Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 152.3; Flight Crew Total 18000; Flight Crew Type 13000
Confusion; Situational Awareness; Communication Breakdown
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Event / Encounter Other / Unknown
General None Reported / Taken
Human Factors
Not sure if this is indicative of other issues at ZZZ as there were two others that I am reporting.  This report is safety related as the actions of the ZZZ ground crew could have caused damage to equipment and/or injury to Ground Personnel.After being pushed back from XX and setting the brake; the ramp person in front of the airplane proceeded to give me the all clear (arms extended down at 45 degrees) while the tug was underneath the nose and still connected to the aircraft.  I asked the ramp person on the intercom why this was and asked him to tell the ramper out front what the proper procedure was.  After the tug pulled away (the person out front maintained his arms at a 45 the entire time); the tug driver tried to explain what the procedure was and it appeared the two were arguing with the person giving us incorrect instructions defending his actions.Before we taxied away; I called ZZZ Operations on the radio to inform them of the issue as well.  This was probably the most unsafe pushback/release I've seen in a very long time and could have easily gotten out of hand due to the non-SOP actions of ZZZ.  Thankfully; due to me being away for two weeks and the FO being away from flying for over five weeks; we were hyper-vigilant of what was going on around us.
Air Carrier Captain reported experiencing an unsafe push-back from the gate.