Poll: No anti-Chelsea conspiracy
The former top Premier League official was speaking in the wake of Norwegian referee Tom Henning Ovrebo’s controversial performance at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday.
The Oslo-based psychologist turned down a succession of penalty appeals as Chelsea’s failed to reach the Champions League final.
Ten-man Barcelona scored in injury-time to force a 1-1 draw and a May 27 meeting with Manchester United in Rome. But the game ended with furious Chelsea players verbally abusing the referee amid claims UEFA did not want to see another all-English final.
But Poll said: “I refereed in UEFA for 13 years. I was involved for 11 years in their very top group, their top 30 referees. I did two World Cups. Never was there any suggestion, any thoughts about ‘it would be nice if this team won’ or ‘could you do this team a favour’. I promise you.
“You cannot guarantee things in life because you are always shocked by things, but it’s 99.9% certain that there is not a possibility of anything untoward here. It doesn’t happen.”
And Poll hit out at the antics of Chelsea players after the game, with Didier Drogba heard swearing into a TV camera and Michael Ballack furiously chasing the official.
Poll said: “He (the referee) had a bad day at work and unfortunately for a referee that gets highlighted. Irrespective of that, you can’t possibly condone the behaviour of the Chelsea players at the final whistle and even before that. Michael Ballack looked like he’d taken leave of his senses. Drogba issuing a foul-mouthed (tirade) to a camera, to television. And you just think: this is a game of football, a very important game of football, granted, but it is only a game of football.”
Drogba last night apologised for his outburst. The Ivorian said: “I was very upset at what happened during the game, but having seen the pictures on TV I accept I overreacted.
“I also accept the language I used did not set a good example for those watching at home, especially children. I regret that in the heat of the moment I let out my incredible frustration and disappointment in this way, and for that I apologise.”
The appointment of Ovrebo has also been criticised, with suggestions that as he officiates in the Norwegian League, he is not experienced enough for such a big match.
But Ovrebo has handled 22 Champions League games and 48 UEFA matches overall and is on the shortlist for next year’s World Cup finals in South Africa.
On his appointment for the Chelsea game, Poll said: “UEFA don’t do these things lightly. UEFA look at a referee’s form, a referee’s previous that season. But it does look like, and this is not with the benefit of hindsight from my perspective, they picked a surprisingly inexperienced official to handle such a massive game.
“You know that Chelsea-Barcelona is going to be a tough, tense, very testing encounter for any referee.
“You look at it and say was Tom, a Norwegian guy, the right man for the job? But it’s the reaction, which is completely disproportionate and out of place, that’s the issue I think.”
Ovrebo has revealed UEFA have imposed a gagging order preventing him from speaking on Chelsea’s controversial Champions League exit.
“Because of the circumstances after the match, UEFA has asked us not to comment to the press,” Ovrebo said.
UEFA disciplinary chiefs have been studying the reports from Ovrebo and their match delegate and will decide on action today.
Drogba and Ballack are expected to face charges following their actions towards Ovrebo, and Chelsea could also be charged with failing to control their players after the match official was surrounded at the final whistle.
The referee was understood to have been smuggled out of the country by police yesterday after receiving a number of death threats.
Police were said to be so concerned about his safety that they changed his hotel before organising his secret exit from Britain, a claim dismissed by the head of Norway’s refereeing union, Rune Pedersen.
Police in Ovrebo’s home city of Oslo said they were investigating threats made on the internet.
An Oslo police spokesman said: “We are watching closely what is being posted on the internet. Anything we believe would threaten his personal safety will be taken seriously.”
Poll added: “This morning he’s being smuggled out of our country under police escort – this is a referee of a football match. That is a disgrace.”
The campaign against Ovrebo has echoes of the case of Anders Frisk. He faced a hate campaign after refereeing another game between the two clubs.
Chelsea’s coach at the time, Jose Mourinho, accused the official of “adulterating” the outcome of a match and Frisk quit the game as a result.
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