"We're rubbish, but please don't shout at us," is the real message referees are trying to send out.

But, I'm sorry, why the hell should I, players, managers and fans respect dolts like Rob Styles, Steve Bennett and Mike Riley, all of whom embarrassed themselves again at the weekend.

Those three are the country's most experienced referees and yet they regularly ruin matches with bizzare decisions which suggest to me they love the limelight more than they love football.

Styles should be thrown off the laughably named 'Select Group' for the latest of his insane penalty decisions at Old Trafford on Saturday, while Bennett gave one of the most one-sided displays, including the award of a penalty following a ludicrous dive that even Cristiano Ronaldo wouldn't have tried, I've ever seen at Wigan on Sunday.

Their haughty, arrogant manner is just designed to incense us viewers as well.

Whenever I see Riley's appointment to a TV game I cringe as you know he will enforce a non-contact, no advantage type of match with plenty of yellow and red cards.

Referees should be forced on to television after matches to explain themselves while watching recordings of their ineptitude. Perhaps if they were publicly embarrassed on a regular basis they might try harder to justify their huge salaries.



SURELY it's time for Dennis Wise to stick his head above the parapet at St James' Park (or Sid James Park as it was brilliantly named in my Daily Mail over the weekend). I'll provide the box for the little man to stand on.

Wise presumably had designs on the manager's job when he was appointed to the totally unsuitable role of director of football at Newcastle.

Now he should grow some guts and be seen alongside the latest manager to be offered up for humiliation and public sacrifice, Joe Kinnear.

Why a man with a history of heart problems would want to manage Newcastle is beyond me. Why a comedy club on the skids would want some-one who has been out of the game for four years is also mysterious, especially as they just tried and failed with something similar with Kevin Keegan.

I suppose Kinnear in some way mirrors the club he is now expected to serve for a few days at least. He has also been a stranger to success for the best part of 50 years.