Ump mozzes Richo

[one-eyed]

 Ump advice stuns Richo
Mark Stevens
Herald-Sun
11aug05

A BEMUSED Matthew Richardson has accused umpire Darren Goldspink of providing his own special comments as the Tiger lined up for goal on Saturday night.

Richardson was stunned when Goldspink took time out to reinforce the importance of the kick against Fremantle at Subiaco.

As Richardson's opponent Shane Parker headed off the ground under the blood rule, the Tiger claims Goldspink muttered: "Geez, you need this one. Don't stab at it. Handy goal this will be."

The unpredictable Richardson didn't heed the advice, missing from 25m.

In a jovial interview on radio station SEN yesterday, Richardson described Goldspink's intervention as a disgrace.

"I'm not happy with him," Richardson said. "You're out there to umpire, Darren, not tell me it's an important goal."

The AFL last night declined to comment on Richardson's claims. The league is awaiting full details, including a transcript of the interview.

Goldspink is one of the most experienced umpires on the list and is understood to have built a strong rapport with Richardson.

But it is an interesting scenario set against the backdrop of the AFL's zero-tolerance policy on abuse to umpires.

Umpires have taken an informal approach to dealing with players. Microphones often pick up the umps calling players by their nicknames.

The Goldspink incident comes less than a fortnight after Scott McLaren raised eyebrows for making comments to Melbourne's Adem Yze. McLaren pushed Yze back on the mark as St Kilda's Luke Ball lined up for a set shot, telling him Ball wouldn't make the distance anyway.

It was picked up by the on-field microphone and beamed across the country by Channel 10.

McLaren's judgment proved spot-on. Ball's kick from just outside 50m faded to the right and fell short.

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,16219962%255E11088,00.html

[mightytiges]

As Richardson's opponent Shane Parker headed off the ground under the blood rule, the Tiger claims Goldspink muttered: "Geez, you need this one. Don't stab at it. Handy goal this will be."

The unpredictable Richardson didn't heed the advice, missing from 25m.

It would have been better instead if Goldspink had moved Richo to 50m out on the boundary. It would have then gone straight through the middle .

[Fishfinger]

I reckon it would have been better if Goldspink kicked it for him. 

[julzqld]

Sue him!

[letsgetiton!]

appar goldfinger and richo actually get on really well and have a good rapport and relationship. i think as a pro footballer richo is being a bit of a soook here and there is no excuse to miss any goals from that postion . richos prob is he lets the crowd opposition and umpires get to him , he needs to get stronger in the mind

[Fishfinger]

In a jovial interview on radio station SEN yesterday, Richardson described Goldspink's intervention as a disgrace.

Seems to me Richo was amused rather than bemused.
Maybe Mark Stevens thinks Richo is gaining too respectable a reputation so it's time he was tarnished, whether warranted or not. In this case I'd say not.
My first thought when I read the article was " Mark, he was joking you idiot." 

[cub]

I think Richo was just taking the pizz and having a laugh about it.

[WilliamPowell]

In a jovial interview on radio station SEN yesterday, Richardson described Goldspink's intervention as a disgrace.

Seems to me Richo was amused rather than bemused.
Maybe Mark Stevens thinks Richo is gaining too respectable a reputation so it's time he was tarnished, whether warranted or not. In this case I'd say not.
My first thought when I read the article was " Mark, he was joking you idiot." 

Must be another slow news day

SEN replayed it while I was driving home - fair dinkum everyone was laughing (granted stupid Bill Brownless laughs at everything) about it there was certaily no "sooking" on Richo's behalf.

As I said slow news day

[Moi]

Wallace wasn't unhappy about it on Fox Footy last night, but suggested the umpire not talk about how a player goes about his game, saying the ump wouldn't be happy if a player told him how to umpire.

Just a beat up!

[mightytiges]

Missing goals with set shots within the "Vee" say 30-40m out is a pet hate of mine. Agree with X, there's no excuse for not being able to perform what should be the easiest task on an AFL footy field given you are under no physical pressure nor time limit and are aiming at a stationary target that has no height limit and is as wide as a backyard shed. As for mental pressure - the easiest way to shut up an opponent or the booing crowd is to kick the goal! You can only mozz yourself by thinking negatively about "what if I miss this" instead of being positive. For a professional footballer it should be routine.

As for Richo - it's his poor goalkicking technique that is and has always been the problem. IMO goalkicking should be in "straight line" motion. Your run-up, your head over the ball, your guiding hand, the ball drop plus your kicking foot and especially your planted foot should all be aligned  towards the midpoint of the goals to eliminate as many variables as possible. It's a similar idea to basketball where your planted footy, shooting arm and eyes should all be aligned so in theory all you have to worry about is calculating the correct distance and not the accuracy. It's alot easier in footy because as long as you make the distance it doesn't matter if you "overshoot" the goals, it's still a goal.

With Richo is his run-up, body motion and ball drop are all over the place and inconsistent. It's fingers crossed and lets hope for the best kind of stuff. At least if the problem was consistent like Peter Sumich and his left foot hook to the right you can compensate for the error by aiming to left more.

[julzqld]

This is where Richo will miss Cambo as Cambo often has a quiet word in Richo's ear - just to guide him along.