Graham Poll's decision reveals his personality disorder

[Cripple Creek]

Now I know it was only a minor moment in the match although it did almost lead to a Charlton goal but Poll in the first 20 minutes today showed the kind of egomaniac referee that he is. You would have thought his self-esteem would have been dented after the World Cup but clearly not.

He was around 25 yards from Hunt while Hunty was about five yards from the linesman. Poll had no vision of what was happening. The linesman correctly called for a throw in but of course Poll in his wisdom and moronic macho - look at me - fashion overules his linesman and awards a free kick.

There is quite simply only one reason why someone behaves like this and it is a means of asserting one's authority against the face of all rational logic. It is a fundamental aspect of personality disorders relating to socio and psychopaths.

[Dangerous]

Whilst on the subject of Graham Poll, has anybody else read the articles from the papers today regarding his agreement with Pardew regarding the Alexadre Song incident.

According to Talk Sport this morning, one of the paper (The M*rr*r) is running a report saying that Pardew and Poll struck an agreement at Half Time, that when Poll was close to sending Song off, he would indicate to Pardew that he had had his last chance and to make the substitution!

So after Song had made about his 4th or 5th foul around the 67th minute, the indication took place and the substitution followed 2 minutes later.

Now surely this cannot be allowed to stand and Poll must be challenged about this by the FA. Yes, this kind of thing is done in pre-season friendlies when players get a little hot headed, but not in a game of such importance, which if we'd have won could have enhanced our European chances and if Charlton had lost, kept them right in the relegation fight, imagine the reaction of the West Ham, Wigan, Fulham, Sheffield United fans and managers when they hear this.

If Charlton had gone down to 10 men last night, we would have obviously had a much better chance of winning, we were hammering on the door for the majority of the 2nd half as it was, but for me, this kind of behaviour from Poll is unacceptable.

[Handsome Man]

The Hunt foul was an excellent decision by Poll. The foot that didn't get the ball landed half way up the Charlton man's shin.

The Song thing is an absolute disgrace and he needs a spell in the Championship for it. What thoughts were going through Poll's head when Song did the second bookable offense?

The non-penalty was also a bizarre decision.

[Man Friday]

Bizarre?! Any other team would have had a penalty awarded to them for thier striker blatantly being pushed abd rough-handled in the penalty area when challenging for a ball. Poll had decided that a draw was a fair result and a draw itwas going to be. He has ideas above his station.

[zac naloen]

Bizarre?! Any other team would have had a penalty awarded to them for thier striker blatantly being pushed abd rough-handled in the penalty area when challenging for a ball. Poll had decided that a draw was a fair result and a draw itwas going to be. He has ideas above his station.

Actually I very rarely see those given, not even to the big teams.

[Adrian's Fool]

Whilst on the subject of Graham Poll, has anybody else read the articles from the papers today regarding his agreement with Pardew regarding the Alexadre Song incident.

According to Talk Sport this morning, one of the paper (The M*rr*r) is running a report saying that Pardew and Poll struck an agreement at Half Time, that when Poll was close to sending Song off, he would indicate to Pardew that he had had his last chance and to make the substitution!

So after Song had made about his 4th or 5th foul around the 67th minute, the indication took place and the substitution followed 2 minutes later.

Now surely this cannot be allowed to stand and Poll must be challenged about this by the FA. Yes, this kind of thing is done in pre-season friendlies when players get a little hot headed, but not in a game of such importance, which if we'd have won could have enhanced our European chances and if Charlton had lost, kept them right in the relegation fight, imagine the reaction of the West Ham, Wigan, Fulham, Sheffield United fans and managers when they hear this.

If Charlton had gone down to 10 men last night, we would have obviously had a much better chance of winning, we were hammering on the door for the majority of the 2nd half as it was, but for me, this kind of behaviour from Poll is unacceptable.

Strange one this. I actually think it's quite a sensible approach, as long as applied fairly among all teams. The only question in my mind is - I would hope that had Song committed a second-yellow offence without Poll having "warned" Pardew, he still would have been sent off straight away - or would Poll have waited for the next time?

[cmonurz]

I don't think there is anything wrong with a referee indicating to a manager that a player has had 'his last chance'. It's not like the referee would give this to the player anyway. I would encourage more of it - 11 v 11 is always better for the game. As above, as long as a player is not allowed to get away with a second bookable offence then I really don't see the issue.

