A Referee Speaks

[RefLevel4]

Having read a number of threads on here recently, many of which have been well measured, but still berating referees on the ESL, I thought a view from a referee who has refereed a number of ESL clubs and also referees regularly in another League at the same level would be appreciated as an insight for some of you.

Firstly, for all referees that come onto the League, in the majority of cases, it will be their first real taste of Senior Football middles, having been promoted from parks football. Whilst I would suggest that the standard between the Olympian and the ESL is currently not that far apart, the way in which games are approached by clubs, players and benches is far, far more professional and match officials are also expected to be equally as professional and I think many referees seem to find this a bit of a culture shock initially

.

Secondly, I would liken the role of the referee very similar to that of a goalkeeper, one mistake by the referee like a goalkeeper can cost you a goal and possibly a cup or league title and this is the sort of decision most Ref's try not to make. However when we do make the decision, whether we are correct or not we have 11 players, plus the benches and possibly supporters berating us, whereas the goalkeeper generally has the support of his team and managers who accept that it was a genuine mistake. Unfortunately with football being a results driven game, it is always easier to blame the ref then accept that the 3 chances you missed earlier in the game were the real reason you did not win!

 

Thirdly, most referees who reach the level of refereeing on the ESL aspire to progress higher again, as many ESL players do and the difficulty of the referee promotion scheme is that we have to impress assessors, not the clubs, and if you have ambition then unfortunately the use of common sense becomes increasingly difficult which I accept is probably the main reason that many of the managers and players get frustrated with the ref. Most players and managers appreciate what I call the 3 C's from referees, namely consistency, common sense and communication. When assessors are there and if you have any ambition to progress then applying all 3 is very difficult.

 

Fourthly, I think it is worth noting that the ESL is one of the toughest Step 5 leagues to referee in. There are a number of clubs who although very fair in the way they play, are still highly competitive and often employ controlled aggression in the way they play, I would relate this mainly to the London based clubs and is not a bad thing but means a referee has been at the top of his game to distinguish between physicality and being over physical and this is all very opinion based. However, the unforgiving nature of a large amount of players and club officials within the ESL means that pretty much every decision the referee makes, he is screamed at or shouted at by either the benches or the players, however clear cut they are to everyone else there! Some players and benches refusal to accept decisions and the vitriol with which they speak to the referee is clearly not acceptable and needs to be removed from the ESL, I would balance this with the fact that the majority of benches and players will also pass comment when they have been impressed with a referee so it is balanced to an extent. I know as a referee, I prefer comments from managers and players about how I refereed the game than from assessors. 

Finally, I think you need to remember that referees are human and do make mistakes. Not have seen any of the decisions talked about in other threads I can't comment individually but unfortunately you referees also come from all walks of life, with difference life experience and differing personal skills and unfortunately a small majority of referees are just rude and see no need to explain their decisions which again manages to rile up players and benches. The most difficult thing for a referee is that you are only perceived as good as the perception of your last decision and by this I mean that if it goes against you then the ref is sh*t and if it goes for you then often the ref will be supported.

For me I consider I have done a good job if when people go home they are talking about the game and not the referee and the decisions. It is a tough job, but all referee's of the ESL choose to do it for a number of reasons and it is not just for the money! The remuneration is not as much as you might think. I just hope that you at least think about what I have tried to convey here and gives you some insight into the mind of the referee and the pressures that we are under. 

 

Sorry for long post.

Edited March 29, 2012 by RefLevel4

[Sorry]

Well said whoever you are. I think the continual apperances of assessors does effect the way games are managed by yourselves. The added pressure and I think you mention a few points very diplomatically.

 

But for me the key point you make is the following:

 

"For me I consider I have done a good job if when people go home they are talking about the game and not the referee and the decisions."

 

Unfortunately a number of times us managers,players & supporters alike get the impression that we are there for the referee's benefit and not the other way round.

 

At the end of the day this subject will never go away as you can't please everyone all the time. As I said on a previous thread it's the hardest job in the world and I for one would never dream of doing it. So hat's off to those that do

 

Just be nice if you got a few decisions right every now and again .... JOKE

[Hookey]

Well said Willo, though for me the bit that stuck out the most was "unfortunately a small majority of referees are just rude and see no need to explain their decisions which again manages to rile up players and benches". It's Refs like these who seem to delight in pushing the buttons of players and the bench.

 

A good post from the "Ref" though.

 

 

 

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Edited March 29, 2012 by Hookey

[Basil-Don]

sorry to start on the thorny issue of money but most refs charging over £50 now,obvoisly this is dependant on how much their travelling expenses are. I cant abide dissent and players carded for that i have no problem but too many minor fouls are being cautioned,ive seen matches where 8 cards have been shown and theres not been one real bad foul.Whether assessors are a force for good or bad is probably debatable of course.

[Jenko]

If this post is genuine I'd say well done to the ref. That's all I want, someone to talk and admit mistakes. I don't care if the ref makes a mistake it the response to that mistake that is important. I think the point about assessors is very important. Maybe it is them that need to change rather than mark a ref based on the applications of the rules rather than common sense. I think I have been really good this year with the officials. I always make an effort prior to the game to have a chat with htme like I do with the opposite management team. On Wednesday I did say the officials were ok even though they made mistakes. Those mistakes were genuine and there was not any hint of bias. However the one at Southend Manor was totally different. There is talking to players, managers, fans etc and then there is acting in an unprofessional manner i.e. the ref we had against Sporting Bengal. I think Roons will back me up when I say I try and have a laugh with the officials. In actual fact if I know the officials, like Roons for example, I specifically tell the players not to give them any abuse. Another example is against Enfield we had the same ref who made the penalty shoot out mistake with us and Eton Manor. Nice guy and apologised again for his mistake. I actually said the person I blame most was Paul Norris of Eton Manor who acted like a t**t. I used to think he was a nice guy. He didn't have the best of games against Enfield but I had a chat with him at half time and he thanked me for approaching it in the right way. I am trying to change but every now again you get an official who just pushes you over the edge.

[WTF]

Don't know if it's just me but I can't tell the dff these days between posts by Jenko and Richard Mann - other than the Dick Mann sex talk...

[Jenko]

Looks like it is just you....zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[WTF]

yep, lol!