With all the recent games that have been played, we`ve neglected a couple of stories that we should maybe have highlighted here. The first of those being the somewhat staggering comments made by former Premier League referee, an ex-electrician, Mark Clattenburg.
The Clatt was speaking on an American podcast show called The Men In Blazers, the show tries to promote soccer in the USA, I think, in an irreverant way. I`m sure those more familiar with it can correct me. It does make for an interesting listen though.
Clattenburg, left the Premier League to go and officiate in the Saudi Arabian Jameel League. Roger Bennett was asking the questions.
THE CLATTENBURG POD. Mark Clattenburg on the mindset of the modern referee.
Full pod here: https://t.co/9dQdXVUjRe pic.twitter.com/u9zWIG1oKl? Men in Blazers (@MenInBlazers) December 4, 2017
One of topics that came up for discussion, and is relevant here on Vital Chelsea, was the Chelsea game against Tottenham Hotspur in the season that Leicester City won the title. Tottenham needed to win to keep their title hopes alive, and Chelsea would have loved to have scuppered that at any cost. Anything but a win for Spurs would see Leicester crowned Champions.
Clattenburg, called the game the Battle of Stamford Bridge. He said he came into the game not wanting to be blamed for Spurs losing the title. His initial statement was, that he should have sent off three Spurs players during the game. He chose to let them stay on the pitch and self destruct, he wanted Tottenham to be masters of their own downfall, and they were.
He called it theatre. The way some of those challenges were coming in, to my recollection, some of the Chelsea players could have needed an operating theatre.
Speaking to Sky Sports following the furore his original comments caused, he said something else to upset Chelsea fans,
`But I don’t regret what I did in that match. I thoroughly enjoyed the match. I came off the pitch knowing that I hadn’t influenced the result, and that was the most important thing.`
I would beg to differ and say he very much did influence the result. Had he sent three Tottenham players off, I`m pretty certain that Chelsea would have gone on to win the game. Those two extra points would have seen Chelsea leapfrog Stoke City and finish in 9th place in the league?..Fuming!!