Earlier in the season I asked Nicky Hammond, Reading Football Club’s Director of Football, what in his opinion made a good referee, what made one referee stand out against
another? His answer was not only interesting but also a little surprising.
The one thing he felt that marked a good referee was ‘presence’ and he quoted a few names including the guest speaker at the Reading Referees’ meeting this Thursday, Howard Webb. I say it was surprising because, usually, if you ask footballers, clubs or supporters, ‘when do you think a referee has had a good game?’ they will answer, ‘when you didn’t notice him.’
It was interesting because ‘presence’ is something that has been talked about in refereeing circles for some time. I recall Alan Wilkie, who refereed over a hundred Premiership games, some time ago listing the attributes he thought a referee should have. Presence, he said, was the most important of all.
Howard Webb, who we often see on our television screens, I think everyone will agree, is a big man. I remember meeting Jack Taylor, in some ways our most successful referee having refereed brilliantly the 1974 World Cup Final. Another big man. Graham Poll, until his retirement the senior English referee, was again a man of statute.
So should all short referees give up now and think they will never have that presence that can get them to the top? Not necessarily so. I doubt there is anyone locally who can remember Lionel Gibbs from Woodley refereeing. Many however may remember him in one of the many positions he held in local football afterwards, culminating in becoming President of Berks and Bucks FA. They will know that Lionel was well – short.
Lionel refereed the 1944 war time cup final and shortly after the war went to South America where he continued refereeing at the top level. I have an extract from the newspaper ‘La Prensa’ about his first game there. “The appearance of Mr Lionel Gibbs on the San Larenzo ground drew laughter and applause from the enormous crowd. The referee was appropriately attired, football boots, black and white stripes rugby stockings, shorts that reached to his knees. In addition he wore a long striped sports coat, which even further accentuated his lack of inches. When the game began, the laughter ceased. The crowd watched the referee set to work without ostentation or posing and with the perfect conception of the rules. He was serious and most efficient – like a good referee.”
I recently heard another view on referees’ presence. Steve Dunn, formerly a Premiership referee himself, and now coach to those referees aspiring to reach the elite group, said that the days of referees not being seen or heard are gone. Referees must make their presence felt. Players, particularly in the higher levels of the game, must know the referee is around.
Take for example the pulling and pushing that goes on when there is a corner or a free kick that is going to land in the penalty area. The referee needs to speak to players engaged in this sort of behaviour, even stopping the kick being taken if necessary and then get into a position where he can be seen by the players. We are not there to catch players out; we want if possible to prevent incidents happening.
Remember Howard Webb at the 2008 European Nations Cup when he refereed the Austria/Poland game. Showing his presence at a free kick to be played into the penalty area had nothing to do with size. He warned a Polish player who was continually holding on to an opponent. He then positioned himself so that the players could see him and he could see them. The Polish player still pulled down his opponent and Howard awarded a penalty. Sometimes even the referee’s presence can’t do anything about stupidity.
Dick Sawdon Smith
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© R Sawdon Smith 2009