Football Insider

Tottenham’s state-of-the-art stadium has become the go-to place for UK fans to watch NFL games in the flesh over the past few years.

American football has grown in popularity across Europe over the past two decades, with the first NFL regular season game played outside of North America taking place at Wembley Stadium in 2007.

That saw the New York Giants beat the Miami Dolphins 13-10 in London, where games have now been played for 18 years and will continue for at least the next five years.

Tottenham hosted their first NFL game just months after their 62,850-capacity stadium opened in 2019 when the Oakland Raiders secured a 24-21 victory over the Chicago Bears.

Now, there’s talk over whether the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium could be in line to host the Super Bowl in the next few years.

Could Tottenham host the Super Bowl?

The Denver Broncos beat the New York Jets 13-11 in the latest NFL matchup at Spurs’ stadium on 12 October.

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There has been plenty of debate over whether Tottenham are really in with a shout of hosting the Super Bowl.

Speaking to The Sun on 8 October, Sky Sports pundit Ndamukong Suh, who won the Super Bowl in 2021 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, said: “There’s no doubt in my mind – it’s on the table. I’d bet it happens in the next five years.”

However, not everyone agrees with the former defensive tackle.

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider about whether the Super Bowl could be held at Tottenham’s stadium, Reach plc’s NFL reporter Charlie Wilson admitted there is little upside in hosting the event outside of the US.

“The next five years is highly unlikely,” said Wilson.

“I would say 98 per cent it’s not going to happen because this year it’s in San Francisco, they’ve already got Los Angeles in 2027, 2028 is in Atlanta, Dallas is being lined up for 2029, and I believe 2030 is one of the new stadiums being built.

“I mean, it’s possible in the future. The NFL UK really wants to do it. I’ve spoken to Henry Hodgson, who’s the general manager of NFL UK quite a few times, and he’s always told me that’s something they aspire to get, but the logistics of it almost make it impossible, I think it’s fair to say.

“The thing is with the Super Bowl is it’s basically a holiday in America. It’s kind of like Thanksgiving. It’s kind of like Halloween. It’s something the whole nation looks forward to, and having it in the UK, what time would it be on? Say it starts at 8pm, that’s 3pm in the East Coast and 12pm on the West Coast.

“Financially, you think about things like adverts. For example, companies pay about $7million (£5.2m) for a 30-second advert. Is that going to change because of the time it’s on? Probably. So, you’re talking about the NFL losing multi-millions to go abroad, which isn’t going to be celebrated by teams or players. It doesn’t make a lot of sense right now, I would say.”

The latest Super Bowl showdown in February drew in a crowd of more than 120 million television viewers in the US alone when the Philadelphia Eagles beat the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22 in New Orleans.

How much could hosting the Super Bowl be worth to Tottenham?

While hosting the Super Bowl would bring many benetits for Tottenham, it could also deliver huge financial rewards for the city of London.

Forbes estimated Super Bowl LVIII generated an economic impact for Las Vegas of $1bn (£740m), with the Kansas City Chiefs beating the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 in February 2024.

“It brings the said city an insane amount of money, not only that but for the team hosting it and the use of their facilities,” said Wilson.

“It’s such a money-maker for the cities, so why would they want to take it abroad? What’s the upside for the NFL to play a Super Bowl in London apart from the game, which they’re already doing at an insanely good rate anyway.

“You look at games in London this year. They’re at an all-time high attendance list. Is a Super Bowl really going to push it over the edge? The pros and the cons just don’t seem to make it likely for it to happen anytime soon, and I think the NFL UK acknowledge that. They know the NFL don’t want to take the Super Bowl abroad.”

Spurs’ existing contract, which runs until 2029-30, ensures a minimum of two NFL games are played at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium each year.

However, it doesn’t appear as though the Super Bowl is likely to be coming to north London any time soon.

There is talk NFL owners could be interested in investing in Tottenham, so perhaps that avenue could improve the chances of a Super Bowl Sunday landing in the UK.

Tottenham may regret not pushing harder for an exciting summer transfer when Aston Villa travel to North London.

Aston Villa beat Tottenham 2-0 in their most recent Premier League meeting, a game which was decided by second-half goals from Ezri Konsa and Boubacar Kamara back in May.

