Crystal Palace 1-2 Everton, Football League and more – as it happened

I think the rule’s a nonsense, that’s what I think. And I can’t understand how we, football, thinking about the Premier League, the referees, ourselves, the coaches and managers, and I’m thinking about the players, how we’ve allowed this rule to come into operation is beyond me, and it’s ruining the game of football, there’s no question about that. Because the rules of football which are understood and are accepted by people from quite an early age, these days we’re in a situation where even we, experienced coaches and players, even we can’t understand what constitutes a handball and what doesn’t.

I’ve just seen it on the screen, and the idea that this constitutes handball, it’s just a nonsense. I don’t want to profit by it, I don’t want to lose by it, but there’s no doubt that it’s killing the game of football.

What will happen, I will predict, because players are clever, they will be actually flicking balls onto people’s hands in the penalty area and screaming handball, and the referees will go to the monitor and give it. And if people honestly believe that’s going to make the game of football better then good luck to them. For me, a really good game of football was destroyed by a decision. And I’m not just saying that because we lost the game, because last week we had a decision go our way. I just do not believe in the rule.

I don’t blame the referee. The referee, he doesn’t think it’s handball either. He’s just got to give it, because that’s what he’s been told to do. Now how can that be right? If I can ignore that, I enjoyed the game of football. We’ve lost the points in a way which I find totally unacceptable.

Unfortunately once again we find ourselves discussing something you don’t really want to be discussing. It would be much nicer if the game had ended 1-1, and there were no penalties either for us or against us, and we’d be talking about the quality of the football. Instead I need to come here and make bold statements, which I make no apology for because I’ve said it all along and I’ll continue to say it. I really despair that we have introduced a handball rule which is killing the game of football.