbh.

Video technology would be a good thing as long as it's only used for dubious goals.

Not sure why the referee has apologised, although the article says the BBC havn't been able to confirm this, because Gunnarsonn 100% pulled the shirt of the Millwall defender dragging him to the ground.

I have watched it again on the extended highlights on Cardiff City Player and the best view, on video, is behind the goal and you can clearly see Gunnarsonn with his right hand on the Millwall players shirt (on his back between his shoulder blades) trying topull his shirt over his head. The Millwall player goes over and the linesman flags for the foul and is indicating by pulling his own shirt why he gave the foul. 100% right.

All this horrendous decision stuff only serves to paper over the cracks of the fact we failed to score in 4 of 5 league games at home in March.

We need to concentrate on getting our scoring boots back on for the 6 or 9 remaining games.

Not sure why the referee has apologised, although the article says the BBC havn't been able to confirm this, because Gunnarsonn 100% pulled the shirt of the Millwall defender dragging him to the ground.

I have watched it again on the extended highlights on Cardiff City Player and the best view, on video, is behind the goal and you can clearly see Gunnarsonn with his right hand on the Millwall players shirt (on his back between his shoulder blades) trying topull his shirt over his head. The Millwall player goes over and the linesman flags for the foul and is indicating by pulling his own shirt why he gave the foul. 100% right.

All this horrendous decision stuff only serves to paper over the cracks of the fact we failed to score in 4 of 5 league games at home in March.

We need to concentrate on getting our scoring boots back on for the 6 or 9 remaining games.

Never a post more true

Not sure why the referee has apologised, although the article says the BBC havn't been able to confirm this, because Gunnarsonn 100% pulled the shirt of the Millwall defender dragging him to the ground.

I have watched it again on the extended highlights on Cardiff City Player and the best view, on video, is behind the goal and you can clearly see Gunnarsonn with his right hand on the Millwall players shirt (on his back between his shoulder blades) trying topull his shirt over his head. The Millwall player goes over and the linesman flags for the foul and is indicating by pulling his own shirt why he gave the foul. 100% right.

All this horrendous decision stuff only serves to paper over the cracks of the fact we failed to score in 4 of 5 league games at home in March.

We need to concentrate on getting our scoring boots back on for the 6 or 9 remaining games.

Never a post more true

It's pretty sad that we're here trying to blame the Ref . We were utterly inept in front of goal and too scared to shoot . For that you can only blame Malky

Not sure why the referee has apologised, although the article says the BBC havn't been able to confirm this, because Gunnarsonn 100% pulled the shirt of the Millwall defender dragging him to the ground.

I have watched it again on the extended highlights on Cardiff City Player and the best view, on video, is behind the goal and you can clearly see Gunnarsonn with his right hand on the Millwall players shirt (on his back between his shoulder blades) trying topull his shirt over his head. The Millwall player goes over and the linesman flags for the foul and is indicating by pulling his own shirt why he gave the foul. 100% right.

All this horrendous decision stuff only serves to paper over the cracks of the fact we failed to score in 4 of 5 league games at home in March.

We need to concentrate on getting our scoring boots back on for the 6 or 9 remaining games.

Never a post more true

It's pretty sad that we're here trying to blame the Ref . We were utterly inept in front of goal and too scared to shoot . For that you can only blame Malky

Agree with most of the above, but if the god forbidding day comes when a manager needs to tell a pro footballer when to shoot, then i think we are all doomed.

Agree with most of the above, but if the god forbidding day comes when a manager needs to tell a pro footballer when to shoot, then i think we are all doomed.

Well there's something up, because its comes to something when the crowd need to ask players to shoot , instead of trying to walk in the back of the net .

Agree with most of the above, but if the god forbidding day comes when a manager needs to tell a pro footballer when to shoot, then i think we are all doomed.

Well there's something up, because its comes to something when the crowd need to ask players to shoot , instead of trying to walk in the back of the net .

Right you are butty.

Wonder if the linesman will pay up the money I lost due to a draw!!

The sad thing is this wouldn't happen to any other team in the league. As Malky says, we want a level playing field and at the moment we are not getting it. Unfortunately there is little we can do about it but hopefully as the officials have had to admit they've got it wrong 3 times now because of a cheating linesman, they will start to treat us equally and give honest, fair decisions from now on. We are playing poorly and if we played as well as we did earlier in the season, we wouldn't have to worry about the odd decision going against us. But right now, it's nearly the end of the season and we need to get our believe and confidence back. We need a boost and it's a shame that when we do score a perfectly good goal, the officials have to cheat us.

