The Hannibal substitution (player welfare)

[jdrobbo]

I’ve not seen this posted anywhere else and I wanted to keep it away from the Hannibal thread, because it’s more to do with refereeing.

I could completely be misinterpreting the situation but when Hannibal‘s number was put up, Brownhill, who was stood very close to the referee, went straight to him and started pointing towards the Burnley bench.

Hannibal was nearer to the far touchline and the referee was asking him to leave at the nearest point, which of course was the far side. Brownhill was insistent, I think, that Hannibal should be allowed to leave through the pitch, probably highlighting his safety as a result.

Whilst we can now laugh at the Hannibal heroics, as he went around the perimeter, giving it back to the frothing Leeds fans, Is it fair to say that a potentially nasty situation could have arisen there, easily preventable by the referee?

All of this, bearing in mind, that our goalkeeper had been hit by something thrown from the crowd as well, just previous?

I know that the referee was exercising the rules to the letter, but for me, just go to Hannibal and say jog off the pitch in this direction… No wasting time because you are already on a yellow card… Something like that.

[Bosscat]

Spot on John

[Cleveleys_claret]

If you watch the beginning of his walk off the pitch he was taking it in jest but someone must have said something as he turned round and did a step back to the crowd, couldn't see any more as the camera than went back onto the pitch. As with all rules, we as a footballing community need to be able to allow refs to ref with common sense. Problem is that there will always be the .01% which disagree with a refs decision and make it more difficult for them

[ecc]

You're right, John. It wasn't the best of ideas. Whilst part of me, I must admit, enjoyed seeing him "communicating" with the locals it's surprising nobody chucked something at him. We'd all be complaining if he'd copped a bottle or a coin.

[quoonbeatz]

Absolutely could have been avoided, especially seeing as that ‘leave by the nearest exit’ rule is hardly ever enforced.

[ElectroClaret]

My main concern would be him picking up a second yellow with his antics and thus a suspension, as someone posted on the Hannibal thread.

[Rileybobs]

I suspect Hannibal was more than happy to leave the pitch where he did and enjoy his lap of abuse. But yes, referees could use their common sense.

[claretburns]

I’ve not seen this posted anywhere else and I wanted to keep it away from the Hannibal thread, because it’s more to do with refereeing.

I could completely be misinterpreting the situation but when Hannibal‘s number was put up, Brownhill, who was stood very close to the referee, went straight to him and started pointing towards the Burnley bench.

Hannibal was nearer to the far touchline and the referee was asking him to leave at the nearest point, which of course was the far side. Brownhill was insistent, I think, that Hannibal should be allowed to leave through the pitch, probably highlighting his safety as a result.

Whilst we can now laugh at the Hannibal heroics, as he went around the perimeter, giving it back to the frothing Leeds fans, Is it fair to say that a potentially nasty situation could have arisen there, easily preventable by the referee?

All of this, bearing in mind, that our goalkeeper had been hit by something thrown from the crowd as well, just previous?

I know that the referee was exercising the rules to the letter, but for me, just go to Hannibal and say jog off the pitch in this direction… No wasting time because you are already on a yellow card… Something like that.

Whilst I agree with the sentiment that the ref could have let Hannibal leave across the pitch and straight to the bench, Hannibal himself, whilst us as fans enjoyed it, could have been more restraint with his antics when walking through a situation like that.

[mdd2]

I think there is a very simple solution. Players run to their dugout when substituted unless clearly injured. Failure to do so and waste time yellow card and if they continue dragging their feet, a second yellow.
What happened with Hannibal was silly IMO. Mercifully it didnt happen against the Rovers, but the slow walk off the pitch is an irritation, as it never happens when the team is losing. (Unless it is us playing City in a bid to keep the goal difference down)

[aggi]

Whilst I agree with the sentiment that the ref could have let Hannibal leave across the pitch and straight to the bench, Hannibal himself, whilst us as fans enjoyed it, could have been more restraint with his antics when walking through a situation like that.

They were abusing Koleosho when he went off before Hannibal (the ref did the same thing of sending him off the opposite side to the dugout) too.

[Superjohnnyfrancis]

Excellent pantomime villain gave it to them loads.

