Arteta set to escape ban despite rant on referees
Mikel Arteta is expected to escape a ban for his rant on referees despite being branded a “Mercedes version of Neil Warnock” over his touchline behaviour.
The Arsenal manager called Anthony Gordon’s match-winning goal for Newcastle United, which stood following a long check by Var into three potential issues, an “absolute disgrace” after his side’s 1-0 defeat at St James’ Park on Saturday, saying that he felt “ashamed” by the standard of officiating.
Arsenal then took the highly unusual step of issuing a statement in which they “wholeheartedly” backed Arteta’s post-match comments “after yet more unacceptable refereeing and Var errors”.
That intervention was labelled “embarrassing” yesterday by Ref Support UK, a charity that represents referees, which also said the behaviour of managers such as Arteta directly influenced a culture of abuse in grass-roots football.
The Football Association has been considering the comments and, while no definite decision had been reached last night, the remarks do not appear to have clearly breached rules over questioning the integrity of officials or making an excessively personalised attack.
Arsenal, who have been in ongoing dialogue with Professional Game Match Officials Ltd, the body responsible for referees, over officiating, are adamant that Sunday’s statement was in response to a series of mistakes and controversies across the Premier League, rather than specifically just Saturday’s game. They received an acknowledgment of mistakes last season from PGMOL after dropping five points in a defeat by Manchester United and then a draw against Brentford.
“I was pleased they recognised the difficult task Howard Webb [the head of the PGMOL] has but this trend of clubs making statements is very embarrassing,” Martin Cassidy, the chief executive of Ref Support UK, said. “Mikel Arteta’s touchline behaviour is the worst in the league. He has become a Mercedes version of Neil Warnock.
“His behaviour and comments, that now appear to be supported by Arsenal as a club, is very worrying for me and the game in general.”
Cassidy continued: “This behaviour is replicated at grass-roots youth football and yet again this weekend we have had parents of young referees telling us they have been threatened and verbally abused by coaches.”