Despite an awful start to the 2025-26 campaign, Villa beat Burnley to move up to 13th in the league standings ahead of the international break, and Unai Emery will be hoping to continue that form.

Frank still has problems to solve for Tottenham, but he has already proven a difference between himself and Ange Postecoglou, who was sacked by Daniel Levy after his 17th-place finish in the league.

It is a real crunch match between the two managers, and it might all be decided by one player.

Morgan Rogers can prove the difference for Aston Villa

While it has been a very poor season for Morgan Rogers so far, at least by his standards, Spurs will be fearing his talents in the final third when Villa travel to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Last season, the 23-year-old attacker notched 14 goals and 13 assists in all competitions, but this term, he has just two assists to his name in 10 appearances. He just isn’t the same.

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However, Football Insider revealed during the summer that Tottenham would have to submit a “huge” bid for Rogers, with the Lilywhites just one of many interested in his signature.

Clearly, Spurs looked at other options before signing Xavi Simons and Mohammed Kudus, and that decision might be about to backfire when the two sides meet this weekend.

Rogers’ record against Tottenham speaks for itself

Rogers has only faced Tottenham three times in his senior career, twice in the Premier League and once in the FA Cup, and on those occasions, he has won twice and lost once.

In those meetings, the England international has grabbed two goals and two assists, proving that he has a real ability to light up a game when facing this particular opposition.

Of course, he currently has just two goal contributions in his last 10 appearances for the Villans, but if he is going to get firing on all cylinders again this season, doing it against Spurs would be perfect timing.

Emery needs to allow the young star to express himself, rather than squeeze him into an unfamiliar position to accommodate other players. The sooner he realises that, the better it will be for Villa.

Daniel Levy remains a significant shareholder in Tottenham’s ownership group despite his exit from the club.

Tottenham confirmed Levy stepped down as executive chairman on 4 September after spending 24 years in the role.

ENIC owns an 86.91 per cent stake in Spurs, while Levy and members of his family hold a 29.88 per cent share in the British investment company, and Joe Lewis’s family trust own the remaining 70.12 per cent.

Tottenham’s owners bankrolled a £100million injection into the club last week, raising questions around Levy’s involvement in that investment.

Tottenham’s new leadership team, which is spearheaded by non-executive chairman Peter Charrington and CEO Vinai Venkatesham, will now decide which areas the money will be spent on strengthening.

Daniel Levy makes Tottenham investment decision

Former Man City financial adviser Stefan Borson exclusively told Football Insider Levy is unlikely to have put money into Tottenham, potentially diluting his shares in ENIC.

Football Insider revealed on 9 October the £100m injection will largely cover Tottenham’s day-to-day operations, ensuring more cash is available without having to borrow further.

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Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, Borson said: “The interesting thing really is much more about how the £100m has been put in.

“ENIC is the vehicle that Daniel Levy and his family own shares in, and therefore at the ENIC level, they would have needed a cash call from their shareholders to put the £100m into ENIC, which then goes down into Tottenham Hotspur.

“So, the question there is, did both parties stand their corner? I think it’s unlikely, i.e. the Lewis family and the Levy family both asked for cash, or was there effectively an issue of equity that went off to the Lewis family and diluted down Daniel Levy at ENIC because the £100m had to come in?”

Borson previously told Football Insider Tottenham’s owners could agree a deal with Levy that would see him sell his shares in ENIC to a new investor.

Tottenham owners could have asked Levy to inject £30m

It currently remains unclear precisely how the latest injection was funded by ENIC, but Borson has been speculating about what could happen if Levy wasn’t involved in the investment.

“Let’s say Daniel Levy and his family couldn’t put up their £30m share of the £100m and, therefore, they would be diluted down,” said Borson.

“Now, it’s only a small amount of dilution, but it might well be a sign of things to come if there is going to be more and more money pushed down from ENIC into Tottenham Hotspur, where Daniel Levy is not in a position to stand his corner for his share of the cash that’s required to go into ENIC that then is flowed down into Spurs.

“We may not see that until we find out about the ultimate holdings in the accounts potentially. We won’t see ENIC’s accounts of course because they’re a Bahamas-based entity.”

In terms of the key financial details, Tottenham have the fifth-highest revenue in the Premier League, with their latest published accounts revealing a turnover of £528m for 2023-24.

