The Tigers’ boss and assistant Dean Holden were both booked at Portman Road
Sergej Jakirovic reacts after Paddy McNair was fouled at Portman Road in a challenge that went unpunished (Image: Joe Toth/Shutterstock)
Sergej Jakirovic says referees will kill the enjoyment in football, unless they relax their treatment of managers and coaches on the touchline.
Jakirovic has said consistently throughout the season that he’s become increasingly frustrated with the way in which referees and their assistants are managing games.
The Croatian believes match officials are taking the fun out of the game by penalising everything on the touchline, whilst not being consistent in their decision-making on the pitch.
City‘s bench was dismayed with some of the decisions made by referee Lewis Smith, who booked Jakirovic and assistant boss Dean Holden, while Marko Salatovic has just been banned and fined by the FA for his celebration against Derby County late last month, having been sent off at Southampton. That followed goalkeeping coach Erbil Bozkurt being dismissed in stoppage time at Deepdale in January.
Jakirovic used their defeat to Ipswich Town as an example where his side picked up a flurry of cautions, including Matt Crooks, who will miss Saturday’s visit of Millwall after clocking up 10 bookings. Amir Hadziahmetovic and Lewie Coyle were both hurt in challenges that Jakirovic felt went unpunished.
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“There is no consistency,” the Croatian explained. “They can say whatever, but there is no consistency, and if I ask something to the fourth referee, you don’t want to respond to me. What is this?
“Every time in the meeting, before the game, it’s always ‘If you have some questions, ask the fourth official’, then you ask, and he doesn’t respond to you.
“I got the yellow because I showed it’s a yellow card, OK, this is football. You can’t show emotions in football, you know. Nothing. If you celebrate a goal, you will get yellow like David Moyes for Everton, so we’re just standing there like a stupid person and watching the game. No emotions, nothing. This is not good; they will kill the game.”
Jakirovic says Dean Holden has been in touch with the EFL’s head of refereeing, Kevin Friend, to discuss their grievances, but says it’s out on the pitch in the middle of the game where the issues are.
“Dean spoke with Kevin Friend,” he revealed. “Sometimes we call him when we have some questions, just so that we are clear with that. It’s not Kevin Friend, he’s not on the pitch. I know the referees have instructions there and everything, but sometimes you must manage the situation better, and that’s it.
“This is not that you are not allowed to make mistakes, this is normal, sometimes I feel there is no consistency when you see fouls he whistles against you, then you have maybe the same challenge, and they don’t whistle.
“Then, towards the end of the game, your nervousness increases there. Sometimes, maybe I made a mistake as well. I’m not right sometimes. Maybe I’m subjective, but this is all normal; generally, it’s all OK.
“I cannot complain, but if I show this a yellow card (simulated a yellow card with a gesture), you gave me a yellow, so what, my hands in the pocket, and watch the game?”
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