Need to dismiss hatred out of football, says Arteta as Arsenal manager demands change in game’s ‘culture’ in terms of stopping abuse.
Need to dismiss hatred is what Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta demands as he wants new rules to stop abuse of players or officials.
“We don’t want it, we don’t need it, it can only damage our sport, so let’s get it out.”
Following an inquiry by police into threats against referee Michael Oliver, whose house was under police guard after he sent out Myles Lewis-Skelly for a tackle on Matt Doherty at Wolves on Saturday, Arteta made his plea. Within hours of the evidence being given to the Football Association, Arsenal appealed and the red card was reversed on Tuesday. The verdict had been reviewed and upheld by Darren England, the video assistant referee.
An independent committee upheld the charge of wrongful dismissal after Lewis-Skelly was found to have dozed off during the team’s flight to their Champions League first-phase final match against Girona.
But after Oliver and his family experienced harassment and threats that the Professional Game Match Officials Limited deemed “abhorrent,” Arteta thought it was time to take action.
“Every time I talk about this topic [my view] is the same, regardless of whether it is a player or a coach or a referee. We have to really work harder to try to eradicate that part of the game that brings nothing but bad stuff, bad taste and it makes people’s lives more difficult.”
“For everyone in football. It should not be permitted. We don’t want it, we don’t need it, it can only damage our sport, so let’s get it out.
“We’re always putting a lot of emphasis on evolving, on where football is going in the next five, 10 years, on the rules, and all that sort of thing. But one of the most important things we can do to evolve is create an environment that’s much better at a social level, one that’s healthier, that’s nicer, in which we reward things that are not only winning, that when people make mistakes they have the chance to make amends.
“We shouldn’t be here with this hatred, these things we see, because they affect everyone and in the end they take away the joy of this sport, the reason for it – which is to enjoy ourselves, have good moments.
“[We have to] spend more time making the right decisions with the right people to get it out. Then, the same as we have put laws and measures and regulation and that kind of thing … they do that, why haven’t we done it [with this]? We are all talking about it, but no one seems to be moving strongly enough and bringing people with them to get that out of the game, because it’s just unacceptable.”