Tottenham’s owners have bankrolled a £100million injection in the form of a new share issue.

Tottenham announced on Thursday (9 October) the equity injection from ENIC – the club’s majority shareholders – will equip the leadership team with additional resources to continue the focus on driving long-term sporting success.

ENIC owns an 86.91 per cent stake in Spurs, while former executive chairman Daniel Levy and members of his family hold a 29.88 per cent share in the British investment company, and Joe Lewis’s family trust own the remaining 70.12 per cent.

Sources say Tottenham’s new leadership team, which is spearheaded by non-executive chairman Peter Charrington and CEO Vinai Venkatesham, will now decide which areas the money will be spent on strengthening.

It is understood the injection will largely cover the day-to-day operations at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, ensuring more cash is available without having to borrow further.

Tottenham owners respond to latest takeover approach

There has been plenty of speculation surrounding a Tottenham takeover since Levy’s departure was confirmed on 4 September.

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A US consortium led by tech entrepreneur Brooklyn Earick made an approach to buy Spurs over the past couple of weeks.

Tottenham responded to the takeover approach after releasing a statement insisting they had “unequivocally rejected” an informal expression of interest from Earick, who has now confirmed he will not be making a formal bid.

Meanwhile, Spurs have also ended their relationship with Rothschild after insisting the club is not for sale.

It comes after Levy was in talks about selling a stake in Tottenham last year, with the club being advised by bankers from Rothschild on the sale.

Tottenham to make Thomas Frank budget decision

There have been suggestions the latest injection from ENIC could go towards strengthening Thomas Frank’s side in the January transfer window.

Sources say some of the money is likely to be earmarked for Tottenham’s budget, but the primary focus is around improving the club’s balance sheet.

Tottenham have the fifth-highest revenue in the Premier League, with their latest published accounts revealing a turnover of £528m for 2023-24.

Meanwhile, Spurs’ commercial revenue stood at £255m across the same period as they continue to cash in on opportunities at their new stadium.

Lionel Messi could be set to feature alongside a player who was clearly not good enough to make it at Tottenham under Antonio Conte.

The Italian is currently in charge of Napoli, recently substituting Kevin De Bruyne against Man City during his first return to the Etihad Stadium since leaving due to Giovanni Di Lorenzo’s red card.

Conte was in North London between November 2021 and March 2023, and with a 53 per cent win rate, many might have expected him to last longer, but he was possibly too honest publicly.

Now, Thomas Frank is in charge at Tottenham, over two years on from the 56-year-old’s reign, and the latest transfer news goes to show just how much things can change for Premier League clubs.

Sergio Reguilon is in talks to join Lionel Messi at Inter Miami

According to The Athletic (7 October), Reguilon is in advanced talks to sign as a free agent for Messi’s Inter Miami, having been a free agent since the expiration of his contract in July.

This comes after Jordi Alba’s decision to announce his retirement from football at the end of the 2025-26 campaign, leaving Inter Miami to begin their search for a new left-back ahead of next season.

Football Insider revealed back in 2022 that Conte was open to selling Reguilon, with the manager at the time not totally convinced by the player’s ability at full-back.

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Former Tottenham star Christian Eriksen had been training with Malmo as a free agent, only recently joining Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga, where he has already made three appearances.

Which other Tottenham players have featured in MLS?

Unsurprisingly, Reguilon would not be the first former Spurs player to trade England for America, with Son Heung-min and Hugo Lloris both currently playing for LAFC.

Jermaine Defoe, Clint Dempsey, and Robbie Keane all had spells over in the MLS, and the Spanish full-back could be next on the list. And what an experience it would be.

Reguilon has played for some top clubs around Europe, including Man United, Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid, and, more recently, Brentford, but playing alongside Messi would be an incredible feat.

He will certainly have come a long way since Conte’s being open to his exit in 2022.

Thomas Frank has enjoyed a strong start to life at Tottenham and is keen to continue building on the positive early stages of his tenure.

Tottenham’s 2-1 win against Leeds last time out lifted them up to third in the Premier League, with four wins and just one defeat from seven games so far.

They have also picked up four points from their two Champions League games against Villarreal and Bodo/Glimt in a mixed start to the campaign.

