Well, what a kafuffle Eduardo has caused this week. According to his manager, he was only avoiding getting another injury like the one he received from Martin Taylor eighteen months ago – a blow from which he has only just recovered. According to Celtic fans and players – most notably the passionate Scott Brown – it was a despicable attempt to secure his team a penalty from which, should it be scored, Arsenal would all but secured their passage into the first round proper of the Champions League.
So what does a local league referee think to it? Well, the first thing I must say is that it is controversies like this that cause most of my headaches on a Sunday morning. Players imitating, or worse still, complaining that other players are imitating, what they have seen on the television is one of my biggest problems. Be it kids running up to you and complaining about a decision a la John Terry, diving like Ronaldo or jumping into someone’s back like Shaun Derry did to the diminutive Robinho in Thursdays Carling Cup tie often disrupts games, and if I then give a decision I get accused of having watched too much TV!? Typical!
Back to the case in point, and “Ed-gate”. I was watching the game on ITV, and on first viewing it certainly seemed that the clumsy Boruc had clattered into the Croat and given away his team’s chances of playing in the elite this year. However, as soon as you saw the impassioned protests of Boruc, Brown and co. then you knew something was up. As soon as you saw the first replay, you could see Boruc moving his legs and arms out of the way and minimal, if any contact being made.
In my opinion, there was contact, but Eduardo was already on his way down, anticipating the full contact making the referee’s decision very easy. However, the cheeky little smile on his face as he looked up at the camera shows a sinister side to an otherwise affable-appearing guy. Then for his manager to come up with a string of excuses – whilst expected – does nothing for either the striker or the club.
However, I can see Wengers and Arsenal’s arguments. A) Boruc did clip Eduardo, and had the striker not taken evasive action would have been wiped out by the bug Pole. B) Eduardo has just recovered from a horrific injury and any way of avoiding unnecessary contact is expected and C) Other teams do it, and get away with it, so why should they not try it? Another argument I could make is that had this happened in the same tie, away at a Russian team or even at home to a non-British team – would anyone care?
Those are the arguments for and against the “dive” – I’ll leave it up to you to decide whether or not it was a dive or not!!!
Finally, I am deeply unhappy at the decision by UEFA to retrospectively impose a 2 match ban on the striker. Whilst justice should be done, obviously, there are a number of points that concern me with this. A) Are they now going to look back at every incident of diving over the last few years and retrospectively ban players? (If so, Real won’t se much return on their £80m investment this season!) B) Now this decision has been taken, they have to be consistent with ALL proven incidents of diving in the future and C) Again, I agree with Arsene. If this is worthy of a retrospective ban, will all aspects of “trying to deceive the referee” be dealt with equally. By this I mean incidents such as shirt pulling, holding and tripping – as well as saying the ball didn’t strike you as it clearly went out of play for a corner for the opposition!
Hope you have enjoyed reading, please comment!
Friday 28 August 2009
Thursday 13 August 2009
The Referee's Association
Today I signed up for the first time for three years to my local referees association (RA).
I always used to try and attend RA meetings, but after a couple of years got disaffected by the attitude at meetings as well as the content.
The attitude was (or at least seemed to be) that if refereeing was not the centre of your life and you didn’t want to progress right to the top of the ladder then you weren’t worth spending time on, basically forgetting chaps like me who just want to be good local league refs.
The content was generally the same, and after a while meetings became very samey, and the point of them seemed minimal. I believe that originally these meetings were held weekly, and were attended by the large majority of local referees. Traditionally held on a Thursday night, these meetings were good for relationships to be forged, as well as ideal opportunities for the RAS of the local leagues to get referees for fixtures that had not been filled.
However, when I used to attend meetings the advent of mobile phones and the internet had basically forgone the need for this appointing and as said, the point of the meetings was unclear.
Ideally, the meetings should be good forums for discussion for everybody, no matter what your level, as well as a good place to get advice and some discount kit!
Another point that was unclear was what the subscription fee went to. £20.80 as it is this year seems an awful lot for membership of an association that appears to give you little back for this cash.
I eagerly anticipate the first meeting that I manage to attend.
I always used to try and attend RA meetings, but after a couple of years got disaffected by the attitude at meetings as well as the content.
The attitude was (or at least seemed to be) that if refereeing was not the centre of your life and you didn’t want to progress right to the top of the ladder then you weren’t worth spending time on, basically forgetting chaps like me who just want to be good local league refs.
The content was generally the same, and after a while meetings became very samey, and the point of them seemed minimal. I believe that originally these meetings were held weekly, and were attended by the large majority of local referees. Traditionally held on a Thursday night, these meetings were good for relationships to be forged, as well as ideal opportunities for the RAS of the local leagues to get referees for fixtures that had not been filled.
However, when I used to attend meetings the advent of mobile phones and the internet had basically forgone the need for this appointing and as said, the point of the meetings was unclear.
Ideally, the meetings should be good forums for discussion for everybody, no matter what your level, as well as a good place to get advice and some discount kit!
Another point that was unclear was what the subscription fee went to. £20.80 as it is this year seems an awful lot for membership of an association that appears to give you little back for this cash.
I eagerly anticipate the first meeting that I manage to attend.
Wednesday 12 August 2009
First Outing of 09/10
Last night I had my first game of the season, a friendly between a division 1 team and a premier division team from the sunday league.
