FRIEDEL EDITORIAL (Issue 265)

Don’t get me wrong, I like Brad Friedel. He comes across as a decent bloke and he has arguably been the best and most consistent goalkeeper in the Premier League over the last decade. However, I am flabbergasted that the FA rescinded the red card he received in Sunday’s defeat at Liverpool. Friedel made a genuine effort to get to the ball but Torres beat him to it, knocked it past the keeper and then had nowhere to go but into Friedel. Torres was denied ‘a clear goalscoring opportunity’ and Friedel was the last man (Reo-Coker was ahead of his goalkeeper). While perhaps a penalty and a yellow card might have been enough punishment, referee Martin Atkinson was correct under the current laws to dismiss the American. How can referees operate effectively when their (correct) decisions are reversed by the FA? This totally undermines the credibility of referees and it is no surprise that the Professional Game Match Officials Board has written to the FA seeking clarification on how the decision to rescind was reached. Meanwhile, Friedel gets to play on and extend his record of consecutive appearances in the Premier League. Good luck to him.