[Big Vinny K]

Watching it back I was surprised one of the Leeds fans did not run on the pitch and go for him.
We are not talking about a normal set of fans here.
The referee used zero common sense as he must have known the Leeds fans reputation and to be fair he should have been more than aware that Hannibal is also no shrinking violet.

[Hipper]

Did Trafford actually get hit bon the head? It wasn't shown or mentioned on TV, only Trafford rubbing his head and the ref coming over.

[Accrington claret]

They were abusing Koleosho when he went off before Hannibal (the ref did the same thing of sending him off the opposite side to the dugout) too.

Koleosho also had objects thrown towards him from the Leeds fans, just like Trafford and Hannibal got
When Leeds was last in the Prem this happened at Bellend Road on more than one occasion
They received zero punishment from the powers that be, Nothing will happen about the throwing objects onto the pitch once again by Leeds fans

[taio]

Did Trafford actually get hit bon the head? It wasn't shown or mentioned on TV, only Trafford rubbing his head and the ref coming over.

It looked like it. Certainly went down in the second half. Too far away to tell what he might have been hit by. He didn't seem too troubled by it.

[Clive 1960]

Did Trafford actually get hit bon the head? It wasn't shown or mentioned on TV, only Trafford rubbing his head and the ref coming over.

got hit on back of the head with the ball it said on TV i was watching but i didn't see the ball hit him ...

[Hipper]

A bit more here:

https://www.leeds-live.co.uk/sport/leed ... r-29938923

...where they also say it was a ball and Trafford made a lot of it, which I can believe.

[Burnley1989]

I’ve not seen this posted anywhere else and I wanted to keep it away from the Hannibal thread, because it’s more to do with refereeing.

I could completely be misinterpreting the situation but when Hannibal‘s number was put up, Brownhill, who was stood very close to the referee, went straight to him and started pointing towards the Burnley bench.

Hannibal was nearer to the far touchline and the referee was asking him to leave at the nearest point, which of course was the far side. Brownhill was insistent, I think, that Hannibal should be allowed to leave through the pitch, probably highlighting his safety as a result.

Whilst we can now laugh at the Hannibal heroics, as he went around the perimeter, giving it back to the frothing Leeds fans, Is it fair to say that a potentially nasty situation could have arisen there, easily preventable by the referee?

All of this, bearing in mind, that our goalkeeper had been hit by something thrown from the crowd as well, just previous?

I know that the referee was exercising the rules to the letter, but for me, just go to Hannibal and say jog off the pitch in this direction… No wasting time because you are already on a yellow card… Something like that.

You say jog off but I've never understood why players are told to hurry up, nobody would bat an eyelid if it was 5 minutes into the game and a player walked off.
Just stop the watch

[mdd2]

Taking an age to leave the pitch near the end when perhaps under the cosh stops the momentum of the game. We see this when players go down "injured" near the end of a game too.

[Lip]

Just imagine if a dirty Leeds player was made to leave the pitch like Hannibal did at the Turf. I'm sure the Clarets fans would applause him all the way round to the dugout.

[ClaretTony]

Trafford was hit with the ball

[Rileybobs]

Did Trafford actually get hit bon the head? It wasn't shown or mentioned on TV, only Trafford rubbing his head and the ref coming over.

Trafford was hit in the back of the head by a ball thrown from the crowd. He didn’t see it coming so it must have come as a bit of a surprise, but he dropped to the ground and milked it for a few seconds before thinking better of it.

[NewClaret]

Re: the OP, completely agree with John and was considering posting something myself after we’d all enjoyed Hannibal’s ****housery to the maximum.

Sending an ex Man United player around the touch line at Elland Road is just brainless refereeing and definitely a player welfare issue.

I’m glad Hannibal gave it to them - a lesser player might not and instead had to unnecessarily suffer a load of abuse or got hurt - and hopefully the authorities reflect on it and avoid it in future.

Regarding Trafford, I agree it was a shock and he wasn’t to know it was a ball, but he got up pretty quickly thereafter.

[IanMcL]

Absolutely could have been avoided, especially seeing as that ‘leave by the nearest exit’ rule is hardly ever enforced.

And yet when teams want to make a swift change, because they are chasing the game, players just step off on the far side.