Backlash could hit all of football, not just Chelsea

If, as I fully expect, Mark Clattenburg is completely cleared of behaving inappropriately to any Chelsea player, the backlash could go a lot deeper than simply punishing the west London club. It could affect refereeing attitudes throughout the country and reach down to all levels of our game.

Already, I hear whispers in the refereeing community that they will be refereeing in a much more formal and strict way when they next pick up the whistle. "Common sense refereeing?" Forget it when there are players who could be tempted to report you for scurrilous or mischievous reasons.
I fear referees will be tempted to cut out verbal communications almost completely, which would be a huge shame. Referees strive to build relations with players to keep them positive and on the right side of the Laws of the Game.
If this communication is eliminated, football will become a much harder and officious game. Decisions will be given; no explanations; and talking back to the ref will be met with a yellow card for dissent.
Having good verbal communications with players is what allows us to keep our cards in our pockets, It's a tool in the armoury of all referees, to cajole, flatter, criticise, anything to calm the player down and persuade him to behave himself.
I have not met anyone who believes Chelsea's claim that Clattenburg used a racially charged term like "monkey" in his dealings with John Obi Mikel on Sunday. Most information has emerged as a result of shadowy briefings to journalists. It appears that Mikel heard nothing, but was convinced by his Brazilian teammate Ramires that Clattenburg has used the word "monkey". It also appears Clattenburg's fellow officials, miked up to hear each other's words, heard nothing that could be interpreted as racially charged.
(There's a nagging voice inside me that wonders if Clattenburg used a term that he might use to his nipper as a term of endearment. Yah cheeky monkey" in his Consett brogue).  But I doubt it very much.
No, I fear Chelsea will, before too long, make a none too elegant effort to escape criticism and say that the issue is a non-starter.
If so, referees around the country will be feeling a lot less charitable to players on a Saturday afternoon, for fear one verbal slip could get them into deep trouble.