Poor Officiating Standards

[Daz]

I honestly think this is one of the main reasons that the standard of officials has dropped so much over the years. They are shown absolutely no respect by players as they know fine well they can get away with verbally abusing and surrounding them etc.

I mean who would want to be a ref when you get no protection from the FA?

Surrounding the officials on the pitch should be a yellow for all involved, physically pushing or even nudging an official should be a ban. Never mind Fernandes cheating during the match.

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[marcusblackcat]

VAR did nothing, the linesman did nothing. 2 blatant red cards completely ignored in that game. (This and Nunez). BAR utterly a waste of time!!

 

[Daz]

VAR did nothing, the linesman did nothing. 2 blatant red cards completely ignored in that game. (This and Nunez). BAR utterly a waste of time!!

It is mate, whole standard has taken a nose dive. Not sure if Prem referees are getting lazy as they are relying on VAR too much or what.

 

[Oliver's Army]

It's a joke all the way through the leagues, we saw in L1 and see it most weeks in the Championship. It's a joke. VAR is a major issue for me, not knowing when to celebrate a goal would ruin it for me.

 

[cumbrianmackem]

I've said this before but how can you run a VAR system when it only applies to the Premiership.
Those Refs who drop down to EFL level or FA cups at stadiums which don't have VAR have been seen to be wanting.
If we're having it then all clubs should have it and the FA should finance it. I watch a lot of league 1 at Morecambe and feel lucky we've got into the Championship, however the standard there isn't much better.
Some of the decisions fans see every week are nonsensical, but are repeated infinitum.
Is it laziness that Refs have fallen into bad habits knowing there's a bloke miles away who will correct the mistakes they make, well that's a perhaps or a maybe.
I think it was brought in without a proper trial and has been an unmitigated disaster from day one.
I could go on.....

 

[Daz]

I've said this before but how can you run a VAR system when it only applies to the Premiership.
Those Refs who drop down to EFL level or FA cups at stadiums which don't have VAR have been seen to be wanting.
If we're having it then all clubs should have it and the FA should finance it. I watch a lot of league 1 at Morecambe and feel lucky we've got into the Championship, however the standard there isn't much better.
Some of the decisions fans see every week are nonsensical, but are repeated infinitum.
Is it laziness that Refs have fallen into bad habits knowing there's a bloke miles away who will correct the mistakes they make, well that's a perhaps or a maybe.
I think it was brought in without a proper trial and has been an unmitigated disaster from day one.
I could go on.....

Totally agree, should be all or nothing and funded by the FA or the TV rights

 

[RTB]

Not a great challenge by Gelhardt
- but how the hell was that not a red card, he wasn't even given a yellow.

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[Confucius]

I’ve given up over the road arguing over referees because some over there just think they are whiter than white and just make mistakes. If they choose to treat the “bigger” players differently, then they are ****ing bent in my book. If they are coerced by the reaction of players rather than what they have seen (Dan Neil’s booking at the weekend), then they are cheating. If they decide not to book someone clearly trying to deceive them, (again from Saturday) then they are not fit for purpose. If they decide to add 2 minutes, after 5 goals, numerous substitutes, various injuries then they should be ****ing ashamed. Of course it wouldn’t make a difference to the result, but you could get relegated by one goal. Don’t get me started on this “too early for a red card” ****e either. The rules apply for the 90 minutes
Yes I still haven’t recovered from that appalling officiating and football.

 

[The Norton Cat]

I qualified as a referee when I was 16. I'd given it up by the time I was 18. The grief from people just wasn't worth it. Its a much harder job than those who haven't done it think. I watch a lot of non-league football and even in that some of the things that are said to referees and linesmen I find appalling. It could become a real problem, with people unwilling to do it and dropping out like I did.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/64584541

We need to reach a point where the referee is given a similar level of respect as they are in Rugby Union. The differences between the games make that difficult on some levels but it should be what we're aiming for.

 

[Robertson]

I thought about posting this a couple of weeks back:

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/64584541.amp

Referee abuse: Hundreds tell of safety fears at grassroots level

• By Frank Keogh
• BBC Sport

14 February 2023

Hundreds of grassroots referees have told the BBC they fear for their safety when refereeing and are dissatisfied with current measures to tackle abuse.

More than 900 referees in England responded to a Radio 5 Live questionnaire, with 293 saying they had been physically abused by spectators, players, coaches or managers.

Some described being punched, headbutted and spat at.

Almost all the respondents had experienced some form of verbal abuse.

….

What the referees say

Ryan, 30, from Lancashire, once had to hide in a back street for an hour after being chased by players.

