Arteta ‘Mercedes version of Warnock’, say referees’ charity in response to Arsenal statement

According to a charity representing referees, Arsenal’s club statement supporting manager Mikel Arteta has been criticized as “embarrassing” and contributing to a toxic culture in grassroots football. The chief executive of Ref Support UK, Martin Cassidy, referred to Arteta as a “Mercedes version of Neil Warnock” and suggested that Arsenal should address the behavior of their manager or players in order to have more credibility.

Arsenal expressed their outrage after their defeat against Newcastle, particularly regarding Anthony Gordon’s winning goal, which was allowed to stand after a VAR check. They did not specify which incident caused their greatest dissatisfaction but issued a statement supporting Arteta’s post-match comments and calling for the refereeing body, the PGMOL, to address officiating standards.

This follows Liverpool’s statement last month after a VAR mistake contributed to their defeat against Tottenham. Liverpool warned of the need for escalation and resolution and even requested a replay of the match.

‘Arteta’s behaviour is the worst in the Premier League’

The touchline attitude of Klopp and Arteta towards match officials has long been a concern for grassroots referees. Martin Cassidy, CEO of Ref Support UK, emphasized the need for clubs to address and publicly acknowledge the unacceptable behavior of their players or manager. He described Arteta’s touchline behavior as the worst in the Premier League, comparing him to Neil Warnock. Cassidy expressed concern about the impact of Arteta’s behavior and comments, which now appear to be supported by Arsenal, on the game as a whole. He criticized Arsenal’s statement as a childish complaint.

Cassidy’s charity receives regular reports of abusive behavior towards officials in grassroots football, often involving referees who are under 18 years old. He highlighted the problem of parents reporting threats and verbal abuse from coaches in youth games, using the same language and behavior seen on TV.

Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month, then enjoy 1 year for just $9 with our US-exclusive offer.