Andy Robertson: Assistant referee Constantine Hatzidakis has been 'punished enough'

Andy Robertson (second from left) was shown a yellowish paper for dissent aft his clash with adjunct referee Constantine Hatzidakis (far right)

The adjunct referee progressive successful an incidental with Liverpool's Andy Robertson has been punished "enough", says the caput of a referees' charity.

Former Premier League referee Keith Hackett said Hatzidakis' vocation "could beryllium successful jeopardy" if recovered guilty.

"It has been blown a small spot retired of proportion," said Martin Cassidy.

Cassidy, the main enforcement serviceman of Ref Support UK, told BBC Sport: "We should ne'er advocator unit oregon lucifer officials hitting anyone but it genuinely looks similar Andy Robertson grabs him and Con pushes him to get off.

"They haven't suspended Andy Robertson. It is simply a small spot of an overreaction."

Hatzidakis made interaction with Robertson's chin aft the Scotland planetary approached him astatine the extremity of the archetypal fractional successful Sunday's 2-2 Premier League gully with Arsenal.

Former Blackburn striker Chris Sutton said the adjunct referee "has to beryllium banned".

"There is simply a line," helium told Monday Night Club. "The adjunct crossed it successful that infinitesimal and volition astir apt service a suspension."

The Robertson incidental follows the eight-game prohibition fixed to Fulham striker Alexsandar Mitrovic, who pushed a referee during a lucifer against Manchester United.

New York Times shot writer Rory Smith said the proposition Hatzidakis should suffer his occupation is "excessive".

"If his vocation is implicit that has a antithetic meaning to idiosyncratic who does not gain what Mitrovic earns," Smith said.

Cassidy added: "Eric Cantona jumped into the assemblage and kicked somebody and inactive came backmost and scored successful an FA Cup final.

"Why should we dainty lucifer officials immoderate different? Yes, we are the guardians of standards and they look connected america much strictly but that isn't a escaped for all.

"No, his vocation is not over. He volition larn from it.

"What has happened to Con already, the information helium looks similar helium has been proven blameworthy and taken disconnected games, I deliberation that is enough."

'Bring successful an exclusion zone'

As good arsenic calling for tougher rules allowing lone captains tin talk to officials, Cassidy said shot needs to present an "exclusion zone" astir referees which would halt players getting excessively close.

"All of these situations are happening erstwhile a subordinate makes interaction with a referee," helium said.

"It has been going connected for years.

"Let's make a harmless country wherever everyone agrees you don't spell wrong a metre oregon 2 metres.

"Let's make an exclusion portion wherever if you spell that adjacent to a lucifer authoritative you get a paper nary substance what. That mightiness marque the crippled a spot little assertive and much productive."

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