"Every week when you go out as a referee, you think what's going to happen this week. I sometimes don't want to turn up. It's freezing cold and you're going to stand there for 90 minutes to be abused, for £30, which is what you get paid," he said.

"Without a referee turning up at the weekend, you're not going to have football and grassroots will eventually end up going into the abyss."

He called for referees to be issued with body cameras, which the FA is hoping to pilot in a trial this year.

Megan, 18, from Oxfordshire, had a parent come on the pitch with raised fists after she sent a child off.

"He was yelling abuse at me and saying this is why girls shouldn't be in football," she said.

"I think he got a six-match ban and fined, but that isn't enough.

"It was probably the scariest experience I've had when I've been watching, playing or reffing football. It really had an impact on my mental health, I was just worried all the time. I took two weeks off and worked my way back.

"All referees get abuse and I also get abuse because of my gender - I'm female in a male-dominated area. I've had people comment on my chest in the middle of a game."

Adrian, 59, Portsmouth: "In nearly 24 years of refereeing, I have been threatened, verbally abused, been told they know where I live, also been assaulted five times. Why I carry on I don't know - suppose the love of football."

Bill, 74, Leamington Spa: "I have been stopped from driving my car by players lying in front of my car and jumping on the bonnet. Quite a few years ago I was punched from behind and kicked on the floor. I don't look my age and have vast experience with a good reputation so I can handle myself. But younger refs are walking away."

Joe, 18, Romford: "I've been assaulted by a grown adult player when I was 16, threatened multiple times by managers and parents. A player at under-14 level threatened to have me stabbed and 'get his gang on me'. Managers have threatened to see me in the car park. Players have also said this.

"We need legislation at government level which offers us protection. The police need to take assaults on referees as criminal matters not just 'a football matter', and the FA needs to invest more and increase sanctions."

Jacob, 15, Essex: "I've had players at under-13 level swearing at me and parents undermining my authority."

'Players have a responsibility to tone it down' - Sutton
Former Premier League striker Chris Sutton - whose father was a referee - was asked by Radio 5 Live to referee his first match, a junior game, to find out what it's like on the other side.

"Any form of abuse is totally unacceptable," said the former Norwich, Blackburn, Celtic and Chelsea forward who presents the BBC's 606 football phone-in show.

"It's an issue that needs to be dealt with, otherwise grassroots football won't survive."

Sutton has admitted to previously confronting a young referee while watching his son play and now wants to address the issue.

"I walked on the field because I was concerned about how badly injured he was. I shouldn't have done that. I realise how difficult it is," he said.

Sutton said players at all levels should stop swearing at referees.

"We see Premier League and other professional players do that on a regular basis. I've done it. It doesn't make it right and all players have a responsibility to tone it down."

 

[clockstander]

Ironic as I rember it was Man U under Soir Alex that started this ref harassing ploy, . I think Refs should be miked up and have to explain their decisions in public, I dont watch Rugby but am told this is normal practice. The standard of refereeing in some of our games this season has been criminal. VAR is only as good as the people involved in its operation, and I have serious doubts about some of those so called officials in charge. The offside rule is another farce and needs to be changed back to how it used to be clear daylight, and not measured in millimetres by laser beams.

 

[Confucius]

I wouldn’t want to be a referee for all the money in China, so I’m not. I totally understand that referees make mistakes, however anyone who thinks they aren’t swayed or biased in any shape or form, are naive as ****
This ref was the same ****ing goon, who failed to send Maguire off before he scored his hat trick against us, later sent Winchester off and also the same twat who failed to play the split second advantage when Embleton blasted the ball home against Blackpool
Again that isn’t an error, you look to see if there is an advantage then bring it back if he needs to, it’s not difficult. He did the same to Roberts on Saturday and for the head injury too. He makes snap decisions, yet didn’t when he decided, sorry when Stoke players decided that the brilliant Dan Neil tackle was bookable. He’s akin to a trigger happy Tulsa cop, and can be easily swayed. Which by the way, we need to get streetwise on.

 

[samwise_new]

said it from the onset, if VAR is to be used then use it to stamp out the cheating in the game...a ref's job is not an easy one but the current narrative of 'if there is contact there is a foul' is complete bollox and i am sick of watching players get themselves into a position where they 'stop' so a player accidentally touches them and they do a full on dive at length, added to the theatrical gesture to the officials before they hit the ground.

also find it strange that so many players get exactly the same 'injury' at exactly the same place (shin) that requires each individual to curl up and scream while gripping onto the shin before leaping up and playing with no after effects at all, VAR many a time proves there was little or no contact (facial or head injuries) yet the game has to be stopped so the player gets treatment...in this case, if proven by VAR a penalty should be awarded, crowding the ref is a yellow card every time, we would soon see a stop to it all.