However, Football Insider revealed last month that Frank wasn’t satisfied with Tottenham’s business and still feels his squad can be strengthened in key areas.

Work has already begun to identify transfer targets ahead of the January window, with scouts keeping an eye on a number of options.

Tottenham consider move to sign Hayden Hackney

Football Insider exclusively revealed in March that Tottenham are interested in Middlesbrough’s Hayden Hackney, and they had considered a move during the summer.

Spurs’ scouts have been keeping a close eye on his performances in the Championship so far this season and feel a January deal would be on the cards.

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That is according to former Tottenham senior scout Mick Brown, who remains very well-connected within the game, as he exclusively told Football Insider that Hackney could make the step up to provide a new option in Frank’s midfield.

“Hackney is going to be on the radar of a lot of clubs,” he told Football Insider.

“He’s probably as talented a player as there is in the Championship at the moment, and I was really impressed by him the first time I saw him.

“He’s got a great picture of the game around him, can take the ball in tight areas and find passes to get him team moving up the pitch.

“More recently, I’ve seen little bits of him on the TV and it looks like he’s still playing to a high level for Middlesbrough and is an important player there.

“Whether they’d be willing to let him go, I’m not sure, but he’s definitely got enough talent and enough about him to make the step up to the Premier League.

“I’m told Tottenham have been watching him and I expect they’ve been impressed by his performances, so they could be the ones to make a move.

“I still think he has room to improve, but I think he’d be able to go to a team like Tottenham and strengthen their squad and work his way into the starting XI.”

Meanwhile, former Spurs midfielder and Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick once labelled Hackney as “perfect” given his combination and talent and desire. [The Northern Echo]

Tottenham are not alone in their pursuit of Hackney

Football Insider exclusively revealed in August that Hackney told Middlesbrough he wanted a Premier League move after turning down Ipswich Town.

The Tractor Boys agreed a £20million deal with Boro to sign the midfielder, but he was not keen on the move and ultimately remained at the Riverside Stadium.

As a result, the likes of Crystal Palace, Man United, Aston Villa and West Ham have all been linked with moves to bring him to English football’s top tier.

Meanwhile, Brown told Football Insider in August that both Everton and Crystal Palace wanted to sign Hackney and considered hijacking Ipswich’s deal.

Football Insider revealed in March that Crystal Palace want to sign Hackney and had scouts tracking his performances at the Riverside Stadium throughout last season.

Tottenham’s majority owners ENIC will only consider selling a stake in the club at a valuation of around £4.5billion, sources have told Football Insider.

Tottenham have been the subject of intense takeover speculation since it was confirmed former executive chairman Daniel Levy had left the club on 4 September.

The Sun reported on 25 September that a US consortium led by tech entrepreneur Brooklyn Earick had launched a world record £4.5bn bid to buy Spurs, with the proposal including £3.3bn to purchase the club and £1.2bn to be set aside for Thomas Frank‘s player budget.

Tottenham responded to the takeover approach after releasing a statement on 26 September, insisting they have “unequivocally rejected” an informal expression of interest from the US consortium.

Sources say Tottenham’s owners would only be open to offers that value the club at up to £4.5bn, while the profile of any potential investor is also believed to be an important factor.

Tottenham takeover stance revealed after behind-the-scenes move

ENIC owns an 86.91 per cent stake in Tottenham, while Levy and members of his family hold a 29.88 per cent share in the British investment company, and Joe Lewis’s family trust own the remaining 70.12 per cent.

Tottenham’s owners have made their stance clear about a full takeover after The Athletic reported on Tuesday (30 September) the club have now ended their relationship with Rothschild.

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A club spokesperson told the news outlet: “We’re grateful for the support of Rothschild in recent years. However, given the club is not for sale, we mutually agreed there is no longer a role for them and have mutually ended the mandate.”

However, it is understood a minor stake in Spurs could still be available if the right offer – and investor – were to come along.

Tottenham owners could be open to interesting deal

Football Insider revealed on 26 September Tottenham’s owners could be open to a deal that would see the owner of an NFL franchise invest in the club.

Spurs’ existing contract with the NFL is understood to be an important element for potential investors, with a minimum of two games played at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium each year.

The first NFL game was held at the 62,850-capacity facility when the Chicago Bears took on the Oakland Raiders in October 2019 – just months after it opened.

