‘Biased referee’ gets Barker hot under the collar

Stellenbosch coach Steve Barker was angered by referee Tshidiso Mkhwanazi’s decisions in Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to Kaizer Chiefs at FNB Stadium, sarcastically lauding Amakhosi for “getting 11, 12 penalties a season.”

Stellenbosch were reduced to 10 men when Mkhwanazi red-carded their goalkeeper Sage Stephens for a handball outside the box in the 16th minute. Five minutes before the keeper’s red card, Ashely Du Preez gave Chiefs the lead from the spot. Du Preez won the penalty when Stellies’ Olwethu Makhanya fouled him inside the box. The visitors pulled one back, via Ibraheem Jabaar a few seconds into the second half.

“One must congratulate Chiefs...they seem to be a team that puts teams under a lot of pressure. When you are getting 11, 12 penalties a season [in fact it was Chiefs’ 10th penalty this term]… last six matches three red cards in the first half to the opposition, well done to them. They must be doing something right in creating problems for the opposition,” said Barker.

“I am disappointed in the ref today. If you remember the game, I think they [Chiefs] had maybe double figure free-kicks around the box and Dolly had three or four parts...Mashiane had some parts and Shabalala had some chances to take. I am not denying that some of those free-kicks were free-kicks but I am not sure why we didn’t get any free-kicks in that final third around the box when Iqraam Rayners was being held on many occasions.”  

Barker claimed Chiefs players apologised to him for Mkhwanazi’s decisions after the game, saying he suspects the Chiefs jersey intimidates referees. 

“When opposition players even apologise to you about the performance of the ref, credit to the [Chiefs] players for recognising that and being bold enough to say what they said. Some throw-ins, the referee seemed to be giving them one direction, fortunately the linesman was showing it in a different way. Not to show whether it's the old and black jersey that's intimidating [to the ref],'' Barker stated.