Vieira spoke out in favour of referees as the subject became the latest topic to go under the microscope on a website.

The former Arsenal midfielder was no stranger to controversy in his time at Highbury, and was often at the heart of clashes with opponents.

He told Feel Football: "We are human beings, we have feelings, and of course sometimes we regret the way in which we have acted.

"I've been in that situation before in England when I reacted badly, but when you see it replayed on the TV, you think 'That's not me -- that's unbelievable!'"

But Vieira feels that mounting pressure from several sides has now left referees scared to stand their ground: "I feel now as if the referee is going on to the pitch afraid to make a decision -- afraid even to be a referee.

"There is negative pressure on the referees and I really get the feeling that they don't get any help from players or from the football authorities.

"The referee is under too much negative pressure. Because of this, I think they lack spontaneity and passion. Being a referee should be like being a player -- you should go with your heart, enjoy it and not have to think.

"If you think it's a free kick, you give the free kick. But at the moment it's less spontaneous."

Vieira believes the problem is down to a lack of effort from the players and a lack of interaction with the referees -- but he admitted that so many players answer back and so many fans voice their opinion aggressively that the referees are losing confidence.

"Referees are quite isolated in comparison to players," he added.

"There is pressure they receive from the fans, the public and the players, so the job of the referee is becoming really hard. We, as players, have an important role to play, to really accept the referee's decisions.

"There should be more interaction off the pitch between referees and players, players and fans, fans and referees, so that everybody feels more comfortable and we understand each other.

"It's true that we have interactions with them but only on the pitch. We don't know them and they don't know us."