Rodgers told to stop attacking referees

Michael Kenrick , 27 October, 26comments | Jump to most recent

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has been warned ahead of the Merseyside derby against Everton that his continual berating of match officials will not help his team's cause.

Referees' chief Mike Riley and his members are angered by Rodgers continuing to claim his club are victimised by officials, regarding it as a tactic to seek an advantage.

Ahead of the crunch match at Goodison Park, the Liverpool boss has defiantly repeated his frustrations over the way his club's games are officiated, sarcastically remarking he would have to take a holiday when his striker Luis Suarez got a decision in his favour.

"Brendan Rodgers isn't the first manager to try it on,' said a referees' source.

"He has been reminded that Kenny Dalglish did the same thing as Liverpool manager last season and it didn't work for him.

"It won't work for Brendan, either. There have been phone calls which have relayed that message. It is pretty clear."

Premier League referees, who are looked after by Professional Game Match Officials Limited, are becoming increasingly resentful at the way they believe they are being used as scapegoats by managers for poor results.

Rodgers has been strident in his defence of controversial Uruguay striker Suarez, who has been booked for diving three times since he joined Liverpool at the start of last year. Rodgers blasted referee Mike Jones for not awarding Suarez a penalty against Norwich last month.

When the Uruguayan was clearly seen to have dived the following weekend against Stoke City, however, Rodgers claimed not to have seen it. He continued his theme ahead of today's derby game when he said: "One of these days, we will get a decision."

And he again appeared to try to put pressure on a referee, Andre Marriner, who takes charge of the derby.

"It is so important for the referees to stay calm and not get excited," said Rodgers.

"I've seen it over the years, some of the tackles in these games is incredible. My last memory was a tackle of [Everton's] Steven Pienaar that was up around the top of the guy's thigh. I don't believe he even got booked for it, which was absolutely incredible.

"So there's a responsibility there for the refs to make sure it's a football game and not a rugby game."

Quotes or other material sourced from Daily Mail

Reader Comments (26)

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James Smith
1 Posted 27/10/2012 at 23:51:07

I hope we destroy Liverpool in the derby — just to see his face.... along with the face of Gerrard.

James Crolla
2 Posted 27/10/2012 at 23:58:02

I amazed that Rodgers has highlighted a Steven Pienaar tackle, WTF!

I can remember a number of terrible Gerrard and Kuyt challenges that were much worse and unpunished.

It has started already, I hate derby games. Wouldn't it be nice it just for once if we get a few decisions this time round.

James Flynn
3 Posted 28/10/2012 at 00:14:26

Fuck him. He knows Moyes got his number.

Drew O'Neall
4 Posted 28/10/2012 at 00:14:16

Very arrogant man as highlighted in the recent documentary.

Has a similar level of personal awareness (read delusion) as (saint) Steven Gerrard but make no mistake the tide is turning, it's easy to spin when you're winning.

When the results aren't going your way the media/supporters look for the reasons..

These hipocritical twats are going to be exposed when the questions begin to be asked.

Phil Rodgers
5 Posted 28/10/2012 at 01:42:07

How dare this man share my surname!

Keith Glazzard
6 Posted 28/10/2012 at 02:36:34

Where do you start with this bag of shite? Red in colour.

I suppose it goes to show how what seemed to be a reasonable, and reasonably successful, person can become an idiot in quite a short space of time. He's in a pressure cooker for sure, but he doesn't say - No, that's not how to solve the problem. He takes the party line - Suarez diving? Never watched the Olympics.

In denial, and possibly out of a job. Give him time to sort it out? If you can kick, maim and con your way to success, that's the RS way. Always has been, always will. Welcome aboard - what's your name? - oh, the latest. You'll find the script on your desk.

Norman Merrill
7 Posted 28/10/2012 at 05:48:24

Phil, don't worry mate he also shares it with ROY, and HE was a COWBOY!

Paul Johnson
8 Posted 28/10/2012 at 06:09:11

This guy is a cowboy, he talks absolute bollocks.

We all know the type, they come into a job and are supposed to turn around the company then one day you come into work and the desk is clear. Apparently the actions don't back up the words.

This is Brenda Rodgers and – do you know what? – let them keep him for as long as they want, he is a wanker of the highest order. I would have had more respect if he had mentioned Big Dunc putting Hyppia in his place.

Ian McPherson
9 Posted 28/10/2012 at 07:04:16

Brent is under big pressure today. Defeat and he wont see Santa. Jesus I hate everything about those pricks, suarez is being vicitmised for being a racist cheat..are they serious?

Peter Warren
10 Posted 28/10/2012 at 07:30:37

Made up used to quite like Rodgers and annoyed me when he went to the shite, not cos I particularly rate him but just because he seemed quite a nice fella. Since he's been there he's a big head, arrogant and always crying - starting to hate him - made up, couldn't stand liking one of their managers.

