Members Blogs

Man United new look strike force Filed under: Howard Webb Tagged: Howard Webb, Premier League, rvp Continue reading...

This incident took place in the league cup this week. It’s an interesting one with the assistant signalling for offside the ball goes back to the goalkeeper who when challenged head buts his opponent. The referee sends him him off after consultation with his assistant. A few thoughts on the incident struck me straight away. If the player is offside has the referee blown straight away and the ball has gone back to the keeper to be setup for the offside, and if so technically the ball is out of ay and restart is the offside. Has he played advantage given the space the keeper has to keep the game moving, and but is there an advantage when the ball is back there? Note -Post edited as for some reason the video did not upload when I posted...

This incident took place in the league cup this week. It’s an interesting one with the assistant signalling for offside the ball goes back to the goalkeeper who when challenged head buts his opponent. The referee sends him him off after consultation with his assistant. > A few thoughts on the incident struck me straight away. If the player is offside has the referee blown straight away and the ball has gone back to the keeper to be setup for the offside, and if so technically the ball is out of ay and restart is the offside. Has he played advantage given the space the keeper has to keep the game moving, and but is there an advantage when the ball is back there? Filed under: Season 2012/13, Video, youtube Tagged: Football, league cup...

Football referees on national top level will all appear in their new outfit the next weeks. Brands made all some new referee kits for the 2012/2013 season. Earlier this week Expedia announced a new deal as sponsor for several UK soccer competitions. “We’re proud to be the new sponsors of match officials”, said Andrew Warner, senior marketing director of Expedia EMEA, to sportspromedia.com. “As the world’s largest online travel agent it seemed logical to associate with a sport that has a truly global audience.” Referees will use the Umbro Diamond kit. The British Premier League starts next weekend. Continue reading...

To celebrate International Paralympic Day and the launch of the London 2012 Paralympic Games ticketing process , a selection of Leicester City first team players took on a group of visually impaired local footballers, including 2 players in the England Development Squad, in a blind penalty shootout competition. Related Articles Disorder threat cancels friendly (bbc.co.uk) Sunderland News: Phil Bardsley set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines (journallive.co.uk) Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: FC Leicester City, Leicester City, London, Paralympic Games Continue reading...

‘Referees in the media’ will be published at the beginning of the week on the Dutch Referee Blog and provides remarkable or interesting quotes and links to articles worth reading. “I very seldom have trouble. I find it is all about being able to respect players but operate control, instead of diving into your pockets for yellow and red cards. It is quite simple, really.” John Leeman (79), honoured for 65 years of refereeing. And he’s still out on the pitch most weekends. With the increased tempo, heat and pressure in Serbia it was clear what toll that takes on your body and how important it is to put the training in.” Bobby Madden on the importance of a recovery training after a matchday, even if you have a busy schedule. “I’m talking...

The appointments for the opening weekends fixtures have been confiemd by the Premier League. Saturday 18th August Arsenal v Sunderland Referee: C Foy Assistants: S Beck, S Child Fourth Official: T Kettle Fulham v Norwich City Referee: M Oliver Assistants: C Breakspear, M Scholes Fourth Official: R East Queens Park Rangers v Swansea City Referee: L Probert Assistants: D Bryan, R Ganfield Fourth Official: G Scott Reading v Stoke City Referee: K Friend Assistants: J Flynn, D C Richards Fourth Official: R Lewis West Bromwich Albion v Liverpool Referee: P Dowd Assistants: S Ledger, H Lennard Fourth Official: N Swarbrick West Ham United v Aston Villa Referee: M Dean Assistants: J Collin, S Long Fourth Official: C Berry Newcastle...

Belgian referees drilled for the next football season. Wonderful promo at the start of the new football season: ‘No whistle, no game!’ See video below, with English subtitles. Continue reading...

Stumbled upon this video of a friendly match between Fortuna Düsseldorf and Benfica via some referees on Facebook. It’s crazy! So sad that Luisão from the Portuguese team knocks down referee Christian Fischer at the moment he tries to give a second yellow card for a Benfica player at last five mintues of the first half. Or was it a headbutt? In the beginning someone is moving in front of the camera, but if you take a look at the last thirty seconds of the video it really looks like it. I hope Uefa or Portuguese FA will give him a long ban, eventhough it was a friendly and not an official match. (Does someone know what rules are with those pre-season friendlies?) I’m very happy my friendlies were much more sportive. Even got a huge...

I have set up a fantasy league on the PremierLeague.com if you want to join and to be honest do better than me. Then please do and join using code 475533-128354 Filed under: Uncategorized Continue reading...

The traditional curtain raiser to the new season will be this year refereed by Kevin Freind. The match between Chelsea and Man City will take place on the 12th August. Kevin will be assisted by Assistant Referees Michael McDonough and Richard West. Fourth Official will be Anthony Taylor (Cheshire CFA) with Reserve Assistant Referee Charles Breakspear (Surrey CFA) Filed under: Season 2012/13 Tagged: Anthony Taylor, Assistant Referee, England, FIFA, referee Continue reading...

