By Our Man In Black
If you’ve been looking closely you may have noticed that in the past weeks we have published a few rumours that are doing the rounds amongst referees. If these rumours are true then this paints the PGMO and their big boys as a not really nice and reliable organisation.
Of course not all people who work for the PGMO are like that. As in all organisations there are always a few rotten apples who spoil it for the rest.
But the problem is that it appears to us that those who know about what is going on in the inside of PGMO cannot speak. Perhaps, because if they speak they know their career is over. Perhaps for some other reason. Perhaps because PGMO is a secretive organisation. That’s always the point: PGMO provides referees for games that attract millions upon millions of watchers around the world. And they exist in the shadows.
So for a similar reason, anyone in the world of refereeing who has any concerns (be they legitimate or not) tends to feel they can’t go to the media because (they say) they realise that the media is not really interested in running such stories, because…
Well, this is a matter of further debate. Why does a newspaper or a main TV channel or radio station not investigate PGMO. Is it because…
a) they don’t believe there is a story?
b) they think that no one will be interested?
c) PGMO is so secretive that it would be impossible to get any information out?
d) the media have all invested so much money in Premier League match rights, that they fear that a scandal could undermine their investment
e) the media is colluding with PGMO?
Trying to understand the thinking behind any part of the media is often hard going. But the net result of this silence combined with PGMO’s own secretive nature, we see PGMO cast in a bad light, where the integrity of the PGMO can be questioned – as we question it here. We are not (abosolutely not) saying that PGMO is corrupt in any way. Rather that we hear rumours, and because PGMO is secretive we can’t do any checking.
Certainly if PGMO were ever exposed as being less than 10000% honest and straightforward this (because of PGMO’s secretive nature) could put the Premier League in danger and could result in less money floating around in the game.
So the balance is a delicate one and the journalists and commentators who know about it (and we suspect some do know about it) are waiting for someone else to run the story. Nobody wants to be the first as they risk losing their right to coverage matches, and a possible legal case. So they need 100% absolute prove and certainty about it before they would risk to run such stories.
And so we have just reported the rumours without using names. And we invite the PGMO to tell their version of the incidents if they want. It could well be possible that the rumours are just malicious gossip and not true. But as we have said on many occasions that is down to the fact that the PGMO is behaving as a sort of secret organisation. An organisation where they hide all that can be hidden for the eyes of the public. And isn’t it that same public that pays for them? It is the people who watch football and pay to watch football that are the public that deserves to be informed about the referees in a correct way.
So what do we need to get the PGMO to open up?
One route is to have one or a few people from the inner circle who have enough and who want things to change. As said this should be brave people as they risk losing the job they enjoy doing. If they lose the battle of power that could occur they will be out of a job. So you need to be brave to do it.
Another route would be for one of the journalists who, like us, has heard stories, to be brave enough to run the stories.
The third is for PGMO to open up and allow everyone much greater access to their inner workings.
We know about a few people in the media who have the rumours we have. And we have heard about an alleged interview with a certain person that wasn’t published as it could break the silence surrounding the PGMO.
So that is our latest rumour in fact. Some people do know that something is wrong with PGMO but don’t dare to come out. Yet. Maybe they all need a little push in the back to get going. Maybe that little push in the back could happen when a retired referee publishes a book. That is if this referee dares to take on the PGMO in his book completely then the world will change.
Either that or PGMO suddenly decides not to be quite so secret any more – because everything is fine and above board. Then they will, in fact, pull the lid off themselves. Let’s hope they do just that.
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Wasn’t Mark Halsey threatened with possible legal action by the PGMO for not giving them the required amount of notice before retiring, as well as for breaching their secrecy regulations or something by writing a book.
Yes. Here’s the link. But I could only find a cached copy.
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://www.sportsmole.co.uk/off-the-pitch/news/referee-halsey-to-face-legal-action_84652.html
I had the pleasure of meeting Mark Halsey last month. He seems like a nice man. Didn’t get to talk to him much as he was signing autographs and getting photos clicked with everyone. So couldn’t talk to him about his book and ask if it contains any dirty secrets of the PGMO or Riley. I hope it does.
One of the main reason why PGMO is not being targeted by the media is because of the enormous clout they carry. From Emirates, Chevrolet, AIG to small small group of firms which rule the roost they are all part of the big organization namely Premier League.
