Members Blogs

In the recent Europa League round there was a situation which every referee could learn from. How do you deal with assistant referee decisions in the penalty area? Check the following situation in the match between Borussia Mönchengladbach (Germany) and … Continue reading → Continue reading...

This made me smile: an assistant referee in match between Corinthians and Santos in action spraying paint on the pitch. Look at that ‘circle’. Continue reading...

The Dutch commentator was wondering why play was still going on, but here’s a perfect example of an assistant referee who touches the ball when it’s in play. He’s no so-called outside agent, so the game should go on. See video of situation in EC qualifier between Finland and The Netherlands below. Such thing happened a few weeks ago in a match in one of the British lower leagues, but I can’t find it back. The referee was on the sideline and ball bounced via him to the defending team. They started a couter-attack and scored. Ever experienced that?

What if you’re not focused as assistant referee? You’ll give multiple different signals to a referee. A video of that plus more in this week’s referee news. But first the biggest referee news: UEFA approves goalline technology for use at Euro 2016. There will still be extra officials behind the goal line. Good idea? Read […] Continue reading...

Some great assistant referee offside exercises by PRO. Because the Professional Referee Organisation in the US and Canada wants to help referees from a distance, they published this video on their YouTube channel. 25 clips in quick succession and it’s up to you to make the right call. How the offside test works The assistant […] Continue reading...

What do players think when they approach the referee while shouting, protesting and making crazy gestures? That question crossed my mind a couple of times the last few days. This awful behaviour of players against referees has to stop. These actions set the wrong example for the adults and kids you and I have to […] Continue reading...

Bacca touching the ball twice at penalty kick this weekend. It’s an interesting situation in the game between Sassuolo and AC Milan, but I needed a few replays. At first glance it’s difficult to see what exactly happens. But for the players on the pitch it was very clear. They immediately asked the referee if […] Continue reading...

The referee is having a bad day. What’s the first thing you think of when you read that? A bad performance of a referee? Or did you think about a referee being beaten up? Just watched a video on YouTube … Continue reading → The post Bad day for a referee appeared first on Football: Dutch Referee Blog for match officials. Continue reading...

Baird gets two unusual yellow cards in the game of Northern Ireland against Hungary. He makes an offence, referee Cakir gives advantage. In the attack Baird makes another offence. Referee Cakir gives him a yellow card for both of the offences. Is that technically correct? What are your thoughts on it? Check the situation here: […] Continue reading...

It’s in the rules how to restart play when a ball bursts. But it’s more theory than practice. Tonight, I saw for the first time that a ball actually bursts during play. It happened in the match between Bayern Munich and Cologne in German Bundesliga this Friday evening. Laws of the Game about bursting balls: “If the ball bursts or becomes defective during the course of a match: • the match is stopped • the match is restarted by dropping the replacement ball at the place where the original ball became defective, unless play was stopped inside the goal area, in which case the referee drops the replacement ball on the goal area line parallel to the goal line at the point nearest to where the original ball was located when play was stopped.”...

Was the ball over the goal line or not? That’s always the most important question during a football game. Especially when it has a huge impact on the result of the game or when a lot is at stake for both teams. That’s what I experienced myself during a recent match. Firstly, decide for yourself: […] Continue reading...

Ball smashes in face of assistant referee. Luckily it has never happend to me. Hibernian captain Liam Craig wants to clear the ball away from his defence and tries to shoot the ball over the line. It did, and the … Continue reading → The post Ball smashes in face of assistant referee appeared first on Football: Dutch Referee Blog for match officials. Continue reading...

A ball touches match official and goes out of play. A referee in Mexican football accidentally blocks a goal-bound shot and then it crosses the goal line, but not between the goalposts. In this case study you’ll get the solution according to the Laws of the Game. Video of the incident But firstly, I’d love […] Continue reading...

When the ball touches match official and the referee scores a goal. This is added to the 2019-2020 Laws of the Game, but why? Because it really happens sometimes, as you can see in Dutch amateur football. The referee has to allow the goal in this case, but what is the decision in 2019-2020? Read […] Continue reading...

Barry Holderness retired as a Football League assistant referee last season. He talks about his career in the interview with Dutch Referee Blog. To reach the top level there is one important factor. “First and foremost you need the support and understanding of your family”, he says. “Sunday has always been used as family time […] Continue reading...

Barry Kelly is a top class hurling referee. I have to admit I didn’t know what kind of sport it was when I went to Dublin. But eventhough I am not familiair with it, Kelly gave me some wonderful tips and lessons I can use as football referee. If you don’t know hurling either, check […] Continue reading...

Watching back the final of the Copa America, I found Alvaro Pereira from Uruguay tackle referee Salvio Fagundes from Brazil. It looks like it’s not on purpose, but always be aware of the players behind you. Take a look:

A 29-year-old referee was kicked by a player after giving him a red card. He tells his story of the incident to football website Het Amsterdamsche Voetbal. Another sad chapter of violence against referees. Just one week after the Dutch … Continue reading → The post Beaten up referee tells his story of violence against him appeared first on Football: Dutch Referee Blog for match officials. Continue reading...

Two wonderful pictures in the latest Fifa Weekly. On the right: Marcelo begging for referee clemency with Dutch match official Björn Kuipers. The photo on the left shows a fan of the goalie Sepp Maier. The photo of Bjorn Kuipers is taken during the Champions League final of 2014. you Can read the Fifa Weekly… Continue reading...

“The assistant referees discussed some very difficult clips on offside and I came away thinking I’m glad I’m not an assistant referee!!” Says Don Robertson, center referee at the Uefa u19 championship qualifiers. I in action as assistant referee during last season’s cup final between BVCB and Nieuwenhoorn u23. Photo by Willem Fakkel / EVSportfoto.nl Personally, I’m not often an assistant referee. In The Netherlands only professial matches and games in highest amateur leagues are with neutral assistants. All other refs have to do it with club assistants, provided by the home and away team. The Dutch FA only appoints trio’s at promotion/relegation matches or cup finals. And that’s how I became an assistant referee for two matches. Before...