The Wigan Athletic manager calls influencing the referee a form of cheating that is not acceptable in the English Premier League....
Roberto Martinez has come out and voiced his concern against the growing trend in the English Premier League where players and managers have tried to influence the referee into giving a decision that is favourable to their team.
This trend in the English game has been subdued of late but it has nonetheless picked up in intensity this season starting with Chelsea’s antics earlier on in the season and then with Wayne Rooney’s imaginary card against Manchester City in the F.A Cup. Wigan
were almost the victim of such an assault on the referee on Monday night as well.
Despite the fact that the Latics lost the match by a goal to nil in the end, near the 90th minute mark controversy struck at the DW stadium where http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Figueroa-c13730 handled the ball at the half way line to prevent Edin Dzeko from
going clean through on goal after the Wigan defender had misjudged the flight of the ball. http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Mancini-c23323 waved an imaginary card at the referee from the touch line to signal a possible sending off to referee Martin Atkinson but the man in-charge only brandished
a yellow card in the end.
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Martinez-c24468 said in his post-match comments, "I have been here long enough to know that trying to influence the referee is not acceptable in this country. I’ve been here since 1995 so I know that’s seen as cheating. I would not say
we played well today. The first-half was as bad as we have played. We had two players missing and it probably took too long to adapt. We defended well but we are disappointed to concede from a soft set play.”
Wigan will hope that they can gain a result from their next few matches as they are currently at the bottom of the Premier League table and looking like prime contenders for the drop come May, 2012. Roberto Martinez saved Wigan
from relegation last season but it remains to be seen whether or not such heroics will be repeated this season or not.
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