http://edition.cnn.com/2008/SPORT/football/11/10/lehmann.referees/index.htmlLONDON, England (CNN) -- Referees get it in the neck from just about everybody in football -- but has an official ever driven a player to the brink of retirement?
Jens Lehmann has threatened to quit in protest at the standard of Germany's referees.
Jens Lehmann has threatened to quit in protest at the standard of Germany's referees.
Well, they have now. Ever-eccentric Stuttgart goalkeeper Jens Lehmann has threatened to quit football in protest at the standard of refereeing in Germany's Bundesliga.
Referee Babak Rafati gave two controversial goals -- one for either side -- in Stuttgart's 2-2 draw away to Eintracht Frankfurt at the weekend.
"We all have reason to be not too happy with the performance of the referee," the former Arsenal shot-stopper seethed afterwards.
"I kept asking myself what on earth he was blowing for. What that man did was unbelievable." Read more about football at Football Fanzone.
Lehmann, 39, was given his third booking of the season for dissent later in the match, leaving him incredulous.
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"There was a situation in which a Frankfurt player feigned an injury so we could not launch a counter-attack," he continued.
"The referee said he had to stop play for the injury and then the man stands up and doesn't even leave the field to be treated. I told the referee, 'Look! There he goes!' and he shows me a yellow card -- incredible.
"That was so bad that I may as well not bother playing in future. I did not even say anything nasty to the referee. I am sorry, but things cannot go on like this."
Lehmann's stance might be unusual but there are plenty of instances where players might have hung up their boots over poor refereeing decisions.
The entire England team of 1986 had a strong case for quitting after Tunisian referee Ali Bennaceur awarded Maradona's 'hand of God' goal in the World Cup quarter-final.
Or how about Fernando Morientes' header for Spain against South Korea in the 2002 World Cup quarter-final that was ruled out when the referee's assistant somehow thought the ball had run out of play before Joaquin crossed from the byline?
Share your thoughts about the standard of refereeing and let us know about the men in the middle in your country. Post your comments in the Sound Off box below and we'll publish the best.