Please tell me you are joking here, and I am missing some obvious sarcasm or something?

Do you generally believe that you are the only team to suffer from poor referring decisions? This season I have seen lots of very dodgy penalty decisions given against my club, I have seen lots of very good penalty shouts from my team turned down. I have seen goals that should have been allowed disallowed, and goals given that were two yards offside.

Malky complained every time we lost about the ref, he must spend more time talking about officials than what happens on the pitch.

Some examples from his time at watford:http://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/sport/8971446.Mackay___Holt_should_have_seen_red_/
http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/Sc ... 30901.html
http://www.givemefootball.com/champions ... mes-at-ref
http://www.tribalfootball.com/articles/ ... me-1185561

right those are just four of the many occasions when malky blamed the ref, when quite simply the team was not good enough. Malky needs to man up and accept that sometimes his team just does not play well enough to pick up the three points, however he seems intent upon picking out other peoples failings rather than just his own.

If you genuinely think that you are the only team who gets punished by the poor standard of referring in this country, then you are seriously blinkered.

I agree with others in this thread that video refereeing should be introduced, however I don't think it would have helped you. I think the goal was correctly disallowed as gunnarson had his hand all over the back of the defender.

I don't know what highlights some of u have been watching but that should have been a goal regardless or how the rest of the game was played there was nothing wrong with it. The bloody ref has apologised for it if he thought they were right he wouldn't have admitted they were wrong. Gunnar has said himself on twitter that it should've been allowed. I havent got a problem with fans having a go, but some of you just keep kicking! Not everything malky says and does is wrong

The sad thing is this wouldn't happen to any other team in the league. As Malky says, we want a level playing field and at the moment we are not getting it. Unfortunately there is little we can do about it but hopefully as the officials have had to admit they've got it wrong 3 times now because of a cheating linesman, they will start to treat us equally and give honest, fair decisions from now on. We are playing poorly and if we played as well as we did earlier in the season, we wouldn't have to worry about the odd decision going against us. But right now, it's nearly the end of the season and we need to get our believe and confidence back. We need a boost and it's a shame that when we do score a perfectly good goal, the officials have to cheat us.

Please tell me you are joking here, and I am missing some obvious sarcasm or something?

Do you generally believe that you are the only team to suffer from poor referring decisions? This season I have seen lots of very dodgy penalty decisions given against my club, I have seen lots of very good penalty shouts from my team turned down. I have seen goals that should have been allowed disallowed, and goals given that were two yards offside.

Malky complained every time we lost about the ref, he must spend more time talking about officials than what happens on the pitch.

Some examples from his time at watford:http://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/sport/8971446.Mackay___Holt_should_have_seen_red_/
http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/Sc ... 30901.html
http://www.givemefootball.com/champions ... mes-at-ref
http://www.tribalfootball.com/articles/ ... me-1185561

right those are just four of the many occasions when malky blamed the ref, when quite simply the team was not good enough. Malky needs to man up and accept that sometimes his team just does not play well enough to pick up the three points, however he seems intent upon picking out other peoples failings rather than just his own.

If you genuinely think that you are the only team who gets punished by the poor standard of referring in this country, then you are seriously blinkered.

I agree with others in this thread that video refereeing should be introduced, however I don't think it would have helped you. I think the goal was correctly disallowed as gunnarson had his hand all over the back of the defender.

No I don't think we are the only team to suffer from bad decisions, but this season the number of key bad decisions that have gone against us is embarassing. Malky has every right to complain because it's there for all to see. The decisions going against us aren't "honest mistakes" where you can understand why the officials may have got it wrong, in the 3 decisions Malky has had a "moan" about, there is no infringement at all. Our last perfectly good goal on Saturday, there was no shirt pull, the linesman waited until the ball went into the net, then he puts his flag up! Why didn't the linesman put his flag up before the ball hit the net if he saw an infringement? Honestly, I looked at the linesman straight away when it hit the net and there was a couple of seconds delay, then he decided to raise his flag and indicate a shirt pull to disallow the goal.

