Rules Are Rules: What Alex Ferguson, Andy Gray Don't Understand

Now forgive me if I'm wrong, but as far as I can see in the FA rulebook the laws of the game should remain consistent no matter which two teams are contesting a match, be it Arsenal vs. Chelsea or Nuneaton Burough vs. Tamworth. 

Whilst this might seem obvious to you, apparently it does not appear to be the case amongst football's brightest minds and most influential figureheads.

Let me take you back to the 2006 Champion's League final - Arsenal vs. Barcelona in what had been built up as a clash of the two exponents of the 'beautiful game'. Things took a sour turn for the Gunners when Jens Lehmann committed a foul on Samuel Eto'o just outside the box after 18 minutes and, as the last man, he was duly given a red card.

As was plain from the replays, Lehmann had committed a foul and the laws dictated that he had to go. From their reactions the players knew it, Lehmann knew it and the referee knew it. However, this outcome infuriated Sky analyst and football 'expert' Andy Gray, who launched into a tirade against the referee and incessantly spouted the comment that the red card had 'ruined the game as a spectacle'. 

To return to my earlier point, no matter what the size of the match the laws of the game must remain consistent. For this not to be the case would be to turn the entire sport into farce. 

Why has this re-entered my mind now? Two comments over the last week have caused me to bring this up again. Firstly, Alan Green on BBC Radio 5 Live (Britain's premier sports radio station) made the observation that refs were reluctant to book players in big semi-finals so that they would all be available for the end-of-season showpiece. Allegations that this was an initiative headed by UEFA were unsubstantiated rumour but raised nonetheless. 

Secondly, Sir Alex Ferguson commented to Sky Sports that Chelsea's penalty in Saturday's title decider shouldn't have been given in "a major game like that", a phrase he labours in the interview. Now, to dispute the referee's judgement is one thing (he did that as well), but to make the point that the size of the game should influence whether decisions are given or not is frankly ridiculous.

I can only hope that comments like those made by Ferguson and Gray do not influence officials into believing this drivel, rather preferring to focus on the rules of the game and enforcing them no matter who is playing.