 

[Nordic]

Refs explaining decisions live should be brought in
Sending players off for simulating fouls should be a yellow or red card
Body cams on refs, to cut down on abuse - yes
Retrospectively fining clubs big amounts for failing to discipline players… and fans

Criminal offences for clubs/fans/players - yes
Clear daylight for offsides - yes - lower half of the body primarily. The ‘his shoulder is 1cm ahead of the opponent’ craic is ****ing stupid and detracts from the game

the FA and PL make plenty of ****ing money and it should be spent on the good of the game at all levels, bit just the top clubs

 

[marcusblackcat]

Ironic as I rember it was Man U under Soir Alex that started this ref harassing ploy, . I think Refs should be miked up and have to explain their decisions in public, I dont watch Rugby but am told this is normal practice. The standard of refereeing in some of our games this season has been criminal. VAR is only as good as the people involved in its operation, and I have serious doubts about some of those so called officials in charge. The offside rule is another farce and needs to be changed back to how it used to be clear daylight, and not measured in millimetres by laser beams.

Whilst I wholeheartedly agree, how would the ref in the Coventry game explain not sending off their keeper? “Yeah I se he elbowed him, far worse than the Amad challenge, but he doesn’t play for Sunderland so I’m not carding him at all”

 

[Jack Ford]

I still strongly maintain that managers should be held more accountable for their cheats and Time wasters and of course themselves.

Although I agree that some of the refs are not great, by penalising managers this may help the ref who has a difficult job at the best of times

 

[cumbrianmackem]

Posted this before about the Grandson whose in his second season as a junior Ref ( he's 15) and he's only had one parent issue so far.
Tomorrow he's been promoted to run the line on Sunday in a Westmoreland County game and is going for three hours tutoring after school and he's chuffed to bits.
He absolutely loves it and I think cos he's in a more rural setting he's not getting the agro which perhaps exists in a more urban area...who knows.
As has been said before if the Refs pack in then football is stuffed no matter what we might all think of them.

 

[marcusblackcat]

I still strongly maintain that managers should be held more accountable for their cheats and Time wasters and of course themselves.

Although I agree that some of the refs are not great, by penalising managers this may help the ref who has a difficult job at the best of times

Independent timekeeper would do away with that overnight. If you find out the average “ball in play” time from this weekend’s games, half it and play “ball in play” clock going and ball has to go out to end the game.

Time wasting would stop immediately. The bollocks that we’ve seen where a player lies down for 6 minutes and the ref adds 3 disappears too.

Cheap and extremely easy way to appease a complaint most fans have at the minute.
Also, as mentioned by I think. It was clockstander. Get the refs mic’d up. Make them explain their decisions. That would be cheap, quick and easy too.

 

[rowley]

It's a joke all the way through the leagues, we saw in L1 and see it most weeks in the Championship. It's a joke. VAR is a major issue for me, not knowing when to celebrate a goal would ruin it for me.

Yep. Me too.

I'll never go again if they bring VAR in at championship level, or if we go up.

They have stolen the most important moment of the game. The feeling you remember most, the wild release of a goal, especially in a really important game, or late on.

Now, it's a three quarter or less celebration, knowing that they sometimes seem to actively look for reasons to disallow a goal; a tug of the shirt four passes and forty yards away, or some dodgy and ethereal line saying someone might have been offside. Linesmen letting VAR do the job, refs similar. Bending or remaking the rules to make VAR look sensible.

And of course, certain teams clearly getting the benefit of the doubt more often than not.

People who have probably never played, or paid to watch football have ruined it. No doubt soon we'll be having the "Coca Cola" review or something similar.

Not for me at all, not going anyway. The attending supporter, so much "missed" during Covid, is dealt the worst hand. Knowing least, knowing last and paying for the privilege.

 

[cumbrianmackem]

Yep. Me too.

I'll never go again if they bring VAR in at championship level, or if we go up.

They have stolen the most important moment of the game. The feeling you remember most, the wild release of a goal, especially in a really important game, or late on.

Now, it's a three quarter or less celebration, knowing that they sometimes seem to actively look for reasons to disallow a goal; a tug of the shirt four passes and forty yards away, or some dodgy and ethereal line saying someone might have been offside. Linesmen letting VAR do the job, refs similar. Bending or remaking the rules to make VAR look sensible.

And of course, certain teams clearly getting the benefit of the doubt more often than not.

People who have probably never played, or paid to watch football have ruined it. No doubt soon we'll be having the "Coca Cola" review or something similar.

Not for me at all, not going anyway. The attending supporter, so much "missed" during Covid, is dealt the worst hand. Knowing least, knowing last and paying for the privilege.

Well said Rowley