CPM I just don't get why they're circling the wagons around this decision.
There's a fair bit at stake for these guys. It's being shown time and time again there's a big quality and skill deficit in English refereeing. Meanwhile PGMOL has managed to tightly wedge itself into the Premier League media landscape.
The leaked Coote video spoke volumes with its jealousy: these top flight referees are very aware they're the only people who get near the pitch on Premier League match days who aren't multi-millionaires.
From the rest of the sport's vantage point, there's no need for PGMOL to be continued in its current form or under current leadership. For fans there seems very little reason to think Howard Webb can run a better refereeing body than your local publican.
It adds up to a paranoid and vulnerable organisation desperate to weld itself to an established power base, and broker favours in return for protection. Whether explicit or otherwise, PGMOL has been doing just that. They're accordingly defensive about the status quo from the pitch to the boardroom.
