The impossible job

[tonykellowfan]

Great article in the Guardian today about refereeing:

The impossible job: inside the world of Premier League referees

Players, pundits and fans complain bitterly that referees are getting worse each season – but is that fair?

www.theguardian.com

 

[Alistair20000]

It is a tough job with all the media attention and not helped by the useless way in which VAR is used. That said, when one sees buffoons such as Simon Hooper in charge of a PL game one really does have to think something has gone wrong.

 

[Pete Martin (CTID)]

I am not convinced that it is an impossible job. The fact that there are a number of very very good referees proves that. What one can do well, another can do. All referees will be criticised by fans when a decision goes against them. 'Twas ever thus.

There are several issues; (1) Is the training good enough? (2) A lack of consistency in decision making. (3) Some referees are stonger than others and some will cave in to player pressure. That needs to be addressed. (4) VAR has, in my opinion, made the situation worse.

 

[andrew p long]

For Mitrovic's suspension/punishment he should have to referee 10 grass roots games (though I would feel for the players that had to put up with him as ref)

 

[Devon Red]

I am not convinced that it is an impossible job. The fact that there are a number of very very good referees proves that. What one can do well, another can do. All referees will be criticised by fans when a decision goes against them. 'Twas ever thus.

There are several issues; (1) Is the training good enough? (2) A lack of consistency in decision making. (3) Some referees are stonger than others and some will cave in to player pressure. That needs to be addressed. (4) VAR has, in my opinion, made the situation worse.

This is the main issue I think.

Also not a fan of VAR and really glad it's not at our level.

 

[Alistair20000]

Lack of consistency is indeed a big problem.

 

[Grecian Max]

Thought you were on about getting Geoff and MJP on the Caldwell wagon

 

[Martin Lawrence]

For Mitrovic's suspension/punishment he should have to referee 10 grass roots games (though I would feel for the players that had to put up with him as ref)

Probably safer for him to do porridge instead

 

[GhostofAlanGow]

I've been a referee in the past, but over the last 5 years let my registration slip, partly because of time and partly because of worsening player/touchline behaviour.

I refereed to a decent standard, but not a high standard of football. The better the standard, the easier it was to referee.

Refereeing was without doubt one of the most demanding tasks I've ever done. It required fitness and complete concentration for the duration of the whole game. It was certainly a more mentally tiring experience than playing.

The refs in League 1 are, on the whole, good. Certainly fitter and more able to keep up with the game than they were decades ago. They also benefit from better analysis, full match replays, training, diets* etc

Yes, sometimes they make mistakes, some more than others, but then so do the players we watch.


*Brett Huxtable excluded

 

[Grecian2K]

Agree. An excellent and insightful article (save from being a tad biased in favour of the poor old refs)

Good though to see, at last, an open admission of "levellers" by the official. I recall, years ago, there was a discussion (on the Beeb?) when three top officials* from football, cricket and rugby on this very subject.
Two indignantly denied that such a thing EVER happened but the rugger boy honestly fessed up (on the grounds that, if he didn't, he'd never get off the pitch alive!)

*Can't remember the names of the other two but I'm sure the great Dickie Bird spoke for the summer game.