The Rational Ref | Players talk too much

Players have never had the right to challenge referees' decisions but increasingly we are seeing too many players having too many words with too many match officials.

Players, captains and coaches attempt to justify themselves by claiming: "I'm only asking a question" when in fact they are being disruptive and antagonistic simply because the referee's decision has gone against them.

In contrast, we never see questions of a decision in their team's favour. So why do players mistakenly believe they have the right to question match officials?

Watch any number of high-profile televised matches and there will always be players questioning decisions that go against their team. In fact, it is nigh on impossible to find any match where a referee is not questioned.

Wayne Rooney is a typical example of someone who challenges decisions and who hasn't learned how to stop. Last week's Manchester derby saw a riled Rooney continually challenging referee Howard Webb. Webb managed the match well and correctly cautioned Rooney for his argumentative demeanour. There was lots of foul language spewing out, too, but as everyone knows a deaf ear is usually turned to this.

Supporters of Rooney defend him by saying he is merely being competitive, passionate and feisty. Even so, this does not give him the right to question match officials.

Mario Balotelli of AC Milan is another example. The ill-disciplined Italian has received a three-match ban for arguing with Serie A officials. In the match against Napoli, Balotelli received a yellow card, his second of the match, for approaching and challenging referee Luca Banti after the final whistle. In addition to the automatic one-match ban, there is an additional two-match ban because he was "directing insulting and intimidating expressions to the referee at the time of the sending-off".

Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri has decided not to appeal against the three-match ban and instead chose to publicly criticise Balotelli.