In the dressing room: now in the referees changing room in the Ricoh Arena of Coventry City Football Club. But today I should say the City of Coventry Stadium, because the building is hosting the women’s bronze medal match at the Olympics and International Olympic Committee does not allow sponsored stadiums. Thanks to ‘LeamDavid on Flickr’ I can show you where referee Jenny Palmqvist and her assistants will prepare for the match between Canada and France, today at 13pm (GMT). Referees dressing room at Ricoh Arena from Coventry City. Referees dressing room at Ricoh Arena from Coventry City. You can find the original photo’s by ‘LeamDavid’ here and here. If you have some photo’s of an interesting dressing room (could be your local one)...

Football referees on national top level will all appear in their new outfit the next weeks. Brands made all some new referee kits for the 2012/2013 season. 2012/2013 Nike referee kits Willy Loos, a sports shop in Groningen, has published some photo’s of the new Nike referee kit. Nike is supplier for the Dutch and French national referees. I’m not sure whether referees dare to wear one colour during the season. Björn Kuipers played it safe during last weekend’s Dutch Supercup with a grey shirt and black short and socks. I’m still a bit surprised by the vertical zipper. You can also follow The Dutch Referee Blog on Facebook by liking the page: The options below are just to share only this article. Continue reading...

What a timing from the referee team from Japan during the warm-up for (I think) the match between Great Britain and Uruguay. Center referee Yuichi Nishimura is taking the lead. Yeah, they’re sexy and they know it Continue reading...

‘Referees in the media’ will be published at the beginning of the week on the Dutch Referee Blog and provides remarkable or interesting quotes and links to articles worth reading. A Dutch interviewer in newspaper ‘de Volkskrant’ about big football tournaments: “That’s where the Ronaldo’s of this world are.” Cover photo of Volkrant’s summer appendix with Serdar Gözübüyük. “That means nothing to me. Come on, if they go to the bathroom, they stink too.” The reply of Serdar Gözübüyük, a very talented Dutch referee, who stresses that a certain status doesn’t change the person. He emphasises that even if you become more popular, also as a referee, you need to be yourself. You can the the full interview (in Dutch) in last weekend’s...

The second referee in ‘Life after refereeing’ is Carlos Eugenio Simon from Brazil. Use of Simon’s Twitter with his permission. Name: Carlos Eugenio Simon Born: 1965 Country: Brazil Career: Fifa badge in 1997; World Cups in 2002, 2006 and 2010; Copa America in 2001 and 2007; Copa Sudamericana finals in 2003, 2004. What do you do now for a living? “I am commentateur of soccer matches at Fox Sports Brazil. I analyze the match and the referee.” How do you look back on your career and what is your best experience? “I worked in 1.198 soccer matches, lots of decisions, one olympiad and 3 world cup’s which are my best experience. It’s hard keep a career in high level in Brazil because we don’t have much incentive. The fact that I worked in 3...

This summer has been a strange one for me, it’s the first time since 1994 that I have not started a season as an active referee. I am still registered and hope to do a few games, but I have not actually registered with a league. After last season taking the decision to step down to level 5 due to family and work commitments, I have changed jobs but further extended my family so time has not increased. That is not to say that I wont be involved at all. This season for me it will be assessing on the supply league and for the county, while also developing as a Tutor for the FA. Unfortunately I have not been able to be involved in the summer courses the county have been running as I don’t have the holiday to take the time of from...

When I get this fixture I think oh it's only down the road as Homesdale school is close by. As always I ask for directions - the match is in bromley. After a very stressful and tiring 10 days at work and some very sad family news on my girlfriend side I leave home at 12.30. Mr TOM TOM says it will take 45 minutes to get there. PERFECT for a 3pm KO. I get to the ground at about 1315. The ground was slightly off the main road but the big road sign helped. There a few people already there so I put my bag in the changing room and take a look at the pitch, nice pitch and clearly just cut, lets hope my hayfever is not affected. I notice a bonfire in the corner of the pitch, lets hope the smoke does not affect the game - I doubt it with...

Football referees on national top level will all appear in their new outfit the next weeks. Brands made all some new referee kits for the 2012/2013 season. First on this blog: the German top referees will all be dressed in the Euro 2012 Adidas outfits, sponsored by DEKRA, a comany ‘providing safety, quality and environmental protection across many sectors’, as their website says. If you know the new referee kit in your country, please let me know. Referees are Peter Gagelmann (Bundesliga) and Benjamin Cortus (2nd Liga). Continue reading...

Ex Premier League Referee Peter Walton is now head of the North America’s Professional Referee Organization. He recently was on the Pitch Invasion Podcast talking about his role. I havent had chance to listen yet, but its an excellent podast and I am sure it will be a great interview. Link to Pitchinvasion Filed under: Uncategorized Continue reading...