[brendywendy]

I don't think there is anything wrong with a referee indicating to a manager that a player has had 'his last chance'. It's not like the referee would give this to the player anyway. I would encourage more of it - 11 v 11 is always better for the game. As above, as long as a player is not allowed to get away with a second bookable offence then I really don't see the issue.

i believe that poll had already given song his"warning" in the 1st half with the widely accepted football practice of awarding a yellow card
any further bookable offences should result in a red card.
poll is a disgrace.

[Millsy]

It's TOTALLY disgraceful.

Refs should have no such communication with managers. Refs and managers should NOT be "striking agreements"!!!!!!! And besides, it basically gives a green light to players to be as thuggish as they like and then be safely substituted. NO-ONE should have the luxury of knowing when they're about to be sent off. IT'S CHEATING.

And what does "about to go off" indicate anyway?? That's an equally serious question.

It indicates Poll decides when a player should probably sent off, rather than judging each foul by its merit, because technically ANY player on a yellow is instantly "about to go off", if you go by merit. You only give an indication like that if you don't go by individual fouls but just decide to send someone off based on what you've generally seen.

It's an absolute disgrace. Poll is a disgrace to English refereeing, as we've long known anyway.

He should be banned from the Prem.

[RoyalBlue]

Bizarre?! Any other team would have had a penalty awarded to them for thier striker blatantly being pushed abd rough-handled in the penalty area when challenging for a ball. Poll had decided that a draw was a fair result and a draw itwas going to be. He has ideas above his station.

I think he felt sorry for their player, having moments earlier kicked him and told him to get up as he rolled on the ground making out that he had been seriously injured!

On the other hand could it have had anything to do with the fact he had incurred the wrath of Charlton earlier in the season by awarding a very controversial penalty and was evening things up?!

As for any agreement with Parjudas re Song - the yellow card is meant to be the warning!

[Millsy]

And anyway... I don't see why Poll signalled so early as he only sends people off on three yellows.

[PieEater]

Poll had it in for us as soon as the Reading fans started shouting "You're worse than Graham Poll" when he was warming up before the game. From the smirk on his face it seemed pretty clear to me he was not going to give us anything from that point on.

[TommyF]

I think Poll was spot on about Song. Song hadn't committed another 'bookable' foul but instead niggling little fouls that were accumulating and Poll merely indicated to his manager that he was getting fed up with them. Consistency here is the key and as long as Poll would have done likewise for us I think it is a progressive move for the game. I hate needless sending off's as they ruin games.

I reckon rather than slag him off other refs should be encouraged to do similar, perhaps shaking theirs heads towards a bench whenever they are getting fed up with a booked player who has yet to do anything serious enough to individually warrant a second yellow and if that advice is not heeded then send them off at the next bad challenge.

To protect players though a bookable offence should be a bookable offence whether they've already been booked or not.

PS: I will always bang on about one other rule change whenever I can : Shielding a ball out of play should be obstruction - that will really open games up and make them even more exciting.

[PieEater]

As soon as you open the door for these agreements with managers to sub players before they are booked then it's another open season to moan about players who get sent off.

As for shielding the ball, I agree. The rule says you can shield the ball when you are in control of it, just being ahead of someone does not make you in control of it, you have to be able to play it.

[TommyF]

As soon as you open the door for these agreements with managers to sub players before they are booked then it's another open season to moan about players who get sent off.

As for shielding the ball, I agree. The rule says you can shield the ball when you are in control of it, just being ahead of someone does not make you in control of it, you have to be able to play it.

I see it mostly as looking out for the fans. There is nothing worse than at 0-0 or perhaps losing by a goal seeing one of your players get sent off for a number of little fouls that have just started to annoy the ref. It's not the first time refs have taken this approach and I think it's far better than suddenly being reduced to 10 men and thinking 'that last challenge was never a booking', even though it was the 12 little ones before that did it for him.

[Magic_Shovel]

I don't think there is anything wrong with a referee indicating to a manager that a player has had 'his last chance'. It's not like the referee would give this to the player anyway. I would encourage more of it - 11 v 11 is always better for the game. As above, as long as a player is not allowed to get away with a second bookable offence then I really don't see the issue.

In my view indicating to the manager is bang out of order. The player and the manager are both involved in the game and it is down to them as individuals to assess the situation. From the player perspective to understand when they are going too far, and from the manager's perspective to know his player and make a judgement upon whether or not they are capable of staying on the pitch.

