What a dramatic start to the season we had! Sjoe.
Wits’ MTN8 quarterfinal with Golden Arrows on Friday night was full of drama.
It started off with Arrows taking the lead against the defending champions. But then it all went to pot.
Wits debutant Slavko Damjanovic was sent off - nightmare start for him.
That was to be the first of six dismissals in the game. SIX.
Danny Phiri was next to go just before half time to even out the numbers.
Siyabonga Dube was sent off in extra time for a headbutt.
If Arrows had one more player sent off the game would have had to be abandoned according to the rules.
Before that though, both Wits boss Gavin Hunt and Arrows' Clinton Larsen, as well as his assistant Mandla Ncikazi, were sent to the stands.
Wits boss Gavin Hunt and Arrows' Clinton Larsen
Clearly referee Phillip Tinyani lost control of the game.
It was a shambles.
So much so that Wits CEO Jose Ferreira had to be pulled away from Tinyani kicking and screaming: “You’ll never ref in this stadium again”.
OUTRAGED: Wits CEO Jose Ferreira
Both clubs will surely be brought before the PSL Disciplinary Committee.
But what happens to Tinyani?
I’ve heard from one ref that they do get suspensions when they perform badly, but it isn’t made public that they are under review like it is in other leagues. What’s new?
After speaking to a top South African ref about what it’s really like for them, I actually feel sorry for the men in the middle.
They fly in on the same day as the game because most of them have other jobs as well.
And yet they run 90 minutes, too, same as the players who arrive a day or two before and stay in proper hotels and get the correct rest.
Referees also don’t earn that much money per game, so the conditions are really tough for them.
When they are catching on nonsense on the field we don’t think about this.
But rather than blame them, why don’t club bosses who are angry at the state of refereeing in this country put pressure on the league to treat the referees better. Maybe then the standard will improve.