I realise we are not the only team to have numerous shocking decisions going against us and if you're having similar bad luck to us this season, I feel for you. As I'm sure you're aware, the officials have their favourites and are scared to give decisions at certain grounds. This is just the way it is unfortunately. At the moment, we are not playing good enough and don't deserve to go up, but if the officials did their jobs properly and fairly, we would have probably taken 4 more points over those 3 incidents Malky has complained about and if our perfectly good goal was not wrongfully disallowed Saturday, we may have won 1-0 (I say may because we could well have sat back, let them come onto us and concede a late equaliser, like we usually do when hanging onto a lead). But a win Saturday would have given us a much needed boost, it's all about confidence, belief and momentum at this stage of the season and it's a shame the officials have to ruin things through sheer incompetance.

I could go on and make a list of the key decisions that I think have benefitted us this season (I make it at 3 decisions) and a list of key decisions that have gone against us this season, I can think of at least a dozen off the top of my head right now and I'm sure if I looked at our fixtures and results, I could think of nmerous others. I am saying we get robbed every game and I am not blaming all the bad decisions going against us for our current position of sliding out of the playoffs. Like I said, we are not playing well enough and don't deserve to go up this season, but it would be nice if it was a level playing field for everyone. Hope your bad luck stops anyway and good luck for the rest of the season (apart from when you play us of course)

I think this angle shows there was no infringement whatsoever. He's already goalside of the Millwall player before the Millwall player starts falling, so there is no way Gunnarsson could have pulled him. http://www.twitvid.com/VJKZU

I think this angle shows there was no infringement whatsoever. He's already goalside of the Millwall player before the Millwall player starts falling, so there is no way Gunnarsson could have pulled him. http://www.twitvid.com/VJKZU

Sorry have a look on Cardiff City Player the video is taken from directly behind the goal and there is no doubt from that angle that Gunnarsonn pulls the players shirt and dragsthe player over. At that angle Gunnarsson is in the way and so it's not clear.

I agree he was already goalside of the Millwall player which makes his action in pulling the player over stupid.

I think this angle shows there was no infringement whatsoever. He's already goalside of the Millwall player before the Millwall player starts falling, so there is no way Gunnarsson could have pulled him. http://www.twitvid.com/VJKZU

Sorry have a look on Cardiff City Player the video is taken from directly behind the goal and there is no doubt from that angle that Gunnarsonn pulls the players shirt and dragsthe player over. At that angle Gunnarsson is in the way and so it's not clear.

I agree he was already goalside of the Millwall player which makes his action in pulling the player over stupid.

I don't have Iplayer so can't make comment to what you have seen, so why did the ref say he's watched it 7 or 8 times and it was the wrong decision, and apologise?

I was in line with that linesman, and he flagged up on an assumption (way too late) he should never have flagged!.

I think this angle shows there was no infringement whatsoever. He's already goalside of the Millwall player before the Millwall player starts falling, so there is no way Gunnarsson could have pulled him. http://www.twitvid.com/VJKZU

Sorry have a look on Cardiff City Player the video is taken from directly behind the goal and there is no doubt from that angle that Gunnarsonn pulls the players shirt and dragsthe player over. At that angle Gunnarsson is in the way and so it's not clear.

I agree he was already goalside of the Millwall player which makes his action in pulling the player over stupid.

I don't have Iplayer so can't make comment to what you have seen, so why did the ref say he's watched it 7 or 8 times and it was the wrong decision, and apologise?

I was in line with that linesman, and he flagged up on an assumption (way too late) he should never have flagged!.

I haven't spoken to the referee to ask him IF he has apologised but believe me you can clearly see Gunnarsonn pull the Millwall players shirt and on Cardiff City Player you can see the neck on the Millwall players shirt stretch.

Why can you see the players shirt stretch if it isn't being pulled.

Look Malkay has started on the defensive here and has tried to deflect blame onto an official, managers do this all of them. But the clear video evidence shows the players shirt being pulled.

In every game you watch on TV there is holding and pulling in the box just watch John Terry of Chelsea who has made a art form of blocking and pulling wether defending or attacking the ball.

Can see very little wrong with Gunnarsons goal to be honest but i also agree with the Hornets fan that every fan at every football Club have had 'dodgy' decisions that have cost them a goal and i don't think there's any conspiracy just incompetent officiating and nearly all Clubs will suffer from that during the Season

Had we won it would of masked a trully awful performance like the Bristol City game