Just watching the football and heard the commentators discussing an incident where, from a free kick the ball struck a player on his arm while his arm was in motion. Mick McCarthy was pontificating that that should be a handball and as it was in the penalty area, a penalty should be awarded.I suggest that Mr McCarthy, an ex-professional footballer and former International manager, read the rule book. All rules in football start with the phrase “In the opinion of the referee…”, and all rules are enforced by what the referee actually sees. The rules DO NOT start with “In the opinion of Mick McCarthy, any other commentator, pundit, footballer (of any level) or fan”. Nor does it state that the incident should be viewed from one of 26 camera postions, in slow motion or from a relay.

All pundits and commentators should stop making decisions for referees, who have a difficult job without being judged by people who make up the rules to suit their own view points, unless they have experienced the situation from the view point of the person who has studied the rules as part of their career and is making decisions based on what they SAW. You cannot make judgements based on the reactions of players or managers, otherwise by half time the game would need to be abandoned as there would be no players left on the pitch. At the end of the day, Mr McCarthy managed a national football team and did the job to the best of his abilities. Did he never make a mistake? And if he did, how did he feel when others (who did not know all the facts) berated him for his decisions? Did it make his job any easier? He will probably say that it comes with the territory - which it does. However, like all those who publically criticised him for his handling of the Roy Keane affair, he should stick to commenting on what he knows best - managing football teams, and avoid subjects he only has the basic knowledge and experience of - refereeing football games. This also applies to those who comment on the game they should stick to commentating on those things they know best - the names of players, where the ball is, who passed to whom, what is happening on the pitch and relaying the decisions of referees without applying knowledge and experience they do not have.

Most referees will admit that they do make mistakes and that is part of the human condition. It would also make the game less interesting, and give the fans nothing to discuss, if the game was made as clinical as it would be if every decision was adjudicated by a panel of judges.