When the famous movie director John Ford was asked if his idealisation of the Wild West, with its code of fairness, scruples and honour that was black and white, in every sense of the term, was accurate his reply was 'if that wasn't the way it was, it's the way it should have been'.
I borrow this expression because certain events in the early stages of the football season have me thinking that maybe a similar view should be adopted in football.
However optimistically we view the world we live in, and football is part of that existence, although some might argue that 'the beautiful game' is several times removed from reality, things are not black and white. Shades of grey jump out from all angles and situations and that's when the concept of common sense should spring into action.
I must confess that the old chestnut of common sense, or lack of same, surfaced on Day 1 of the Premier League season, although there had been a sniff of it as the Nationwide League kicked off a week earlier.
Like most fans I eagerly awaited footage of the opening games of the flagship of English football to see what range of goals would leap from the television screen. Instead I was left open mouthed in disbelief at two incidents that summed up the glaring problem that still mars modern football, inconsistent refereeing.
Despite the creation of the elite group of top referees, and by inference the best of the bunch, two of that august collection made such rickets that I fear for the future of officiating if that is the standard of our finest.
As it turned out both incidents brought about penalties that were converted. It's arguable if either had a significant effect on the outcome of the games concerned but they might have.
Leicester City were hosting their first ever Premiership game at The Walkers Stadium and 31,000 fans were packed in the ground, most of them home fans, and much to their delight they were gifted a fifth minute spot-kick when Les Ferdinand hit the deck. 'A PENALTY', said the referee, 'NO', said the Southampton players and video replay of the incident seemed to prove that Saints had a case.
Les Ferdinand, for those who don't know, is a centre forward whose prodigious leaping ability has earned him legendary status, and the record of scoring goals for five different Premiership sides.
Les has that unique ability to climb high enough to shake hands with pilots of any low flying aircraft in the vicinity and he has that yogi-like ability, (the mystic not the bear) to hang in the air before making contact with the ball. I give you this detailed explanation because when Les climbed to head the ball he climbed so high that he was literally head and shoulders above the poor Southampton defender, who had yet to gain his own pilot's license.
The consequent fall to the ground by the 36-year-old striker was, therefore, a testament to his exceptional leaping ability. I know that, Les knows that, the poor defender knows that and, if the truth be told, everyone in the ground knew that, with the exception of the referee who, without any recourse to knowledge or common sense, pointed to the penalty spot and Paul Dickov duly converted.
Leicester eventually went 2-0 up but Southampton, with great character fought back to earn a point with two goals in the last four minutes. Some justice then.
It was the first game of the season but it could so easily happen in the last game of the campaign. Southampton could be fighting to avoid relegation from the Premiership with the kind of financial implications that other clubs have faced after dropping out of the top flight. Imagine the horror of being relegated because the referee or his assistants didn't know or see that Les Ferdinand fell to the ground because he is a better jumper than the man marking him.
The other incident that beggared belief came as the team that beat Leicester to last year's First Division title, Portsmouth, were also hosting their first game in the Premiership. Aston Villa were being beaten 2-0 and as the game drew to its conclusion Gareth Barry sped into the Pompey box but as he overran the ball he kicked the ground, and fell over. Now, I know you are way ahead of me here, but yes, the referee pointed to the spot and awarded a penalty.
Okay, the referee might have needed a better view, or better assistants, or even have been better positioned or even, ARE YOU WATCHING FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION, video-replays. But the point is that the Villa player only fell over because he kicked the ground. It wasn't a foul, it wasn't malicious but it was a penalty, according to the referee.
As it turned out the converted penalty was only a consolation goal for Villa but, if it had occurred late in the season and Portsmouth were fighting relegation, it could have proved costly.
We all know that football, like life, isn't black and white. We know that life isn't fair at times and we know people will make mistakes. But if there was a bit more common sense about then, to paraphrase John Ford, the football world at least would be the way it should.
