I remember as a kid on my first day back at school after the holidays. A new teacher walks in and you spend the whole day working out how strict this new teacher is, what can you get away with, how far can you push him/her before you get into trouble.
Watching Malaysia’s opening match in the AFF Suzuki Cup, I had the same feeling. I was watching the referee’s body language; you know the authoritarian type who thinks he’s the most important person on the pitch, strutting around as if he’s god’s gift to the world, handing out yellow cards like they are going out of fashion, chastising and lecturing the players like they’re little kids in the school playground.
Within 15 minutes I can already tell this referee is trouble, trigger happy, and a time bomb waiting to explode. Question was, will it be Myanmar or Malaysia to suffer most from the vindictive insecure little man in black attire who seemed like he planned to use the full 90 minutes to create his legacy as a human being. Will it be Malaysia or Myanmar who read the referee’s body language and have the self-discipline to control their actions and not give the referee the opportunity to lose them the game.
Sadly it was Malaysia who felt the referee’s wrath.
I saw Gary Stevens receive his first yellow card and I cringed. For I know all about the raw talent & ability that Gary possesses as a footballer. I know that if this player is nurtured correctly, then he will be Malaysia’s most complete, all round midfielder by 2016. I also know that at this point in his career, Gary is still emotionally vulnerable at pivotal times in tense football games. He is not the finished product and this football immaturity can hurt his team in key moments.
And then it happened. You’re looking at the incident, you’re saying to yourself there was nothing in that incident but suddenly the referee calls Gary over and you know what’s about to happen. Sure enough it’s a second yellow. Gary understandably felt wronged and didn’t want to leave the pitch but he had no choice. As he left the pitch I knew what would be operating within his thought process. “Oh my goodness, I’ve done it again, another red card.”
Yes correct, Gary Steven has a history of red cards, he has a history of injuries as well. But now is not the time for Malaysia to scold Gary, to neglect him. Now is the time for heart to heart discussions with Gary for he now needs to decide. Does he want to become the best midfielder in the country or does he want to be an emotional train wreck who will be remembered as a great talent who never quite fulfilled his potential ?
You cannot keep blaming the referee all the time. If the same thing keeps happening, then eventually you have to look at yourself in the mirror and accept some responsibility for your actions.
Malaysia received a red card in the Asian Cup. Now a red card in Suzuki Cup. Learning to read a referee is as important a skill as reading a player. Reading a referee will provide your team with a distinct advantage so get on his good side. Following up a crude tackle with a “sorry ref, just mistimed that one” could be the difference between a yellow and a warning.
Malaysia were clearly the better team against Myanmar and Gary Steven’s red card was the difference between 3 points and 1 point. However all is not lost with 6 points still to play for. Lets just hope that Malaysia’s next 2 games are not decided by ill-disciplined players and/or card happy referees.
As for Gary, well time heals all wounds and it’s another step in his footballing education. He can only control what happens in the future and lets hope that this propensity for brain snaps does not defines him as a player and in years to come the Malaysian footballing public will be lamenting on the midfield maestro that Gary Stevens, no doubt had the potential, to become.
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