I really do hate the shite COYB

Ian Bennett
11 Posted 28/10/2012 at 07:30:05

BR does have some tough games coming up. He has beaten anzi, and reading but then plays us, swansea cup, Newcastle, anzi away, chelsea away, Wigan, young boys, Swansea away, and spurs away.

7 games in 28 games will test his young guns and old guard, particularly away from home. Their current optimism is likely to get a bit of a puncture over the next month, but it needs to start with a good 3 points from us to start the rot.

After that he can use those envelopes to apply for soccer Saturday. Winning a couple at home is one thing, getting turned over away is another, and Chelsea, anzi, and spurs could really embarrass the project.

Barry Rathbone
12 Posted 28/10/2012 at 07:45:38

Yet another one from the Fergie school of management, I'm sure if Ferguson shat on the pitch most of these managers would start carrying bog roll in their trackies ready for their moment.

What a dreadful dearth of talent there is in football management these days, not an independent thought or innovative idea among the entire worthless cabal.

Steven Twine
13 Posted 28/10/2012 at 08:03:26

What a joke this man is turning out to be. Him and the shite go hand in hand, deluded and thinking the worlds against them. Maybe someone should send him some footage of the last ten years of the terrible decisions we have had against us, then ask him to comment on that. We all know, rodwell last season, digglers kung fu kick, carraghers jersy pulling on lesscot and countless others. His face when we win today is going to be priceless.

Bob Willis
14 Posted 28/10/2012 at 08:12:27

NM 655 - let's hope that Jelly pulls the Trigger.

Trigger!! get it?

Brent Stephens
15 Posted 28/10/2012 at 08:27:52

Well if PGMOL really have contacted Brenda about this, I think that's brilliant and says we can go into today's game knowing Andre will look closely at Suarez's antics (but beware Jelli, also).

Makes me glad we don't have a manager who engages in that sort of stuff as a general rule.

PS, can we call Rogers "Brenda", etc etc anything but not Brent - I get very sensitive and think you might be having a go at me!

Peter Thistle
16 Posted 28/10/2012 at 08:46:37

Fuck off Billy the fish

Andrew Ellams
17 Posted 28/10/2012 at 09:53:00

How come Martinez gets fined for 1 comment and this idiot gets away with it day after day almost. I know fines don't mean anything to these people but he might at least get the hint and belt up

Noel Lynam
18 Posted 28/10/2012 at 09:51:13

I don't get why people think Rodgers has suddenly become an arrogant, deluded prick since taking over at the RS.

If anyone saw his post match interviews after his Swansea team were soundly beaten by Everton and Sunderland last season, you'll see he already was just that - an arrogant, deluded prick.

Andy Crooks
19 Posted 28/10/2012 at 10:37:11

I've always liked Rodgers but I am saddened that he seems to have changed.It appears that he has been infected by the truly poisonous sense of arrogance and monumental feeling of entitlement that permeates that vile club and their supporters.

Paul Gladwell
20 Posted 28/10/2012 at 11:25:44

Great shout that Billy the fish one

Richard Tarleton
21 Posted 28/10/2012 at 11:38:52

Unfortunately in the myopic world of football, any manager who does not support his own players is finished and in that oft used phrase, he loses his dressing-room. Rodgers is just the latest to try it on.
I want to win so much, since that awful cup tie in 1955, I feel as though we've been on the wrong end of far too many Derby day defeats.

Ian Bennett
22 Posted 28/10/2012 at 11:48:12

He cost the rs £5m to get from Swansea. So may be they will stick with him.

James Martin
23 Posted 28/10/2012 at 11:50:13

The one manager who didn't read from the RS script reagrding press conferences was Roy Hodgson and they hounded him out. He was also the only Liverpool manager to take up Moyes's offer of a dinner when he arrived in the same way Houllier offered it to Moyes. They love the same sort of breed of manager there, Rafa, Kenny and now Rodgers, arrogant agressive prats who enjoy cultivating some sort of quasi-religious following from amongst the fans with controversial bigoted comments that only someone delusional enough and without an ounce of rational thought like a RS fan could actually follow.

Nick Armitage
24 Posted 28/10/2012 at 12:18:57

James Flynn - love it.

COYB.

Karl Masters
25 Posted 29/10/2012 at 20:40:12

It certainly didn't work for him this time with the 'non-goal' at the end, but Marriner is a cretin who gave some appalling decisions which worked against both teams. Luckily for us he saved his best for last... a decision to savour and makes up for the linesman getting it wrong against Newcastle in the same goal when Fellaini and Anichebe 'scored.'

Ian Bennett
26 Posted 29/10/2012 at 20:52:58

Rodgers was asked how close he was to having a top 4 side - about half a mile
was his response. Thanks, I do weddings and christenings also.

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