On the flip side I do agree that communication betweent he officials and the teams is important, but that is why the captain is on the pitch. If Poll had decided Song was 1 challenge away from a second yellow and felt the need to give Charlton the chance to take him off, the only people he should be communicating with are those on the pitch - the player and the team captain.

[Top Flight]

It was very clever psychology by Pardew. Song probably should have marched after he deliberately clipped Hunt as he was advancing towards the penalty area. But because Pards hadn't been given the nod, Poll may have felt that he would have been letting Pards down if he had pulled out the red.

Pards managed that situation very well and had a psychological hold over Graham Poll. Also we should have been awarded a pen when El Karkouri shoved Long off the pitch in the penalty area.

I would just say well done Pards, that was very clever psychology. I'm certainly not gonna engage in Pardew bashing. I will just respect his fox like cleverness. You gotta use every trick and technique at your disposal when you are in the middle of a relegation scrap and you gotta think outside the box and Pards certainly did that. He showed that he is streetwise. Well done Pards! Charlton are lucky to have him!

I think Poll is the best referee in the country. I couldn't find any fault in his reffing performance last night!

[Handsome Man]

It was very clever psychology by Pardew. Song probably should have marched after he deliberately clipped Hunt as he was advancing towards the penalty area. But because Pards hadn't been given the nod, Poll may have felt that he would have been letting Pards down if he had pulled out the red.

Pards managed that situation very well and had a psychological hold over Graham Poll. Also we should have been awarded a pen when El Karkouri shoved Long off the pitch in the penalty area.

I would just say well done Pards, that was very clever psychology. I'm certainly not gonna engage in Pardew bashing. I will just respect his fox like cleverness. You gotta use every trick and technique at your disposal when you are in the middle of a relegation scrap and you gotta think outside the box and Pards certainly did that. He showed that he is streetwise. Well done Pards! Charlton are lucky to have him!

I think Poll is the best referee in the country. I couldn't find any fault in his reffing performance last night!

Pardew comes out of it brilliantly - he has manipulated the referee fantastically well. But when Poll let that happen, he showed he is one of the worst refs in the Premiership. He must start getting the simple bread-and-butter decisions correct. Like our penalty.

[JC]

It was very clever psychology by Pardew. Song probably should have marched after he deliberately clipped Hunt as he was advancing towards the penalty area. But because Pards hadn't been given the nod, Poll may have felt that he would have been letting Pards down if he had pulled out the red.

Pards managed that situation very well and had a psychological hold over Graham Poll. Also we should have been awarded a pen when El Karkouri shoved Long off the pitch in the penalty area.

I would just say well done Pards, that was very clever psychology. I'm certainly not gonna engage in Pardew bashing. I will just respect his fox like cleverness. You gotta use every trick and technique at your disposal when you are in the middle of a relegation scrap and you gotta think outside the box and Pards certainly did that. He showed that he is streetwise. Well done Pards! Charlton are lucky to have him!

I think Poll is the best referee in the country. I couldn't find any fault in his reffing performance last night!

Do I spot a contradiction here?

[Millsy]

It was very clever psychology by Pardew. Song probably should have marched after he deliberately clipped Hunt as he was advancing towards the penalty area. But because Pards hadn't been given the nod, Poll may have felt that he would have been letting Pards down if he had pulled out the red.

Pards managed that situation very well and had a psychological hold over Graham Poll. Also we should have been awarded a pen when El Karkouri shoved Long off the pitch in the penalty area.

I would just say well done Pards, that was very clever psychology. I'm certainly not gonna engage in Pardew bashing. I will just respect his fox like cleverness. You gotta use every trick and technique at your disposal when you are in the middle of a relegation scrap and you gotta think outside the box and Pards certainly did that. He showed that he is streetwise. Well done Pards! Charlton are lucky to have him!

I think Poll is the best referee in the country. I couldn't find any fault in his reffing performance last night!

Good point.

This is EXACTLY why such "agreements" are wrong and must not happen.

As you say it has the ref in a difficult situation so it is effectively a guarantee by the ref to the manager to say "I won't send him off if he commits a second bookable offence: I'll let you know about it instead so you can sub him."

SHOCKING.

TommyF - what you say stands if this is a standard arrangement by refs for managers in general. But if this was the case Pardew wouldn't have to "strike an agreement" with Poll!!!!! That gives an unfair advantage to Pardew.

I'm sorry there is NO excuse for it and I'm quite frankly shocked that anyone can defend an agreement (especially such a serious one as this) between a ref and a manager in any way whatsoever. There needs tp be an inquiry into Pardew's antics. And Poll's.