Well there are words, but none I can use in an article title … tame words like prick or dick, or stronger ones like twat or wanker right through the spectrum to a word I almost never use that begins with C and could easily replace “Gantar” in a tabloid headline by altering just a couple of letters !

I very seldom, if ever post an article without a gallery … thats the whole point of this site after all, but I feel compelled to do so today after yet another refereeing shit-show on Saturday.

What am I talking about? Well there was a clue in the opening paragraph, but if you didn’t get it, it is of course the performance – specifically in the last few moments of the game – of last weekend’s referee David Gantar, one of the FIFA accredited MLS poster boys.

He is normally an “average” Canadian referee at best but now he is one who has definitely worn out his welcome in Canada’s most populous city. The crime that stoked the anger and exasperation here and that of almost everyone concerned with TFC at a playing or supporting level …. ? I cant really describe it … you have to watch it ….

Having said that … the funny and perhaps sinister thing is you cannot view the incident in the highlights posted on the MLS YouTube channel or website but you can view it in the “game in 6” video uploaded by Toronto FC ! Its as if the “goal” and DeRo and Michael Bradley’s subsequent protests to the referee did not happen in the alternate reality that MLS operate in …. I suspect that this poll on the MLS website will also likely disappear when that article is sanitised too and that the 17.46% of ‘no’ respondents are either diehard Chicago fans,  or possibly referees !

TFC “Game in 6” (Gilberto “goal” around the 4:50 mark)

the sanitised (and badly edited) MLS video ….. Its hard to completely remove the incident when the commentators are referencing it ! until they re-do the voiceover.

Michael Bradley did not mince his words and echoed what a lot of fans think about this referee (and many other refs) …. He will likely get hit with a supersonic fine for his honesty but he is absolutely 1000% spot on in his comments

The guy is not good enough ….

Michael Bradley YouTube Interview

Greg Vanney was a little more reserved in his comments and will probably only get a small fine from the league for telling the truth !!!

The one thing that makes the blood boil even more though is that both the captain and manager of Toronto FC were arrogantly and apparently condescendingly told to “watch the video” when asking for an explanation of the ridiculous decision to call back Gilberto’s winning goal.

Like the quality of refereeing … That is not acceptable!

Its a reasonable request. Its not going to change the outcome and you are not so f****** divine that you never make a mistake. for this alone Gantar should be disciplined. For his performance on the day, his overwhelming “averageness” on other days and other incidents of complete and utter ineptitude he should be fired. He is probably a very nice guy off the pitch, but he has been involved in far too many game changing decisions in his matches for his position to remain tenable.

If MLS wants to be taken seriously then players like Michael Bradley should not be risking fines every week to talk about the bush league refereeing in this league, nor should the league’s apparent willingness to stick its head in the sand as if it never happened be quite so direct by badly chopping out the main incident of a game such as they did in their video!

Grow a pair MLS and sort this shambles out !!!!