West Brom: Referee not fit for purpose after Carlos Corberan punished claims Martin Samuel
Sam Allison isn’t fit for purpose to be an elite referee after sending Carlos Corberan off in the West Brom defeat by Southampton, according to Martin Samuel.
The Times journalist claimed in his column for the paper’s website on 24 February that the official’s decision to show the Baggies boss red in the 2-0 loss on 16 February was “out of proportion” and he shouldn’t be elevated to the Premier League, likening it to Stuart Attwell’s failure to red-card Sheffield United’s Mason Holgate for an “horrendous” challenge against Brighton.
Corberan had absentmindedly interfered with a ball that appeared to have not quite gone out of play and was sent from the touchline, as an out-of-sorts Albion side lost to their promotion rivals in front of incoming owner Shilen Patel.
Samuel wrote: “It was a simple mistake, for which Corberán’s team were going to be penalised anyway. A reprimand would have sufficed.
“Instead Allison gave Corberán a red. It was out of proportion. We don’t need more of that in the Premier League. We need referees who can spot a genuine sending-off offence.”
West Brom boss sent off at The Hawthorns against Southampton in front of Shilen Patel
The IFAB laws state that if a team official interferes with play they should be removed and “appropriate disciplinary action” taken.
In the context of a game that was goalless at the time a red card seemed a harsh response, especially since the ball was rolling along the touchline without either side in obvious possession.
It contributed to a strange night for West Brom where the manager’s lapse in concentration followed some odd personnel decisions and a flat performance from the team, in what was predicted to be a party atmosphere following the takeover announcement.
Allison’s verdict was an overreaction but in itself probably doesn’t exclude him from reaching the top level, especially considering some of the bizarre decisions that those who are already there make on a regular basis.
The Baggies did suffer for not having their manager on the bench for the rest of that game but on a night they were well short of their best it may not have ultimately altered the final result.
In other West Brom news, fans have reacted to the news of a setback to the takeover process.
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