So often we read on this board about referee's blowing calls, etc. I thought it would be a nice change of pace to look at the other side. I had the privilege yesterday of watching the master (Pierluigi Collina) work a beautiful game in the England v. Turkey qualifier. It's amazing how much Collina comands the respect of the players. In a game that was a must win for Turkey, there was hardly a bit of dissent directed in Collina's direction when he whistled for a PK to England after Gerrard was brought down in the box (a correct call as the replay would indicate). Then on the other hand ,what at first looked like an obvious penalty to Turkey was correctly ruled no foul by Collina (and the replay would again confirm his call). His AR was spot on when they disallowed England's goal in the second half for offside. His "dressing down" of Alpay and Beckham at halftime seemed to calm down a match that was starting to simmer just before the break. Collina was in perfect position to call the handled ball that Turkey used to generate a dangerous sequence inside the penalty area in the second half. As a neutral observer of the match that didn't have a vested interest in either team, I really enjoyed watching the officiating. It is nice to see a match this big and not hear any rantings about the officials in the aftermath!
I have to admit that I was watching the game in a bar with about 125 other folks and must have missed what you are referring to with Butt. As for Rustu, I didn't think that play warranted a red card. Playing dangerously definitely, reckless perhaps, yellow, okay...but I didn't see it as a sending off. What happened with Butt that I missed?
He did exactly the same thing as Rüstü, but he only hit Ergün in the chest. Butt and Rüstü didn't do it on purpose imo.
"A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of petty referees." Pier Luigi Emerson. Or maybe it was Ralph Waldo Collina, I can't remember for sure.
Not only is he a great referee, he's an amazing philosopher, wow!!! Is there anything he can't do?? Well, seriously though, excellent quote.
The point is though that other refs don't control the game, so do have to send off a Butt-like tackle, so you end up with a system where Butt could or could not be sent off, not based on his own actions, but based on who was picked to ref. You end up where if you are playing Macedonia you can't tackle a certain way, but if you are playing Turkey in a "big match" you can, no consistency.
Sometimes it's 95F; sometimes its 5F; sometimes it's raining; sometimes it's snowing; sometimes it's windy; sometimes the crowd is cheering against you sometimes the field is narrow; etc. There are a lot of things that change from game to game. The referee team is just one of them.