Keith Hackett: Raul Jiminez red card was not even a foul in Leeds United win v Wolves
We’re delighted to welcome former Premier League referee Keith Hackett to the MOT Leeds News team. Each week, Hackett will discuss the big moments from the latest Leeds United games and deliver his verdict on whether his successors got their calls right or wrong…
Keith Hackett has insisted that there was “no way” that Wolves attacker Raul Jiminez should have been sent off against Leeds United.
The ex-FIFA official admitted that he wouldn’t have even blown for a foul, and would have instead restarted the game with a drop-ball.
Leeds were two-nil down at the time, and pulled off a sensational comeback to win 3-2 after Kevin Friend sent off the Mexican.
“I thought the referee was wrong,” he exclusively told MOT Leeds News. “I honestly think he has to some degree has been influenced to the outcome of the goalkeeper, which is always a danger.
“I’ve said before that football is a contact sport, I think there was genuine endeavour from both players to try and win the ball, I didn’t see any malice, I don’t think it was reckless.
“I was really surprised and disappointed as it really did affect the game, it’s so important that when the referee is going to give a second yellow.
“This is the danger, if you’re too quick with yellow cards, the dangers are that you’re going to get to a point where a player who has already been cautioned is going to commit another offence, and it can be a technical offence, so for me, no way, this is not an incident where a foul should be given.
“I think this was a coming together, I would have restarted the game with a drop ball.”
Foul or collision?
This debate has raged on over the weekend, and the outcome will likely change depending on which club you support.
Many believe that Jiminez didn’t need to go flying in with his side two goals to the good and already on a yellow card.
Having said that, if that’s one of your own players, you are likely fuming with the outcome in the end, although there weren’t huge complaints.
Common sense has to be applied, and the facts are that Meslier got to the ball, and Jiminez didn’t and even forced the goalkeeper off the pitch with an injury.
No complaints.
In other Leeds United news, Andrea Radrizzani has broken his silence on Twitter sharing when he will leave the club