You're not fit to referee

By Alan Stokes
October 15 2002

Is it a pre-requisite for match day officials to have the vision of partially sighted bats or do they get a bad press because of mass media coverage?

In these modern days of media saturation of our national game we are being told week in week out that referees are ruining not only the spectacle of the sport but the foundations around which the game was built. Not a weekend will pass without one manager or another complaining about the quality of the match officials. We hear stories on radio phone-ins, read articles in newspapers, and see managers and match analysts on TV constantly condemning the actions of the referee and his assistants. Judging by the amount of hysteria that surrounds the match officials nowadays then we must assume that the quality of referees has seriously deteriorated over the last few years.

Is this really the case? Or do the match officials get a bad press because of the massive media coverage.

In the last fortnight comments have been made about the referee who took charge of the Newcastle Vs Baggies match. Some reports have even gone as far as saying that the match officials in the Premier League are corrupt as they appear to be in the pockets of the bigger clubs. To back up this argument, a Footy highlights programme showed Albion’s Roberts being hauled down by O’Brien which should have been a free kick to the Baggies with the defender dismissed for a professional foul. This was then compared with the same referee in the Nationwide League the previous week issuing a free kick and subsequently sending off the defender for a situation that was exactly the same. So, how come there is one rule in the Nationwide League and another rule in the Premiership for the same offences.

Are the referees corrupt or biased towards the bigger clubs or are they just normal human beings?

It must be difficult nowadays for referees to take charge of the big Premier League games as they are now dealing with players and managers that are mega superstars and who because of this have a lot of power. The refs are only human so when they have a choice of giving a penalty to Man Utd or facing the wrath of Ferguson in the media then really there is no contest. Based on this argument it would be fair to say that the referees are in the pockets of the big clubs without actually being corrupt.

What can be done? The referees have turned professional in order to try and gain a level of respect but this has not so far stopped them from being intimidated to favouring the larger clubs or personalities.

Has the time now come to introduce modern technology into the game?

In days gone by I am certain that referees decisions influenced the outcome of games as they do now. However, they didn’t used to get the mass hysteria that followed their every decision then as they do now. Refs are only human and so will have a bad game or give incorrect decisions just as players have bad games or give the ball away. The difference is that a player having a bad game can be helped by his team mates or be substituted. The referee currently has no help and has nowhere to hide.

We have to accept that referees will make mistakes as they are only human. However, with the mass media coverage, massive financial implications involved in their decision making then surely we must either give these guys all the help modern technology can afford them or just accept their decisions.

What is the way forward? Do we use modern technology or do we leave the game as we have always known and loved?

If we decided to introduce this new technology, what aspects of the game could it be applied to? What levels of the football pyramid could it be applied to? Once again we have problems. Would it be unfair to use these methods in the professional game and ignore the semi pro game? Don’t forget the refs decision could affect these boys as well since a poor decision may prevent them promotion to the big time. This could then be cascaded all the way down to the Lichfield and District League.

So many questions but no answers. Thoughts on a postcard please.