Members Blogs

‘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. “What are you doing, ref?” Tony Soprano in the HBO series The Soprano’s (season one, episode 1) I’ve been watching. “We’ve got some reports that people are buying referee outfits in districts too … so I wouldn’t be surprised to see some penalty flags get thrown at some members of Congress’ offices.” Jamie Henn, communications director for 350.org, during a protest against the Canada-to-Texas Keystone XL oil pipeline where activists where dressed as referees to ‘blow a whistle’. “Their preparation for officiating at UEFA matches will start here.” Pierluigi...

Mexican referee Marco Antonio "Chiquidracula" Rodriguez's decided to be a bit different when showing the yellow card to two players in the Tigres-Santos match. Rather than show each player the card, he pulled out two yellow cards and showed them at the same time, earning himself a 5 game ban! Mexican Soccer Federation secretary general Decio de Maria said in a statement: "The situation of having drawn two yellow cards at the same time is outside the role, not something that is considered in the arbitration rules and is considered as if he had not responded to what happened and did not sanction it. Continue reading...

Following on from the photos in the earlier post. Ive managed to find a video. The players did well to play the game, but at times its a bit of a farce. Continue reading...

This is from the build up fro the Niger equaliser against Tunisia in Fridays Africa cup of nations game. If you touch it or not is it really sporting for an attacker to jump like this when competing for the ball? It's clearly a distraction technique. What do you thin Continue reading...

The problem/benefit with tournaments, is that with the right schedule Games need to be played. The photos are from Libya vs Zambia. Do you play? Oh they tried to make it better at half time Continue reading...

Due to lack of time and as a result enthusiasm the blog sort of of disappeared. It hadn't I just didn't update my card details for the hosting. In sure no one missed it. Continue reading...

A new section has started on the Dutch Referee Blog: Life after refereeing. This is how I got the idea: Two weeks ago I got an e-mail from a retired Romanian referee, named Daniel Munteanu. He was an international referee and had officiated with René Temmink, a Dutch referee. ‘Got his e-mail address?’, he asked. I know some refs but not all of them. Little research finally got me in touch with a car dealer with the same name. And yes, it was him. Doing this, I wondered why I shouldn’t let these former referees talk about their refereeing experiences. They both agreed to answer the four questions to give an impression of what they do now and what they did before. Today I’ll publish the first part with the Romanian referee. Munteanu at...

Almost, Sir Alex! “To play or not to play, that is the question”, words first uttered by William Shakespeare who played in goal for Brentford! Whenever you apply advantage in a game you have to consider the football skills needed to fashion a goal-scoring opportunity from your shout of “Advantage, Play on”, coupled with the double-arm signal which, when given on the run, makes you sound like a neutered tomcat. You also have to consider in which part of the field play is operating, and for an advantage to have any chance it needs to be the attacking third of the field. Consider also whether it would affect your control for the rest of the game. So there is plenty to think about. Let us consider this scenario. Play is in the final third...

‘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. “Ofcourse I talked with my assistant about this. He says he did not spit. But that will be investigated.” Says referee Dennis Higler about his assistant Richard Slop, who is accused of spitting Dennis Hollart from Almere City. “Based on our insight into his economic conditions, we have written off damages in the millions of crowns and are glad thereby to contribute to ending this unfortunate case which without a doubt has had large, personal consequences for Ronni Norvig.” Says DBU spokesman Lars Berendt to Reuters about the settlement the Danish FA has made...

From time to time, life provides you with a reminder of things you know or knew but had allowed to slip from the forefront of your mind. Sometimes the realisation that you had forgotten them comes as an pleasant surprise, other times the memory stings a little as you realise you had been in denial about those forgotten facts. Here are some things that I "re-learned" this morning as I made my return to active refereeing in the local Sunday League ... - Credibility sometimes matters more than the correct decision - The ability to sell a decision is inexorably linked to your proximity to play - My eyes are faster than my brain which is in turn faster than my legs - Sunday League players are fantastic people as are the people who run...

No, not wrong law. We’re talking about your movement around the field! The top referees always seem to get into the best viewing positions on the field, but this does not occur by accident. It comes through years of good practice at one of the game’s basic skills. You can know the laws inside out, but if you are badly positioned at the vital moment you can easily attract the wrong kind of attention from players, team coaches and assessors. Your many games as a referee will confirm much of what you have been told about where you need to be to obtain the best views of all that is happening. You will learn when you need to be a little closer to the main action and also when to hang back a little in order to have a wider view. Yes, you can...

Is there any aspect of refereeing that makes the official look unsure of himself more than lazy signalling? We are speaking here not only of referees but of assistant referees also. Too often do we see a referee offer a directional signal with his arm held slackly out almost as if it contained no muscles to give it strength, and it is also probably a forearm signal rather than a full arm one. Upon seeing a few such arm-signals, a spectator was heard to say, “If I were playing in this game I’d start to give this ref a bit of aggro. He looks as if he’s frightened of upsetting everybody.” Lazily given signals — for that is exactly what they are — give confidence to nobody. Avoid them like the plague! When the ball goes out of play for a...

