European Referees

Finally back from a great week refereeing at the Paris World Games, but something that myself and the other guys from England noticed was that the English teams struggled in the tournament for one reason or another. Speaking to them though and they would tell you it's the different style of refereeing that they aren't used to.

Obviously we know better than to just believe that is the reason but I did notice that some of the other guys allowed a far less physical game and was just wondering if this is something that is encouraged across the channel?

Samuel said:

Finally back from a great week refereeing at the Paris World Games, but something that myself and the other guys from England noticed was that the English teams struggled in the tournament for one reason or another. Speaking to them though and they would tell you it's the different style of refereeing that they aren't used to.

Obviously we know better than to just believe that is the reason but I did notice that some of the other guys allowed a far less physical game and was just wondering if this is something that is encouraged across the channel?

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I listened to a referee podcast about refereeing in the german lower leagues by an ex english lower league ref. He was saying after most physical challenges players of both sides would immediately stop playing and start setting up a freekick, so the ref found himself having to blow the whistle to make it seem like it was his decision.

We see it in the champions league also. A much more strict style being applied. Red cards come out quite quick also.

I think a lot of it was driven forward by La Liga in the Messi/Ronaldo era (Billion dollar assets). Basically to stop Atletico Madrid breaking their legs.

I wouldn't say it is an English versus European thing, rather varies on the European country the referee is from. In the Northern European countries football tends to be quite physical so the referees generally let more go. Whereas in Southern Europe it is much more technical and the referees are used to penalising any kind of physicality.

I observed a Southern (ish) European referee in a game with two Norwegian sides and he drove them mad, he was blowing up for the slightest of physical contact, from memory he gave 20+ fouls in the first half and I thought that at most 2 or 3 were fouls. I spoke to him about it and, in fairness to him, he said they would be given as fouls back home. It is different at senior levels as the referees are educated by FIFA and UEFA as to what they expect, that's why we see Michael Oliver and Anthony Taylor refereeing very differently in European games than in the EPL, likewise the Spanish referees let more go than they would at home. But in something like the Paris World games the referees are generally lower levels, and as much as Refereeing Abroad have their referee academy they don't spend enough time with them to standardise the approach.

RustyRef said:

In the Northern European countries football tends to be quite physical so the referees generally let more go.

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So this is really interesting with how the approach is. I was mainly exposed to Italians and other south Eastern European referees so this might have influenced the way I saw it.

Biggest difference for me was applauding the crowd before the game when lining up that would never go down well where I’m from

Samuel said:

So this is really interesting with how the approach is. I was mainly exposed to Italians and other south Eastern European referees so this might have influenced the way I saw it.

Biggest difference for me was applauding the crowd before the game when lining up that would never go down well where I’m from

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I've never seen that no matter what country they are from, my pen arm would be twitching before a ball had even been kicked

I have heard it explained before that there is a weather link, which probably doesn’t explain everything but may have some relevance. When games are played on dry, hard surfaces, collisions with the ground hurt more. Where games are played on wet softer surfaces, landing on the ground is less painful, and players are more tolerant of hitting the ground, leading to a more relaxed view of fouls from refs. (The most common field conditions also make different styles of play more effective, which can also have an influence.)

Samuel said:

Finally back from a great week refereeing at the Paris World Games, but something that myself and the other guys from England noticed was that the English teams struggled in the tournament for one reason or another. Speaking to them though and they would tell you it's the different style of refereeing that they aren't used to.

Obviously we know better than to just believe that is the reason but I did notice that some of the other guys allowed a far less physical game and was just wondering if this is something that is encouraged across the channel?

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I’ve done referee abroad a few times and I agree. We referee differently to other European referees. A lot of them flash cards about, run into situations too quickly, etc. Too eccentric.

socal lurker said:

I have heard it explained before that there is a weather link, which probably doesn’t explain everything but may have some relevance. When games are played on dry, hard surfaces, collisions with the ground hurt more. Where games are played on wet softer surfaces, landing on the ground is less painful, and players are more tolerant of hitting the ground, leading to a more relaxed view of fouls from refs. (The most common field conditions also make different styles of play more effective, which can also have an influence.)

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There's also the heat, that why's the possession game was more prevalent in warm countries, you can't afford to give the ball away as you have to work too hard to win it back. Obviously the movement of coaches from these countries to colder places has changed things, but at grass roots levels the English game still isn't anywhere near as technical as the Spanish game.

socal lurker said:

I have heard it explained before that there is a weather link, which probably doesn’t explain everything but may have some relevance. When games are played on dry, hard surfaces, collisions with the ground hurt more. Where games are played on wet softer surfaces, landing on the ground is less painful, and players are more tolerant of hitting the ground, leading to a more relaxed view of fouls from refs. (The most common field conditions also make different styles of play more effective, which can also have an influence.)

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If the ground is that hard then why do they dive so much?

I think because everyone expects the dives to just be given as a freekick due to the less heavy challenges going in. a bit like what oldnavy said.

OldNavyRef said:

both sides would immediately stop playing and start setting up a freekick,

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Probably why it has also started to creak into the english game as our Academy system doesn't produce half the talent other nations do at the top level causing the prem having to bring in european talent.

Samuel said:

Probably why it has also started to creak into the english game as our Academy system doesn't produce half the talent other nations do at the top level causing the prem having to bring in european talent.

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That certainly used to be the case, very difficult to argue that now though given England have won two consecutive U21 tournaments.

I'd say it stems more back to the late 90s when the number of overseas players came into the Premier League. If you were an English player watching your team mates and opponents buying free kicks it is only natural you would do the same, survival of the fittest after all.

And overseas coaches coming in probably added to it. I used to referee a pro club womens team a lot, they brought in a Spanish assistant manager and not long after I cautioned their striker for simulation, something that hadn't happen before. He had a moan to me about it after saying there was contact so she had a right to go to ground, and there-in lies the problem. He'd clearly been coaching them to dive, but they weren't very good at it.