http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/feb/08/referee-steve-bennett-accuses-cheating-players
The referee Steve Bennett has revealed that top Premier League players get themselves booked deliberately in order to get time off, avoid playing matches at Christmas or having to take part in games staged on the other side of the world, according to a tabloid report.
Players incur a three match ban once they reach five bookings during the course of the season and Bennett, apparently caught unawares by an undercover reporter at a Uefa refereeing convention in Spain this week, is said to have disclosed in confidence ("Never repeat this") that players go out with the expressed intention of getting booked during a match.
"He came into the dressing room, on my mother's life, and said 'I need one more yellow card'," Bennett is reported as telling the News of the World. "So I gave him a yellow card and he said, 'No, no, no. On the pitch. It's up to you.' And they go straight through a bloke, to get a yellow card so that they don't have to play over Christmas."
"If they [the fans] knew that they'd be absolutely gutted, trust me. [Unnamed player] certainly said to me, 'I don't want to play against f****** [unnamed club]'. It's Christmas. That's three games."
The report goes on to mention that the top-flight player in question had a family holiday booked and wanted to get away over the Christmas period, only to be forced to come and watch the matches by his manager. "As a fan they f****** rip you off. You don't know half the things that go on."
In the report Bennett also goes on to accuse another Premier League player of being a "cheating bastard" due to his penchant for diving in the area in order to get penalties. "He takes one step, two steps, turns his body and just f****** launches himself. I mean two [unnamed club] players go like that. But they are nowhere near him. If you are in the wrong position you've a penalty. So I got into a position and I thought, 'You cheating bastard'. That's what you say to yourself."
Although not intended for public consumption Bennett's comments are likely to land him in trouble with the authorities, who have said they will be investigating the matter. "Those comments do not reflect the opinion of the PGMO [Premier Game Match Officials] and as such we will be asking Steve Bennett for an explanation," said a Premier League spokesman.
The referee Steve Bennett has revealed that top Premier League players get themselves booked deliberately in order to get time off, avoid playing matches at Christmas or having to take part in games staged on the other side of the world, according to a tabloid report.
Players incur a three match ban once they reach five bookings during the course of the season and Bennett, apparently caught unawares by an undercover reporter at a Uefa refereeing convention in Spain this week, is said to have disclosed in confidence ("Never repeat this") that players go out with the expressed intention of getting booked during a match.
"He came into the dressing room, on my mother's life, and said 'I need one more yellow card'," Bennett is reported as telling the News of the World. "So I gave him a yellow card and he said, 'No, no, no. On the pitch. It's up to you.' And they go straight through a bloke, to get a yellow card so that they don't have to play over Christmas."
"If they [the fans] knew that they'd be absolutely gutted, trust me. [Unnamed player] certainly said to me, 'I don't want to play against f****** [unnamed club]'. It's Christmas. That's three games."
The report goes on to mention that the top-flight player in question had a family holiday booked and wanted to get away over the Christmas period, only to be forced to come and watch the matches by his manager. "As a fan they f****** rip you off. You don't know half the things that go on."
In the report Bennett also goes on to accuse another Premier League player of being a "cheating bastard" due to his penchant for diving in the area in order to get penalties. "He takes one step, two steps, turns his body and just f****** launches himself. I mean two [unnamed club] players go like that. But they are nowhere near him. If you are in the wrong position you've a penalty. So I got into a position and I thought, 'You cheating bastard'. That's what you say to yourself."
Although not intended for public consumption Bennett's comments are likely to land him in trouble with the authorities, who have said they will be investigating the matter. "Those comments do not reflect the opinion of the PGMO [Premier Game Match Officials] and as such we will be asking Steve Bennett for an explanation," said a Premier League spokesman.