It is always difficult refereeing friendlies. Firstly you have the obvious fact that most players think because it is a friendly they can get away with anything. This is usually combatted by giving an early free kick and making sure you are seen gving the offender a talking to. Anoter problem is that there is always the potential for players to not take the game seriously, and whilst this is not problem in itself, it makes the game difficult to referee as you may well give a decision that would normally be given and you get a whole host of players complaining "it's just a friendly".
However, one of the biggest problems, for players and referees alike is the very fact that it is pre-season. When watching or playing in friendlies it is very easy to forget that this is also the referee's pre-season, and in just the same way players will make mistakes they wouldn't normally, the same applies to referees.
That said, I feel last night actually went fairly well. I probably missed a couple of fouls, and allowed one of the club linesmen to give a couple of dodgy offsides, but it didn't matter as his team were well outplayed to lose 4-1.
There were a couple of fouls that probably would have drawn yellow cards had it been a league game, but overall I was happy with my display.
I now eagerly anticipate the arrival of my first set of fixtures!
It is always difficult refereeing friendlies. Firstly you have the obvious fact that most players think because it is a friendly they can get away with anything. This is usually combatted by giving an early free kick and making sure you are seen gving the offender a talking to. Anoter problem is that there is always the potential for players to not take the game seriously, and whilst this is not problem in itself, it makes the game difficult to referee as you may well give a decision that would normally be given and you get a whole host of players complaining "it's just a friendly".
However, one of the biggest problems, for players and referees alike is the very fact that it is pre-season. When watching or playing in friendlies it is very easy to forget that this is also the referee's pre-season, and in just the same way players will make mistakes they wouldn't normally, the same applies to referees.
That said, I feel last night actually went fairly well. I probably missed a couple of fouls, and allowed one of the club linesmen to give a couple of dodgy offsides, but it didn't matter as his team were well outplayed to lose 4-1.
There were a couple of fouls that probably would have drawn yellow cards had it been a league game, but overall I was happy with my display.
I now eagerly anticipate the arrival of my first set of fixtures!
My History
I began refereeing when I was 14 - so as early as possible. Having passed my test in the March, I went on to officiate a few small sided tournaments that summer and then began refereeing in the local junior league that September. I did this for three years, with growing levels of success and confidence until one of my senior colleagues (with whom I was officiating on the local supply league as an assistant) persuaded me to go into the local Sunday league as a referee.
As one of the youngest referees on the league it was never going to be easy to stamp my authority, but my levels of fitness, ably assisted by my way of interacting with players meant that I became a success on this league too, if only in divisions two to six.
So I left for university full of optimism for my refereeing career but I was soon knocked back by the referees appointments secretary (RAS) on the youth league where I was moving to. Hampered by strange kick off times, long travel and an inability for the RAS to be flexible I stopped refereeing, save for the odd weekend when I went home.
At the start of my second year at unviverity I heard that the RAS had changed for the league, so I got in touch with the new man and he was much more helpful, and I enjoyed a successful two years on that league, culminating in being selected to referee the U15s cup final, an honour indeed.
So now I am back in Lincoln and looking forward to officiating in the Sunday league and also the Mid Lincs Youth League (that is about as much hint to my identity as will be given!)
As one of the youngest referees on the league it was never going to be easy to stamp my authority, but my levels of fitness, ably assisted by my way of interacting with players meant that I became a success on this league too, if only in divisions two to six.
So I left for university full of optimism for my refereeing career but I was soon knocked back by the referees appointments secretary (RAS) on the youth league where I was moving to. Hampered by strange kick off times, long travel and an inability for the RAS to be flexible I stopped refereeing, save for the odd weekend when I went home.
At the start of my second year at unviverity I heard that the RAS had changed for the league, so I got in touch with the new man and he was much more helpful, and I enjoyed a successful two years on that league, culminating in being selected to referee the U15s cup final, an honour indeed.
So now I am back in Lincoln and looking forward to officiating in the Sunday league and also the Mid Lincs Youth League (that is about as much hint to my identity as will be given!)
Background
Hi everyone. Having read similar blogs to this, and thought that they were all the same and fairly meaningless I then realised that this is what the world of "blogging" is all about. What may appear meaningless to one man is another mans advice, and also I thought that when I started refereeing I would have wanted as many different outlets for advice as possible, as well as somewhere to share and gather funny refereeing anecdotes.
That is exactly what this blog is going to be about.
I will be sharing regular stories from my time refereeing, as well as (hopefully) writing advice pieces for other referees to read. I am never going to reveal my name, nor shall I ever reveal teams whom I mention in these stories or blogs. I do this not to remain anonymous and mysterious, but in case a player happens to stumble across this, who knows what they could actually do with knowledge of the laws of the game!!!
Hopefully the blog will be useful for all referees, young and old, to get advice, support or perhaps just as somewhere for them to waste some time whilst at work.
Enjoy reading!
That is exactly what this blog is going to be about.
I will be sharing regular stories from my time refereeing, as well as (hopefully) writing advice pieces for other referees to read. I am never going to reveal my name, nor shall I ever reveal teams whom I mention in these stories or blogs. I do this not to remain anonymous and mysterious, but in case a player happens to stumble across this, who knows what they could actually do with knowledge of the laws of the game!!!
Hopefully the blog will be useful for all referees, young and old, to get advice, support or perhaps just as somewhere for them to waste some time whilst at work.
Enjoy reading!
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