Start of a new season and start of a new series about football
from the referee’s angle.
This season John Moore and Brian Palmer will be joined
by other refereeing colleagues in writing articles, so
we can expect a number of new perspectives ‘from the
middle’.
What never changes is the controversy that surrounds any
important refereeing decision, especially if it is televised.
To
start this season it was Shearer’s first sending-off ever.
Headlines everywhere.
Was it right? Yes, he certainly deserved to go (for persistently infringing
the Laws after
having received a caution) and, to be honest, he has been
lucky to escape for so long considering the way he uses and
threatens to use his elbows.
As always, what a pity the TV pundits and journalists
decrying Uriah Rennie’s decision don’t know Law 12.
They assumed he was sent off for striking and seemed
unaware that ‘attempting to strike’ is also an offence. In
the reports I saw, only Danny Baker agreed with the referee.
Now that really is worrying!
Something
else that never seems to change is the shortage of referees.
In the Reading area we have a reputation for producing
good referees and in numbers, but demand always outstrips
supply. Why not
think about taking up the whistle yourself?
The next course starts on Tuesday 28 September.
Obviously,
some people (women as well as men are interested in football)
are put off by the dark side – especially the nonsense they
see on television. The
truth is that most of the time referees enjoy what they are
doing. It’s not
about wielding power, it’s about being involved in the game
and enabling twenty two plus players and their supporters to
enjoy it too. Remember
we are all football fans, and most of us players – or more
accurately, ex-players.
Look
on our website for full details of the course or ring Brian
Wratten on (0118) 978 2681 or Malcolm Garstang on (0118) 943
3573.
What
we can expect to be
different this season is the number of cards referees will be
showing, unless players have got the message.
Referees have been ‘reminded’ by the International
AF Board to send players off for making racist remarks.
‘Reminded’ in IAFB-speak means ‘instructed’.
The IAFB has also ‘noticed that [endangering] tackles from
behind have not been correctly punished’ in accordance with
their previous decision and goes on to say that referees who
fail to apply it will be sanctioned
So, whatever players think, referees are being told
they haven’t been strict enough and – this is new - they
will themselves be punished.
Not
surprisingly, more publicity has been given to the new
decision about players who try to deceive the referee by
‘simulating behaviour’ - the dives and feigning injury.
After the disgraceful antics in the World Cup of 1998,
it was inevitable. It is now spelt out that the guilty player
must be cautioned for unsporting behaviour and shown the
yellow card, but of course it will not end there. The referee will make an honest decision to penalise or not,
from his particular position and viewpoint.
Naturally, the players will not all agree. Now that really does sound familiar . . . ..