Cape Town Spurs coach Ernst Middendorp has revealed why recent decisions and comments by SAFA head of referees Abdul Ebrahim have left him irritated.
The issue of questionable standards of officiating has been in the spotlight in both the DStv Premiership and Motsepe Foundation Championship recently.
But in a recent interview on Radio 2000 Sports Show, Game On, Ebrahim said a lot of people may know the laws of the game but don’t know the application of the same laws, including coaches.
Ebrahim’s utterances have seemingly triggered a response from a frustrated Middendorp as his troops continue to fight to avoid relegation from the Premiership.
ERNST MIDDENDORP LAUNCHES AN ATTACK ON HEAD OF REFEREES ABDUL EBRAHIM
“Today is not about the referees, but I am a little bit irritated; I don’t know what’s his name, the head of referees [Abdul Ebrahim],” said Middendorp after CT Spurs’ 1-0 defeat to Sekhukhune United in the league on Saturday.
“He says no, everything is fine, and he wants facts from me or from other coaches. The same week, he suspended a referee [Tshidiso Mkhwanzi] for six weeks because I don’t know what he did in several games. How do you take this one?
“Everyone has seen our last games; it’s not only against Sekhukhune. It was not obviously his fault and he had a nice dinner now, they discussed already in the second half what’s coming this evening. But all is good, it’s not a situation,” said Middendorp.
DO OR DIE FOR CAPE TOWN SPURS AS THEY AIM FOR RICHARDS BAY POSITION
CT Spurs, at the bottom of the log, will take on Richards Bay FC in their next league game on Friday. They are five points behind the KZN side, placed in 15th place with six games remaining.
“What we have to do is make this game happen on Friday, which way or strategy is that the most important is not to switch off until we make it happen with a really high focus,” he said.
“Commitment is high and concentration at any second. 96 minutes has to be 96 at a professional level. You can’t switch off, as we have seen it again and again with different players.”
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