Actions and words have consequences. From the Premier League to grassroots, the abuse of referees is a crisis that faces all levels of football, but the pattern of behaviour only flows in one direction: it starts at the top and is mimicked at the bottom.
The appalling abuse suffered by English referee Anthony Taylor as he travelled home from officiating the Europa League final highlighted that cause and effect. Taylor had been tasked with officiating a fractious and ill-tempered contest between Roma and Sevilla in Budapest: the sort of match where the referee finds themselves at the heart of the action as much as the players. After Roma lost on penalties, Jose Mourinho blamed Taylor for the defeat. The manager then confronted Taylor in the car park, launching a tirade of insults and labelling him a “f***ing disgrace”.
