Sometimes people say things in the heat of the moment which, although evidently ridiculous, actually make for some interesting mulling.
Cue Manchester City star Yaya Toure.
Last week the midfielder said he was so annoyed by the performance of the referee in last Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final with Arsenal that he would prefer to have no referee at all for the midweek derby with Manchester United.
Now, of course, that didn’t happen – Martin Atkinson took charge of last Thursday’s clash and did a pretty decent job of it as well.
However, Toure’s angry comments did get me thinking: how would a top-flight match fare without a man in the middle?
And the answer is, I suspect, not as badly as you may think.
Let’s take a look at the millions of just-for-fun games that take place every week around the world. Rarely do these five-, six- or seven-a-side encounters have the luxury of match officials, but in some ways that actually makes them more fair.
Instead of provoking participants to push the boundaries of football decency, in my experience the lack of officials actually makes players hold back a bit from doing anything overly naughty. Referee-free games instinctively feel less edgy and competitive and, as a result, the game has a tendency to be more enjoyable.
Of course that doesn’t mean there aren’t fights, arguments and disagreements. But compromises are nearly always found and the game moves on, albeit with one side grumbling a little.
I would say, nine times out of 10, in games without referees, honesty prevails.
The question is, would that sort-it-out-among-yourselves approach work at the very top level where the stakes are that tiny bit higher?
And you know what, I think it actually would.
I would say, nine times out of 10, in games without referees, honesty prevails
Bearing in mind that the players would know all eyes are on them and that millions of people around the world are watching on television, I have a sneaky feeling they would play with decorum and integrity.
You could argue that they should be doing that now as the same millions are already watching. But I would counter that knowing they have a referee to sort things out, take decisions and act as judge and jury incentivises them to try and cheat a tiny bit. Having match officials allows them to push the boundaries.
Obviously there would be problems in a refless match, especially with decisions like offside and penalty claims where denial would be the order of the day. However, I believe we may actually be pleasantly surprised by how well players behave when left to their own devices.
Of course, this is all entirely hypothetical. There is more chance of Pep Guardiola admitting he needs to take over a crap team to prove his managerial credentials than a top-level game being self-refereed. So we will never really know.
But Toure’s little throwaway comment did provide for an interesting little daydream which I was happy to share.
You’re welcome.
A rebirth forthe Toon?
As everyone predicted, Newcastle United and Rafa Benitez have bounced back to the Premier League at the first attempt.
With an expensive squad, world-class manager and the backing of a vociferous Toon Army, automatic promotion was always on the cards.
But where do Newcastle go from here?
That Benitez essentially took a year out of his career to mastermind the team’s return to the top flight was a major coup which showed just how much he has fallen in love with the club, its fans and the city.
However, affection will not be enough to keep the Spaniard at St James Park next season. He will want – demand – a competitive team. Having some serious money to spend over the next few months is crucial if Benitez’s love affair with Newcastle is going to blossom into marriage.
The team that gained promotion is a decent one but it was built almost entirely with a view to clawing its way back to the big time. There are a few players in the squad who will make the grade next season, but the addition of five or six new lads with Premiership pedigree is essential if they are not going to get tangled in a relegation battle.
Luckily for Newcastle fans, I suspect owner Mike Ashley is acutely aware of the errors he made in the past – namely not strengthening the team at the appropriate times – and a shrewd man like him is not likely to repeat his mistakes.
With the right acquisitions (which must be Benitez’s choices by the way, not those of some godforsaken director of football) then I think a top-half finish is well within their capabilities. And that is probably enough to keep Benitez interested, with a view to pushing on for Europe the following season.
This really could be the start of something special for this huge, comatose giant of a football club. Their fans just need to hope Ashley fully recognises the potential he now has at his fingertips.
And that the financial scandal that broke last week doesn’t distract Ashley from finally proving there is more to his ownership than ego.
sportscolumnist@timesofmalta.com
Twitter: @maltablade