Meanwhile, high-profile concerts have also been held at the stadium in recent years, providing the club’s coffers with a significant boost.

Tottenham are in a strong position financially after posting a turnover of £528million in their latest published accounts for 2023-24, with their commercial revenue standing at £255m.

Tottenham have been the subject of takeover speculation in recent weeks following the departure of former executive chairman Daniel Levy.

A public filing by the London Stock Exchange last week revealed Andrew Ashcroft has now invested in Tottenham.

Andrew, who is the son of former Conservative Party deputy chairman Lord Ashcroft, has purchased a 3.4 per cent stake in Tottenham.

Lord Ashcroft was previously known to have owned around 4 per cent of Spurs, but it is unclear whether the billionaire’s shares have now been passed down to his son or if the family has increased its stake.

The Guardian reported on 23 September the deal is worth around £100million based on the latest valuations of Tottenham.

New investor unlikely to inject money into Tottenham

Former Man City financial adviser Stefan Borson exclusively told Football Insider he believes the shares have simply been passed down from Lord Ashcroft to Andrew.

The update comes at a time when Tottenham’s owners have been presented with multiple takeover deals.

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Speaking exclusively to Football Insider about the situation surrounding the Ashcroft family’s shares, Borson said: “I don’t think it’s any new money coming into the club.

“I think all that’s happened is it’s been transferred from the father to the son, and it’ll have a nominal value, but it’s not new shares.

“So, the way the money would go into the club if it was £100m let’s say is the club would issue new shares to a third party, this guy Ashcroft’s son and he would pay £100m for those shares.

“The number of shares in the company would go up because they’ve issued new shares for £100m, so the whole issue share capital would be bigger, he would have x percent, and the club would get the £100m. But I don’t think that’s what’s happened.

“I think what’s happened is really much simpler than that, which is the shares have been transferred from the father to the son, and there’s no real economic difference, so I suspect it looks more interesting than it is.”

ENIC owns an 86.91 per cent stake in Tottenham, while Levy and members of his family hold a 29.88 per cent share in the British investment company, and Joe Lewis’s family trust own the remaining 70.12 per cent.

Tottenham make new takeover decision after offer submitted

The takeover speculation surrounding Spurs doesn’t seem to be going away.

The Sun reported on 25 September a US consortium led by tech entrepreneur Brooklyn Earick has launched a world record £4.5billion bid to buy Spurs, with the proposal including £3.3bn to purchase the club and £1.2bn to be set aside for Thomas Frank‘s player budget.

Tottenham responded to the takeover approach after releasing a new statement on 26 September, insisting they have “unequivocally rejected” an informal expression of interest from a consortium led by Earick.

However, Football Insider revealed on 26 September Tottenham’s owners could be open to a deal that would see the owner of an NFL franchise invest in the club.

Spurs’ existing contract with the NFL is understood to be an important element for potential investors, with a minimum of two games played at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium each year.

The first NFL game was held at the 62,850-capacity facility when the Chicago Bears took on the Oakland Raiders in October 2019 – just months after it opened.

Thomas Frank has enjoyed an excellent start to his managerial reign at Spurs but stamping his own mark on the team remains a work in progress.

Despite welcoming several new signings in the summer, Spurs, under Frank, have lost just one of their first six Premier League games.

Frank‘s latest outing on the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium touchline saw him take a point off Wolves despite being behind for most of the game.

And judging by what the Dane was heard shouting against Vitor Pereira‘s men, it’s clear his philosophy involves a patient approach in attack.

Thomas Frank demanding patience from Spurs in attacking phases

Even though his side were the better team in the first half against Wolves, Frank found himself delivering a half-time team talk with the scoreline all square at 0-0.

It didn’t take long for the deadlock to be broken in the second half. Unfortunately for the home team, the first blow wasn’t theirs with Wolves’ Santiago Bueno opening the scoring after 54 minutes.

Shortly after Bueno’s opener, Spurs had the ball in Wolves’ final third 37.7 per cent of the time. Looking to strike back, the home team’s pressure in the same area of the pitch increased to 42.7 per cent in the game’s final 15 minutes.

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However, despite chasing the game, and pinning their opponents back, according to Football London, Frank was heard yelling at his team not to give possession away by rushing their passes.

