Do Ref’s Get The Respect They Deserve?

It’s a well known saying that ‘Football is a gentleman’s game played by hooligans and that Rugby is a hooligans game played by gentlemen’, and well, it’s true. Footballers, internationally and throughout all the leagues are constantly bombarding referees and officials over decisions that haven’t gone their way. I appreciate that professional football, or any sport for that matter can get heated in the moment, and if they feel decisions go against them they may get angry, but it needs to stop.
Is there a way to stop this? Yes. By introducing disciplinary methods for players that abuse the referees, it is likely to stop or at least be reduced. The likes of Jack Wilshere last weekend was constantly pestering and swearing at the referee during Arsenal’s 2–1 defeat to Swansea at the Liberty Stadium (particularly when they went behind may I add) But anyway, a famous example of such methods being used in Rugby is Dylan Hartley. He was famously sent off for abusing referee, Wayne Barnes in the Premiership final against Leicester Tigers and received an 11-week ban causing him to miss the Lions tour in Australia. Since then, Hartley has been a saint and has become England’s first choice hooker ahead of Tom Youngs. 11 weeks may be seen as extensive and over the top and it probably is, but it worked. After all, the FA last week has come out saying how important it is for role models like Rio Ferdinand to keep their language on social media clean. I’m sure the same will apply to other players on social media and more importantly on the pitch.
Football fans are also culprits of disrespecting referees and officials, more so than players actually. I’ve been down to Carrow Road supporting Norwich (my team) during cup ties and friendlies and even then there’s the odd fan who’s being a nuisance with offensive gestures and verbal abuse (and Norwich are supposed to be the most behaved fans in the Football League)
Now, there’s no way to stop such a high volume of fans misbehaving, unless they’re met by a large amount of stewards, even then, fans often escape or hide from the stewards if they’re spotted. However players have nowhere to hide, with a dozen cameras on them and some very talented lip readers on this earth, there should be no escape.