Watching Man Utd- Crystal Palace and 3 penalty calls of which I didnt get any right the first time, only the replays convinced me otherwise and usually get those calls right. I did try refereeing in the lower danish leagues back in the days, but I simply did not have the stomach nor the mentality to withstand being bullied so I simply quit before the stress got to me. I am glad today I didnt continue, being a referee can suck really really bad. Anyone else with a referee´s certificate here?
I dont know if I actually expressed myself correctly in english, it was 3 appeals for penalties .. not 3 penalty calls, or?
Referees have a really hard time but they know that when they take it on. Being only human they are bound to make mistakes, and I seriously doubt that any have it 'in' for certain teams, despite what some fans think. I'm one of the few advocates of video referees as in rugby for the big decisions like Ashley Young's dive today that won Man U a pen. I've never bought the idea that it slows the game down too much. Done properly it won't. My mate is a ref locally and the abuse he gets, sometimes bordering on threats of violence is truly shocking.
Thats why I quit, my girlfriend was watching a game I was refereeing and somehow some people found out she was my girlfriend, they threatened her and she left crying. I decided to quit that day, but yeah, you are right, many stories outthere about threats and overall abuse are absolutely shocking. I have never ever envied referees and their task.
I always cringe at the TV pundits replaying dubious decisions in super slow-mo time and again. The refs don't get that. Of course there are obvious decisions that don't get given and the refs deserve stick for those (the Baines non-pen last week v Cardiff for example) but they have to take a decision pretty quickly based on one take and it's not always as clear cut. Don't blame you for packing it in. My mate's son did the course the same time as him and lasted one game. The abuse he got was appalling.
Funny you should post this. I was linesman at my 15 year olds game this morning, local cup match against the best team at his age level. The abuse I got from the opposing teams kids giving it billy big bollocks, you name it they called me it. Now this is a team that we knew, if we could keep it to single figures would be a great result. But what frustrated me was the constant intimidate our players the verbal abuse dished out was disgusting, and the ref allowed this to happen, till I snapped and gave them a volley of abuse back after I flagged for an offside. Now I'm a placid person and afterwards regret what I did. The thing is the arrogance, disrespect etc you could see was intrenched in the team from the three coaches down to the players. They were even laughing at the ref as they bully and intimidate teams, a stronger ref would have booked at least 5 players and two should have been sent off. That is whats wrong with the game today, no respect is shown to officials, and some teams I believe can influence a refs decisions. I still haven't calmed down, I'd have happily paid any of our players fine if they'd have gone in high and taken one of the little ****s out.
Don't get me started. When our son played my wife and I were banned from the sidelines! But in fairness that was only because we were giving the ref, who was one of the opposing team's dads some stick. My son played in goal and there was a one on one situation. The attacker made a heavy touch and my son got to the ball easily. He was then kicked in the face that broke his nose. Their player then rolled the ball into the net. To say there was a riot is putting it mildly. But that was one of those situations where the ref deserved it. Normally they get far too much stick imo.
Grand a game for a bit of abuse? Sign me up! Being a prem ref, is that even their full time job? You learn the rules, learn how to read a game and position yourself, keep fit and ref one game a week. It can't be as easy as it sounds surely?
referees on the whole do a great job but you must remember they are only human and not see what you see sometimes and vice versa.. the refs decision is final during the match regardless if you think he is right or wrong...A thankless job who without them football could not take place...
At my sons under tens match there is now a "respect line" 2 metres back from the touch line. If any adults cross this in the game, then the club will be fined. Both teams have to rate the behaviour of the other team and the other team's parents. Any issues can lead to fines and point deductions for the club. Hopefully this will make the referee's life easier!