Instead of panicking and throwing the kitchen sink at Wolves, the 51-year-old stood on the touchline and demanded his side take a patient and controlled approach in their search of an equaliser.

And it paid off because Spurs did eventually get their goal after midfielder Joao Palhinha curled the ball beyond a helpless Sam Johnstone, courtesy of a neat lay-off by substitute Pape Sarr.

Wolves could have easily been a banana skin for Spurs but their refusal to give up was a clear indication Frank wants his team to plug away right up until the final whistle.

Ange Postecoglou’s approach produced surprising results

Ange Postecoglou was sacked despite winning the Europa League with Spurs. The side’s abysmal league form and subsequent 17th placed finish last season led to his eventual sacking at the end of the campaign.

And while some supporters were glad to see the back of the now-Nottingham Forest boss after he averaged just 1.53 points per game, it appears the Aussie’s methods have put in place some solid foundations for Frank to build upon.

During his two years with the club, Postecoglou‘s Spurs side averaged a 85.9 per cent passing accuracy, 2 per cent more than Frank, and from 93 games more.

Postecoglou’s side were also big on getting shots off with his side averaging 14 per game, again, two more than Frank’s team this season.

Interestingly, although both managers’ percentage of shots from outside the box sits around the 30 per cent mark, Postecoglou’s methods saw Spurs a lot more effective inside the box.

Not only did Spurs complete 87 more passes, on average, under Postecoglou, but they did so with a lot more accuracy, particularly in the opposition’s box.

Frank’s Spurs are averaging 3.56 shots per match compared to Postecoglou’s 4.01 — a clear sign the Dane prefers a more pragmatic approach to build-up play.

Nevertheless, while Postecoglou is best known for getting his teams to play action-packed attacking football, Frank takes a similarly exciting approach, but with far more defensive assurance, conceding just four goals in six league games compared to his predecessor’s 69 in 38.

If Frank can continue to combine fluid and controlled possession-based football with a steady and hard-to-breach defence, Spurs will feel confident it won’t be long before they add another trophy to their recent collection.

Thomas Frank is fortunate to still have one of his stars available after a Tottenham player confronted Michael Salisbury at full-time against Wolves.

That is according to former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA referee, Keith Hackett, who exclusively told Football Insider that the referee should have reasserted his authority after being questioned in the centre circle.

Thomas Frank has helped supporters forget about Ange Postecoglou, with Spurs currently sitting fourth in the Premier League table after six matches, including three victories.

Tottenham want to sign Joao Palhinha permanently, and it was the midfielder who secured a draw against the Old Gold with a 94th-minute strike in North London on Saturday, 27 September.

However, the Portuguese midfielder might have been lucky not to have been banned after arguing with the referee over an incident during the game.

Joao Palhinha argues over Tottenham controversy vs Wolves

In the 43rd minute, Palhinha was caught in the chest by Marshall Munetsi right on the edge of Wolves‘ penalty area, with the Spurs midfielder adamant that a spot-kick should have been awarded.

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Salisbury was quick to wave away the shouts, and with play getting back underway as soon as Palhinha was on his feet, VAR also chose not to get involved over the controversial incident.

Clearly upset by Salisbury’s decision, he approached the referee at full-time, and after being told to leave multiple times, Frank was forced to drag his goalscorer away and off the pitch.

Given that the 30-year-old was already on a yellow card for taking his shirt off in celebration of his equaliser, there is every chance that he could have picked up another, and therefore, a red card.

Michael Salisbury should have ‘reasserted his authority’ over Joao Palhinha

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider about the player’s reaction to not being awarded a penalty, the former referee said: “I think that’s just part of football. It’s not reckless, it’s not careless, it’s just a piece of football action. I wouldn’t expect a penalty to be awarded in that incident.

“What we’re not seeing is this new law that was promised in relation to captains only being able to talk to referees. I know there’s a loose interpretation there.

“Players are allowed to ask questions, but it’s about how you ask the question. If it becomes too public, by running towards the referee, waving your arms, or showing disgust, that guy is then questioning the authority of the referee.

“The referee should then reassert his authority. He must now decide if a yellow card is awarded. Has this player crossed the threshold of satisfying dissent? I think he’s lucky to escape a sanction for dissent.”