CARSON, Calif. – LA Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena has not yet decided if he’ll appeal Ashley Cole’s controversial red card from the late stages of the Galaxy’s 1-1 draw with the San Jose Earthquakes.
Cole received a yellow card from referee Kevin Stott, and then seconds later, a red card in stoppage time of Saturday’s draw at Stanford Stadium after a late tackle on Albert Quintero. The call led to plenty of confusion on the field for both sides and for Bruce Arena to say that he intended to appeal the decision after the match.
On Monday, Arena revealed that he has begun the process of the appeal, but is unsure whether the team will file.
“Don’t know yet. The appeal system we have does not take into account bad decisions by referees and the effect it has on clubs and players. It’s a system that protects procedure and referees, and nothing more,” The Galaxy boss told LAGalaxy.com. “Most of these cases don’t win. They don’t take into account the fact the actual decision was wrong.
“The referee I guess, went back and said his initial decision was wrong, it should be a red card,” Arena added. “And obviously … listen, you can argue all day it was the wrong decision … but an appeal doesn’t correct a wrong decision. It corrects the wrong procedure.”
According to the league's bylaws, an appeal must be given within 24 hours of the conclusion of a match and will be heard by an independent three-member panel that includes an individual from U.S. Soccer, the Canadian Soccer Association, and the Professional Referee Organization. Teams are allowed two attempts at an appeal each season.
“We’ve done all the appropriate stuff to have an appeal," Arena added. "Whether we decide to do it or not because it’s waste of time … to be honest with you to improve this system and eventually get it right, I think it’s for the good of the game we appeal this and let them deny the appeal, and then everyone can question what is the point of having appeal if they don’t correct a bad decision?
“I think we’ll make an appeal, knowing that we’ll lose it, but the system is not about protecting the players or the club. This is about protecting somebody’s rules and referees.”