PGMO is one of the backbones and directly or indirectly they control the content of the advertisement in the media. This most probably is one of the main reason why the media prefers to remain silent spectator or move on with it than reporting it.
If people are closely watching the Indian Cricket’s Premier League, they will find the accusations, scandals and all things a part of the lore but still the media tends to cover, build up, bill up and posthumously examine and also write reports of the matches. I never have read about media boycott or even part of media opening up.
Its because the media knows well their income(no media earns enough from our subscriptions) will be stopped with ease. Put a word here or there and it would drench out the advertising income for a particular paper or tv programme. It would mean the business is killed.
I don’t know how many here would remember how Rupert Murdoc once tried to buy Man United. Coincidentally around the same time Sky showed PL across the globe and Man United were billed as the best in business, the biggest club blah blah blah and today much of Asians think of only Man United.
Makes me remember my college days where I asked my friend whats his fav PL team and he replied Man United and I asked what next his reply was Real Madrid.
“PGMO is one of the backbones and directly or indirectly they control the content of the advertisement in the media.”
Veeraraghavan Prasanna
For clarification, please do expand on this – a specific example or two on how this might work.
At the end of next season, it will be interesting to see whether the results have been affected by the work of the PGMOL…..now that Ferguson is no longer pulling the strings.
My own opinion is that the refs, left on their own, aren’t organised enough to manipulate the outcome of matches.
“now that Ferguson is no longer pulling the strings.”
Nicky,
As a world-wise man, you know this for a fact? No links to the club, the brand, the league the institution?
@Bob i really think next season will tell us just how much powerful Fergie was. Im really interested to see what happens with United and the refs next season. Do they turn on them now Fergie is gone or will Fergie`s influence within the club(now behind curtains) make them quiver? Only time will tell but imo i dont think anything will change especially not with Fergie`s pal Riley still in charge
Mahdain,
Sums up my view more or less. Though ferguson appeared to be the direct beneficiary in footballing terms, I feel it may be bigger than him and that he’s just a willing, and powerful, part of a whole. As has been shown in that dispatches documentary “How to Buy a Football Club” he’s no stranger to shady dealings, but he doesn’t work alone. He needed the help of the PGMOL and they certainly required some benefit (as in $$$$). So why would they stop if it’s working so well? Why should a change of manager suddenly ruin everything? In my opinion, he’s part of the circus but probably not the ringleader. My hope is that eventually someone that was a not-so-willing participant retires or is in a position where they no longer have anything to lose and comes out to the public. Could explain why the PGMOL was so manic about Halsey retiring. Looks a little like damage control maybe? But ya next year could be quite revealing either way
To clarify, when I said “he needed the help of the PGMOL” I was referring to his success in the PL. Could have transitioned better..
@Nicky
Everyone’s nightmare is that pressure to fix matches is coming down from the top (above PGMO) and that refs are having to do what they are told like everyone else. This would make a nonsense of everything from the league trophies, to the betting markets and not least to the TV coverage. What about the implications for the Euro competitions? When money becomes more important than sport–shit happens.
The question always has been- who is powerful enough to keep out the Press, the Police, Parliament, the Media, the PL, the FA and to stop hundreds of people who know what is going on from whistleblowing?
Well, there is only one suspect- send your answers on a postcard to them. If they can find time to read them– amid their efforts to con us into eating GM crops, drinking flouride, allowing the fracking disaster, continuously bailing out banks, sending our troops to bolster their expansionist agenda and paying through the nose for armaments, fuel and heating costs whilst giving (what?)our sovereignty away to Europe– they should have a laugh at least. But we ain’t laughing!
@Bob et al,
Only time will tell if I’m right or wrong about Ferguson and his bullyboy attitude towards match officials.
My Gran (who cleans at the Emirates) tells me a lot about Christmas hampers (and the withdrawal of same), the Ferguson watch which automatically extends TAO (time added on)if United are losing (or even only drawing)and the chewing gum concession which was given to the PGMOL to fund their annual Christmas party.
Facts can’t lie, my friend.
Sorry to be off topic, but has anyone seen this? http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/news/south-american-football-referee-beheaded-fans-killing-player-084120459.html