Liverpool physio inadvertently saves Mirallas from red card?

medwards1878 · November 24, 2013

Didnt see this at the game yesterday but caught it on MOTD last night.

As suarez is rolling around on the floor and the players are all around the ref, the liverpool physio came on and whispered something in the refs ear (instead of tending to the dying suarez first, top physio), then jags/mccarty/barry go mental at him with barry even grabbing the physios jacket and even phil dowd initially has a look of disgust on his face to the physio before attempting to make barry let go.

Its pretty clear that the physio said something alone the lines of thats a red ref or should be sent off etc (with or without brendans instruction), and I cant help but think that the physio saying that stopped him getting a red as dowd probably didnt want to be accused of being influenced by outside means etc.

Cant help but think this as when else have you seen a ref take such a long time to award just a yellow

Librarian · November 24, 2013

I think if it was going to be a red it would have been brandished immediately.

davek · November 24, 2013

I'd like to know what action is being taken against that scruffy ****.

From the FA Discipline Handbook:

A Player can be charged with Misconduct following being dismissed from the field of play e.g. Player is sent off for

violent conduct (will receive the standard three match ban), and before leaving the field of play used abusive/insulting

comments towards a match official. The latter would be dealt with as Misconduct and subsequently the Player will have

a second charge that they need to respond to, having the options to accept or deny the charge.

A Club or an Associate with the Club, e.g. Manager, Coach, Physio can also be charged with Misconduct.

blaze · November 24, 2013

Said it in the match thread but it definitely looks like what's happened. They can blame Dowd for being a "coward" as much as they like but it looks pretty clear that after the physio had a word into his ear and our players all kicked off he had a look of shock on his face that he actually said whatever he did to him. It really shouldn't happen, you can't have a physio coming onto the pitch who's job it is to ensure players are ok basically ignoring that task to try and influence the ref - he clearly ran over with no intention of checking on Suarez given he spent more time talking to the ref.

dixe · November 24, 2013

Love the way Barry got a grip of him straight away

No way Neville would have done that

Also shocked that Gerrard did not kick up more of a fuss

BlueLlama · November 24, 2013

The whole club is full of whinging snides. Even Flanagan who has about 4 minutes of 1st team experience was in the refs face at every decision.

I put in the match thread that I'd like to know why Dowd listened to him instead of telling him where to go

davek · November 24, 2013

Dowd wasn't giving a red in any case. Reds are straight out of the pocket. Dowd is an experienced ref. No way he'd have allowed time to elapse and pressure to build. That's why that dugout rat was sent scuttling onto the pitch: to make it plain to Dowd that what the Liverpool bench were expecting was red.

Thank goodness we had a strong ref yesterday.

potato · November 24, 2013

someone send a tweet to an everton player to find the d-low

bluelife · November 24, 2013

Loved the McCarthy reaction to him.

Darth Toffeeman · November 24, 2013

Dowd refereed the game very well yesterday.

It was clear that the Physio did attempt to influence the referee and that is beyond belief (unless it comes from LFC as nothing they do shocks me). He should be hauled infront of the FA for that.

I admired how much more vocal our players were yesterday. We often got pushed around under Moyes. I am all for respect but not when it is clear the other team are showing none.

tonyhorne · November 24, 2013

There was some good old fashioned football yesterday - take it out on the player/physio don't go wingeing to the ref.......

Chang Elephant · November 24, 2013

Darth Toffeeman said:
I admired how much more vocal our players were yesterday. We often got pushed around under Moyes. I am all for respect but not when it is clear the other team are showing none.

We stood up to the ****e in one of their most important areas yesterday....running the ref. Excellent to see.

davek · November 24, 2013

Darth Toffeeman said:
Dowd refereed the game very well yesterday.

It was clear that the Physio did attempt to influence the referee and that is beyond belief (unless it comes from LFC as nothing they do shocks me). He should be hauled infront of the FA for that.

I admired how much more vocal our players were yesterday. We often got pushed around under Moyes. I am all for respect but not when it is clear the other team are showing none.

Moyes had them turning the other cheek, the stupid born again bigot.