Arsène Wenger has been left “surprised and disappointed” by the decision to withdraw Kevin Friend from his duties refereeing Tottenham Hotspur’s game at Stoke City on Monday night and he believes that a dangerous precedent has been set. Mauricio Pochettino, the Tottenham manager, also said that the decision was “difficult to understand” and he would have been relaxed about Friend taking charge.
Friend, who lives in Leicester and admits to having visited the King Power Stadium as a supporter, does not referee City’s matches and he has been stood down from the game at the Britannia Stadium, given that Tottenham are in direct pursuit of Claudio Ranieri’s side at the top of the Premier League.
The Professional Game Match Officials Ltd, who would not normally take secondary factors into consideration, eventually bowed to pressure largely exerted on social media and removed the 44-year-old from the fixture. Neil Swarbrick will now oversee the game, with Friend refereeing Newcastle’s match with Manchester City on Tuesday.
“I’m completely against that decision,” said Wenger, whose Arsenal side could go into Sunday’s match against Crystal Palace 16 points behind Leicester. “The referees are professional people. You’re supposed to be impartial whatever happens so, on some level, [it appears that] someone doesn’t believe completely that the referee is impartial.
“It surprises me that that happens. Social media shouldn’t dictate the rules or what happens to a referee. People at the top level have the responsibility to make these decisions. So I’m surprised and disappointed by that decision.”
Pochettino made the point that Tottenham had not complained about the original decision to appoint Friend to the game at Stoke and he agreed with Wenger about how the integrity of referees ought never to be brought into question.
“We never complain and I want to say we trust in all the referees,” Pochettino said. “In this moment, because we never complain, it wasn’t our decision. But I think we need to trust. I trust in all the referees and the decision maybe is difficult to understand for all the people. But it wasn’t our decision. If Kevin was the referee on Monday, I was happy. It is not a problem. Sometimes this type of situation happens, but I trust in all the referees.
“I agree with Arsène. It is important to keep the integrity of the referee and always back the referee. They are human and can make mistakes like us but it is important for the next time to behave naturally and to show the referee the trust and respect. Then, whatever happens in the game, on the pitch – we are human and can make a mistake. It’s not because something is behind it.”
Wenger was asked whether there may be a better way of selecting referees for specific fixtures. “I had this chat already with Mike Riley once,” said the Arsenal manager. “You cannot consider referees having to declare who they support and then not refereeing that team. If they referee a team who is fighting with the team they support, they can’t even referee that match.
“If you go down that route, you’re thinking the referees are not professional. To be professional is to do what the rules demand. If they can’t be impartial because they have an emotional link with the club, that’s not about being professional. So to go that way, it becomes a nightmare every week to choose a referee for every single game.
“But this sets a dangerous precedent. The solution is you don’t look where they come from, who they support, and you put the best referees into the games. We have to accept referees make mistakes, and I believe we have to give them more support on technology in the future, especially on offsides. But also to treat them as professionals: responsible people who make decisions not linked to emotional situations.”
Pochettino, who said that the striker Harry Kane had trained all week and was fit for Stoke, having taken a knock in last Sunday’s home win over Manchester United, offered his comments on the PFA’s Player of the Year award. Kane is the lone Tottenham representative on the six-man shortlist and there has been surprise that Toby Alderweireld, the central defender, who has been outstanding throughout the season, has not been recognised. Not from Pochettino, though, who was himself a centre-half during his playing career. Only one defensive player has won the PFA award since 1993 – the Chelsea centre-back, John Terry.
“I was a defender, so I know this feeling for players on the defensive line,” Pochettino said, with a smile. “I think it is normal. I don’t know why players vote for the goalscorers instead of the defenders. It is the trend. But for me as a manager, the striker and the goalkeeper are at the same level. It is true that Toby adds very good quality but everything is about the team. This season, we have better balance in the team and that is important.”
