At a time when the leaders of English football launch a campaign for players at all levels to show respect to those struggling to keep them in order, the big names aren't listening.
Cole's petulant behaviour for Chelsea against Tottenham last week when he was considered lucky to avoid a red card should have been punished by England manager Fabio Capello. The Italian, who is trying to instill better discipline into his squad, should have sent out a message to the highly-paid Chelsea left back and others inclined to similar misbehaviour by dropping him.
Instead, Cole is likely to be lining up for England against France tomorrow as if nothing happened in last week's 4-4 draw at White Hart Lane.
His behaviour, standing defiantly with his back to referee Mike Riley, who was repeatedly asking him to turn around, dragged the name of Premier League football back into the mud at a time when Football Association chairman Lord David Triesman is trying to persuade youngsters to show more respect to the officials.
Message lost
If Cole behaves like that and Mascherano chases after referee Steve Bennett over his red card, what's the point of Triesman preaching a good behaviour
message to young players who copy the stars?
Mascherano will be punished with at least a one-game suspension for the red card, which was for dissent after teammate Fernando Torres had been carded. But the midfielder is expected to line up for Argentina in tomorrow's friendly with African champions Egypt in Cairo, and his behaviour in Sunday's 3-0 loss to Manchester United was excused by Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez.
''The player knows he has made a mistake. But in this kind of game, to be sent off just for 'asking', I find a difficult decision to understand,'' Benitez said.
"I don't know whether it was anything to do with the Ashley Cole incident. Javier was sent off for dissent, but to be sent off for asking the official something is a surprise.''
Mascherano was more than "asking". He chased after Bennett even after the red card and had to be hauled away by teammates.
If Triesman gets his message across to FIFA and those in charge of football's laws, Mascherano wouldn't have been allowed to say anything to the referee.
He wants a rule brought in that only the team captain should be allowed to approach the referee to query a decision or make a comment.
He thinks any players who show dissent should automatically get a yellow card. So should those who fail to retreat 10 metres when defending a free kick. If they argue against a free kick, the attacking team should be allowed to have that free kick 10 meters (yards) further forward.
These rules are being introduced in a number of regions at semi-pro level in England in the hope that, if successful, they will be adopted as high as the Premier League.
"Respect for the referee has to be a top to bottom thing,'' Triesman says. "It's harder to get respect at grassroots if it doesn't happen at a very senior level.
"People in the public eye and who are enormously effective and successful have the greatest impact. They're very visible and with that, comes responsibility, and I'm keen that players who are public and prestigious figures take a real part in this.''
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