THE yellow card for Wayne Rooney in the recent Platinium Stars vs England game should have been red.
According to reports, borne out by the referee's television interview, Rooney used foul and abusive language to the official while disputing a decision - not once, but twice. Law 12 of Fifa's Laws of the Game state clearly that foul, abusive or insulting language to a match official is an automatic red card. It will be argued that this was a "friendly" but I have handled too many "friendlies" that became very unfriendly, as when I red-carded former England and Manchester United captain Bryan Robson in Joburg in 1993 when he called me "a f**cking cheat."
Errol Sweeney, Former League ofIreland and SA PSL referee
Rooney should have been red-carded
THE yellow card for Wayne Rooney in the recent Platinium Stars vs England game should have been red.
According to reports, borne out by the referee's television interview, Rooney used foul and abusive language to the official while disputing a decision - not once, but twice. Law 12 of Fifa's Laws of the Game state clearly that foul, abusive or insulting language to a match official is an automatic red card. It will be argued that this was a "friendly" but I have handled too many "friendlies" that became very unfriendly, as when I red-carded former England and Manchester United captain Bryan Robson in Joburg in 1993 when he called me "a f**cking cheat."
Errol Sweeney, Former League ofIreland and SA PSL referee
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