Match Officials

[Jaggernaut]

This could have gone in the "Grumpy Old Men" category, but maybe worth their own thread, because they are so bad! What I notice these days is that they (the referees) are good at the "presentation" aspects, that is all the hand gestures, the running backwards while keeping an eye on players, etc., but they are p*ss poor at actually observing infringements, such as defenders wrapping their arms around opponents in the box before a corner even gets taken, or blatant shirt tugging that the entire stadium sees.

 

And don't get me started about linesmen. This must be the cushiest job around. Apart from sticking up their flag randomly when there might be a hint of offside, none of them will decide which way a throw-in should go; without fail, they wait until the referee makes the decision and then they put the flag up to confirm it. Total non-entities.

[Alan100]

Was it Charlie Richmond who said yesterday that Scottish refs have bottomed out - no better or no worse. His punditry reflects his refereeing- awful. If the comments from all supporters in Pie and Bovril is anything to go by, Scottish refs and their pals with flags are so inconsistent/incompetent.

[alx]

They are so bad now that they aren't clever enough to be biased any more! Seriously, you would have to reach a certain level of competence to be able to influence the result of a game. These muppets are nowhere near good enough to even think of bias etc.

[Camallain]

They are so bad now that they aren't clever enough to be biased any more!

 

You obviously weren't at Cowdenbeath on Saturday then

[read'n'yell]

Without pretending to be an expert, it does sound like most countries have similar problems. I know Spanish refs are absolutely awful. Thing that annoys me is the wage these guys get for turning up to work and often making big mistakes. Some understandably are hard to see but the majority should be picked up considering there's three people now.

[Exiled AusJag]

The focus nowadays seems to be on youth and fitness.

I had my best refereeing days during my mid 40s after 10 - 15 years refereeing, but by that time you're considered too old to be promoted to the 'elite' leagues, despite having the fitness levels required.

Personally I think a ref should have a minimum of 3 years in the league just below the 'elite', then get promoted, irrelevant of age (within reason), proveded they're fit enough. There will still be plenty of years left for that ref to progress. However, I don't know the experiance requirement in Scotland.

Also, several years ago FIFA lowered the FIFA ref retirement age from 50 to 45 so associatons are looking to get refs on to the FIFA panel as young as possible.

I totally agree with Jaggernaut about shirt tugging, holding etc. The thing that really riles me, and it's seen in all major leagues, are players holding their opponetnts away arms length. This never seems to be punished, so every player thinks they can do it, despite it clearly stating the following in the instuctions to referees in the laws book.

Holding an opponent includes the act of preventing him from moving past or around using the hands, the arms or the body.

Referees are reminded to make an early interventionand to deal firmly with holding offences especially inside the penalty area at corner kicks and free kicks.

to deal with these situations

the referee must warn any player holding an opponemt before the ball is in play.

caution the player if the holding continues before the ball is in play

award a direct free kick or penalty kick and caution the player if it happens once the ball is in play/

If a defender starts holding an attacker outside the penalty area and continues holding him inside the penalty area, the referee must award a penalty kick

Edited April 4, 2013 by Exiled AusJag

[Jaggernaut]

The focus nowadays seems to be on youth and fitness.

I had my best refereeing days during my mid 40s after 10 - 15 years refereeing, but by that time you're considered too old to be promoted to the 'elite' leagues, despite having the fitness levels required.

Personally I think a ref should have a minimum of 3 years in the league just below the 'elite', then get promoted, irrelevant of age (within reason), proveded they're fit enough. There will still be plenty of years left for that ref to progress. However, I don't know the experiance requirement in Scotland.

Also, several years ago FIFA lowered the FIFA ref retirement age from 50 to 45 so associatons are looking to get refs on to the FIFA panel as young as possible.

I totally agree with Jaggernaut about shirt tugging, holding etc. The thing that really riles me, and it's seen in all major leagues, are players holding their opponetnts away arms length. This never seems to be punished, so every player thinks they can do it, despite it clearly stating the following in the instuctions to referees in the laws book.

Holding an opponent includes the act of preventing him from moving past or around using the hands, the arms or the body.

Referees are reminded to make an early interventionand to deal firmly with holding offences especially inside the penalty area at corner kicks and free kicks.

to deal with these situations

the referee must warn any player holding an opponemt before the ball is in play.

caution the player if the holding continues before the ball is in play

award a direct free kick or penalty kick and caution the player if it happens once the ball is in play/

If a defender starts holding an attacker outside the penalty area and continues holding him inside the penalty area, the referee must award a penalty kick

 

Thanks for those clarifications, EAJ. Even more reason to be frustrated by too many referees' failure to do what they are supposed to do. And yet there are supposed to be assessors at each match, but still there is no improvement in performance. Grr.

[brick_top]

I work with a guy who officiates (both linesman and ref) in the juniors. He said that if a decision is in any way contentious then they just give it whatever way will cause them least hassle/grief/earache, rather than the ACTUAL CORRECT DECISION!

 

This isn't entirely surprising to me. Having played amatuer for over 20 years it's obvious (and infuriating) that refs do this. I wouldn't exactly be shocked to learn that refs at the top level do it too.

[Roque]

Apart from sticking up their flag randomly when there might be a hint of offside, none of them will decide which way a throw-in should go; without fail, they wait until the referee makes the decision and then they put the flag up to confirm it. Total non-entities.

 

The worst thing in football.

[Colonel G]

Not defending refs they make some howlers.

However most decisions they make will piss off one set of fans. Don't know how many times there's blatant free kicks and the opposing fans are screaming about the injustice.

What gets right up my humph is players claiming for throw ins, corners etc when the ball has obviously come off them.

[Jaggernaut]

Not defending refs they make some howlers.

However most decisions they make will piss off one set of fans. Don't know how many times there's blatant free kicks and the opposing fans are screaming about the injustice.

What gets right up my humph is players claiming for throw ins, corners etc when the ball has obviously come off them.

 

Agreed. It shows that the tendency to cheat is ingrained in their minds.

[Exiled AusJag]

Thanks for those clarifications, EAJ. Even more reason to be frustrated by too many referees' failure to do what they are supposed to do. And yet there are supposed to be assessors at each match, but still there is no improvement in performance. Grr.

I gave two penaties today against the same team both both types of incidents mentioned above. I would expect every referee to do the same.

[Jaggernaut]

I gave two penaties today against the same team both both types of incidents mentioned above. I would expect every referee to do the same.

 

I guess you got some grief from that team at the decisions? Well done to you for applying the rules! Hope you can persuade your colleagues to do likewise.