First of all, apologies for the lack of updates… I have been a busy bunny. Tomorrow I travel a short distance to a game of which I have been appointed as Referee in the Windsor Foods County Senior League Cup. As I have mentioned previously, this is my first season as a Level 5 referee whereby I do not usually get Assistant Referee’s appointed to the game. Level 7 and 6 assistants are usually assigned to the Premier League games that the Level 4 referee’s officiate in and the Level 5 referee’s are left to their own devices in the Division One and Two games. As tomorrow is a Cup Game, I have been treated to 2 “Official, Officials”, or Assistant Referee’s hence the title of the blog post. I have also had notification that I am being...

Wednesday brought about my 2nd game as a level 5 referee in the Windsor Foods County Senior League, and my first mid-week match along with a 6pm kick off. Lesson one: It gets dark quick this time of the year! If no flood lighting is available, consider reducing both halves by 5 minutes! Needless to say, we played the full 45 and finished in very dim light! I went in to the game far less nervous than my first match last Saturday, although there were some nerves on board as this was to be my first assessment of the Season! The boots were polished, the kit bag was meticulously checked and I started to think what I needed to try to get right to score well with the assessor: Jewellery checks. Body armour matching the kit colour. Caution to...

Today brings the first game of the new football season for me, and my first as a Level 5 referee. My first appointment is in the Windsor Foods County Senior Football League Division One. For some reason, I am feeling really nervous… how can this be so when I am simply doing something that I have done a thousand times before? I can only put it down to fear of the unknown. This is my first ‘middle’ in the County Senior League, but why should I treat this game any different from any other? All of the checks have been made meticulously. It is a good job really as I almost forgot my socks! Anyway, it is almost time to set off to the ground so I will update this post with some post match feedback later! Ciao for now! UPDATE: So the game...

It’s not every day that a member of the Media talk sense about Referee’s or refereeing in general, but that is exactly what Steve Wilson of the BBC has done. Thanks to ‘The Renegade Ref’ for pointing this out in your latest newsletter: Cut the men in black some slack BBC Sport blog editor | 14:27 UK time, Monday, 16 January 2012 I’m not sure that there is a European president, a cabinet minister or a city banker anywhere who is doing a tougher job under more critical scrutiny just now than Premier League referees. Every weekend there is a catalogue of evidence made up of slow-motion, frame-by-frame replays to prove that the men in black are becoming less adept at applying the laws of the game appropriately. Managers criticise them...

I haven’t blogged for quite a while so I thought that I would provide a mid-season update. Christmas has now been and gone and the goose is on a diet! Just before the Christmas holidays I was summoned to a meeting with the County FA in order to receive my mid-season bandings – both club and assessors. To put it shortly, I am right where I need to be therefore, without wanting to tempt fate, should the second half of the season go as well as the first, I will be in with a shout for promotion to Level 4. Having said that, the marking is that tight that one really bad mark could send me plummeting down the banding grade scale, and one very good mark could see me sky-rocket to the top of the banding scale, so it really is in my hands. I...

PROACTIVE Taking the initiative by actions, tending to make things happen. REACTIVE Reacting to events, situations and stimuli spontaneously. When the ball goes dead good referees come alive. All referees are reactive. The best are also proactive. The ball is dead for around 20 of the 90 minutes of a match. INITIAL GENERAL QUESTIONS FOR DEADBALL SITUATIONS Did my position make the decision credible? Am I in the best position for the restart? Do I need to check my watch? Do I need to keep an eye on a particular player? Do I need to watch a pair of players? Do I need to move closer to them? Do I need to check that assistants are OK? Do I need to keep an eye on those on the touchline? Do I need to speak to a manager/ coach/ club rep? Do...

Before considering a few useful comments that you might make to players on the field of play, you might think about a few general hints. Some of them you may already know about, but it will do no harm if you think about all of them. First of all, remember that your bearing will reflect your confidence. Do not slouch your way onto the field before the tossing of the coin, because if you do the players will notice it and your game will not proceed in the best possible way. Are you aware of the difference between confidence and arrogance? The first is your friend; the second is definitely your enemy. Nobody likes an arrogant referee, except those players who enjoying causing you some grief. Never watch the ball that is kicked high...

Frickley Athletic FC v Dinnington Town FC in the Sheffield & Hallamshire Senior Cup – 7:45pm ko. Frickley have announced that they have reduced admission prices: Frickley Athletic have reduced the normal admission prices for tomorrow’s Sheffield & Hallamshire Senior Cup tie against Dinnington Town, k.o. 7.45pm. Adult admission will be £5 with Concessions £3 and Under 16s £2. The Blues will be without recent signings Steve Dickinson and Ben Turner as neither were signed in time to play in the tie whilst Leon Henry is suspended. Continue reading...