We need clarity from the football authorities as to how referee David Munro made the deeply frustrating decision to postpone Saturday’s Premiership fixture between Dundee and Aberdeen at Dens Park.
I was already at the ground as part of my radio duties when, around 2pm, the rumblings the game could be in doubt started.
I did not see referee Munro doing what I would consider to be anything like a proper pitch inspection.
It was as placid, meek and mild as you could imagine: he walked about with the ball in his hand, and threw it up in the air and let it bounce – or not bounce, in certain areas.
The most important thing for a football match is surely being able to pass the ball on the ground, but I didn’t see him doing too much to test that.
I’m sure the respective teams would have had a couple of spare players – young or reserve players – to come out and pass the ball between themselves in different areas of the park, to play some short passes and long passes, and to see if the pitch would be fit for a game come 3pm.
I was actually sitting there, saying to myself: “What is the referee doing? He’s not testing that surface properly.”
Fans’ disappointment and lack of consultation part of postponement frustration
It was just such a frustrating afternoon, for several reasons.
Firstly, the call-off was so late it meant more than 3,000 Aberdeen fans had all already fought their way through really wintry and wet conditions in the north-east to get down to Tayside.
Also, hearing from figures from each club after the postponement, it sounds like they were not properly consulted before the game was put off.
For me, you get both managers, Dons boss Barry Robson and Dees gaffer Tony Docherty, and other important figures – whether it is club chief executives, police, the SPFL match delegate or others – out on the field with the referee. The communication needs to be really clear on what is being done to make sure the correct decision is made on whether the fixture can go ahead.
To hear Dundee boss Tony Docherty was actually in the home dressing room giving his team talk as the ref was weighing up his decision just beggars belief!
🗣️”I think the game should’ve gone ahead… we’ve got our full team training on the pitch at the moment.”
Dundee boss Tony Docherty reacts to the postponement of this afternoon’s fixture vs Aberdeen.#cinchPrem #Dundee #Aberdeen pic.twitter.com/Q8bhgdR3if
— PLZ Soccer (@PLZSoccer) December 23, 2023
Why not delay kick-off by half-an-hour?
The referee’s call is final, of course, and player safety must ultimately come before any potential inconvenience to clubs of fans.
As I stated above, the weather was poor on Saturday… but I wouldn’t say it was out of the ordinary.
Dundee clearly thought the Dens Park pitch was playable – evidenced by interviews and the home side training on it following the postponement – while Robson said he wanted it to go ahead.
In addition to a more thorough inspection, why couldn’t the ref have delayed kick-off by half-an-hour – like at Cove Rangers v Edinburgh City – given everyone, fans included, had made the effort and spent the money to get down there? He could then have asked Dundee to get more ground staff on to try to clear the problem areas of water.
Alternatively, given the lateness of the hour and that there was obviously a difference of opinion on the playability of the surface, could he not have started the game and seen how it went?
Looking at the anger the eleventh hour call-off has caused for the clubs involved and especially travelling Aberdeen fans, I think there needs to be some kind of review into Saturday’s postponement.
It would be helpful if the governing bodies, the SPFL and SFA – who are in charge of referees – came out and made clear the sequence of events, what the protocols are for these situations and if they were followed.
Two home matches this week – and Dons must make them count
Another big frustration around the postponement of the Dundee game for Aberdeen will be the slight stall in their attempt to chase down third place, currently occupied by Hearts.
With the distractions of European football and the League Cup final behind them, at the start of their five-game pre-winter break run, Barry Robson’s Reds – who are in Premiership’s bottom half at present – looked well placed to gain ground on the Jambos.
Hearts were only scheduled to play four matches before the winter shutdown and eighth-placed Aberdeen were supposed to get one of their two games in hand played, in the knowledge they could reduce what is, at present, a 10-point gap to the Edinburgh club.
Following back-to-back league victories, at Pittodrie against Hearts (2-1) two weekends ago and Livingston (2-1) in midweek, the visit to Dens Park was also a chance to keep building winning momentum in their bid to shoot up the league.
However, despite the call-off setback, Robson’s team should still be going into Wednesday’s home clash with Motherwell feeling confident
Stuart Kettlewell’s Steelmen have been having a troubled season, and are struggling to find any form in 11th place.
They’ll be arriving at Pittodrie feeling fragile, to take on an Aberdeen side who were 4-0 up in the sides’ meeting at Fir Park in November – with the Dons conceding twice in the latter stages, but still winning 4-2 in the end.
Aberdeen, who came from behind against Hearts and Livi, need to show the attacking intent displayed at points in those two matches from the off against Well.
Test them early and see if they crumble. Deliver a 90-minute performance.
Hearts have a tricky Edinburgh derby against Hibs on Wednesday at the same time, so if the Reds get the win against Well they need, there is a chance they could move closer to third spot.
It is such an important time of year, and Aberdeen have all of the raw materials – exceptional goalscorer Bojan Miovski among them – to make these matches the foundation of their charge for another lucrative third-place finish this season.
With fifth-placed St Mirren visiting Pittodrie on Saturday as well, it is vital Aberdeen make home advantage count this week – get the three points against Well, then meet the challenge of the Buddies.
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