Top Ten: Rants at Referees
Alex King
Posted on: 09 October 2009 - 14:45
Football
Despite constant punishments from the FA and the promotion of respect campaigns for referees, there is nothing that most players and managers like better than getting stuck into a post-game rant about the antics of the man in the middle. Such rants can occur in the heat of the moment at the game’s close, during post-match interview by which point blood is really boiling, or even at a mid-week press-conference when no-one is expecting it. The success of each outburst is based on its delivery – the more sarcasm and wannabe-comedian lines the better.
Didier Drogba
The bustling Ivorian tops the list due to the most fiery of rants in the immediate wake of his club’s exit of the Champions League at the hands of Barcelona – after Chelsea were denied four clear-cut penalties, little Iniesta popped up at the death to see Chelsea fall at the penultimate hurdle. Cue scenes of outrage at the final whistle, and Drogba showing his fine understanding of the English language by screaming repeatedly into a television camera broadcasting live, “It’s a f***ing disgrace!”.
Rafael Benitez
The softly-spoken Spaniard shocked everyone when he came to a pre-game press conference in January armed with a dossier full of “facts”, and proceeded to discuss Fergie’s relationships with Premier League referees. Benitez spoke at length, and dared to say what the rest of the Premier League had been thinking for years – the red-nosed Scotsman bullies refs and is shown a certain favouritism by the FA in spite of this. Top marks must go to Benitez for the preparation of his presentation.
Neil Warnock
Always a good bet for a ref-rant, usually when his team has been completely outplayed, Warnock’s finest moments arguably came during his time as Sheffield United manager, and especially during the team’s brief stint in the Premier League. After seeing Liverpool win three penalties in two games against his charges, Warnock had plenty to say, and arguably instigated the “you don’t get nothing against the top four” school of thought, of which Gary Megson and Sam Allardyce are now firm followers.
Sir Alex Ferguson
Fergie’s rants have become a fixture in the Premier League – once or twice a year, when his side loses or underperforms, he focuses not on the shortcomings of his boys, but on those of the man in black. The most recent of these escapades came in the wake of his side’s 2-2 draw against Sunderland. Did Man Utd underperform because of Paul Scholes’ shocking passing, Rooney’s schoolboy petulance, or the fact that they couldn’t bring on super-veteran Ryan Giggs? No, it was because the referee was unfit – of course!
Jose Mourinho
Mr Special’s rants while at Chelsea were a guaranteed form of entertainment – always with the same comedic look of combined shock and anger, Mourinho often had plenty to say for himself, usually after big matched in which Chelsea came of worse. In 2005, he suggested that the linesman at Anfield should be asked if his giving Luis Garcia’s goal was due to the noise of the Kop, and revealed that Fergie followed the referee into the dressing room at half time during a Carling Cup tie in the same year. What a guy.
Sam Allardyce
Big Sam’s best rants have come since he became Blackburn boss – taking inspiration from Neil Warnock, he finds something to moan about every time his team plays a bigger side away from home. His most recent rant relating to the absence of a penalty at the Emirates after David Dunn had been chopped down was the most valid of his rants, but when the words “big clubs” came out of his mouth in the post-match interview, it felt as clichéd as all the rest.
Carlos Queiroz
One of only two assistants to make the list is Fergie’s ex-right-hand man, who, left to talk to the BBC in his boss’ absence, went on a referee rant that left no doubt about who he worked for. Fergie himself would have been proud of the Portuguese’s assessment of the refereeing in his team’s FA Cup loss to Portsmouth – enraged that Diarra wasn’t punished for an elbow on Ronaldo, the coach suggested that bad refereeing is ruining football. Ouch.
Jose Bosingwa
Guilty of the same crime as his team-mate who comes in at number one, Bosingwa’s rant was more measured and less fiery, meaning that he comes in lower down the list. The Portuguese full-back agreed with Drogba over the performance of ref Tom Henning Ovrebo, but put it slightly more mildly, simply suggesting that the Norwegian should never referee a game again. How nice of him.
Chris Coleman
Some of the finest rants can be found outside the Premier League – Coventry manager Chris Coleman gave a perfect example of this in 2008 when his side lost 3-0 to Bristol Rovers. First, the Welshman ranted at the ref, linesman, fourth official and anyone who would listen during the game, and then (despite being sent to the stands) continued his arguments long after the game had finished, calling for television replays to be used, as beaten managers so often do.
Sammy Lee
The little man always had plenty to say for himself as Bolton manager, but his best performance came on the opening day of this season when Liverpool came up short against Spurs. Seeing the club he is so passionate about lose their opening fixture in what was billed as the season they would finally win the league, combined with two rejected penalty appeals against the same defender who scored a thirty-yard screamer to send Spurs on their way left Sammy fuming to such an extent that he was removed from the touchline.