For a while now, Kerry have been accused of a) tactical following and b) trying to influence referees as part of a deliberate plan during matches. However, footballer of the year James O'Donoghue has vehemently denied such accusations regarding referees, saying those claims are 'absolutely horrendous'.
Speaking to the Irish Independent, O'Donogue said 'Wasn't there a big campaign about respect for each other, the referee and the players? And then [when] you shake the referee's hand you are [seen as] influencing his decisions.'
The Kerry forward accused reporters of reading for too much into situations:
I think the articles written, some of them were absolutely horrendous. You might see something on the field when you are in the stand and you make something out of it in your head which isn't the case.
The referee could want to say to you 'calm down a bit there', but then in the stand everyone thinks the player is trying to influence the referee (or) the referee's decision.
Although O'Donoghue admitted the penalty decision given in Kerry's favour when he was 'fouled' in the Munster final was 'contentious' he has argued that referee's shouldn't be accused of being pushed into decisions by players:
The referees probably deserve more respect than that to think a player having a word is going to influence a decision. That is not true.
Serious words from a player who is usually one of the most laid back when speaking to the media.
