Which current Premier League referees are ex-professional players? Or former ones for that matter? Jon Moss played non-league, I'm struggling to think of any others.We have ex players at the top already and it doesn't help
Which current Premier League referees are ex-professional players? Or former ones for that matter? Jon Moss played non-league, I'm struggling to think of any others.We have ex players at the top already and it doesn't help
Closest I can think is Sam Allison who I believe played for Chippenham Town at what is step 3 and 4.Which current Premier League referees are ex-professional players? Or former ones for that matter? Jon Moss played non-league, I'm struggling to think of any others.
Perceived bias is certainly a significant hurdle to this. There was furore and outage last season when Bobby Madley was appointed to a Barnsley game as he used to play for them. In reality he had been in their youth academy as a kid, never turned professional and certainly never played for them, but PGMOL were forced to replace him on the game because of the backlash. Ex-players could have played for so many clubs they could find themselves precluded from their games but also those of their close rivals. Can you imagine the reaction if an ex Portsmouth player was appointed to a Southampton game? There would be conspiracy theories like we've never seen before.Look at the Atwell shenanigans and that was all a very weak association
I can't possibly see how this scheme could be of interest to ex-EPL players. Not a cat in hells chance of that working out
There's an argument to say that an ex-pro who never played a game as a pro isn't really an ex-pro. Certainly not in the argument that you need to have played the game to understand it. If the argument is that ex-professional will understand the game better because they have played professionally, it falls flat on its derriere when said player never actually kicked a ball in a professional game.Closest I can think is Sam Allison who I believe played for Chippenham Town at what is step 3 and 4.
But he appears to have been a professional, certainly a senior at Bristol and Exeter City albeit never making an appearance.
Where is the line then for “playing the game to understand it”? League 2? How many appearances are needed? A salary level? It’s a ridiculous assertion anyway when a former banker became a football manager and managed several top clubs.There's an argument to say that an ex-pro who never played a game as a pro isn't really an ex-pro. Certainly not in the argument that you need to have played the game to understand it. If the argument is that ex-professional will understand the game better because they have played professionally, it falls flat on its derriere when said player never actually kicked a ball in a professional game.
I know it is a ridiculous assertion, but it is one that gets trotted out multiple times every single week. Even if not on TV, I used to get it regularly, especially at L3, and I won't have been the only one. Got to the point that I used to challenge them and when they said something like I'd have got it right if I'd played the game I had a pre-planned response and I told them I used to play for Worksop when they were in the Conference North. Shut them up, and the speed of my response and a vague Northern accent seemingly led to them believing itWhere is the line then for “playing the game to understand it”? League 2? How many appearances are needed? A salary level? It’s a ridiculous assertion anyway when a former banker became a football manager and managed several top clubs.
Please tread very carefully on this topic. Don't want another thread derailed on the positive discrimination subject.I hope this statement from Howard Webb is not more very thinly veilled"positive recruitment". Have i misunderstood the meaning here?
We’ve made no secret that we are looking to broaden our pool of officials and entice people from other areas of the game and society into refereeing who may have historically not been well represented,” said PGMOL chief refereeing officer Howard Webb.
I thought anybody 14+ can apply to do a referee course at their CFA. If people want to become a referee they can. Has that changed?Please tread very carefully on this topic. Don't want another thread derailed on the positive discrimination subject.
PGMOL are being very open that they want to progress those from under represented groups to entice others from within those communities into refereeing. This is about increasing the talent pool and supporting the whole refereeing eco system in the process.
That's hardly new news, for the last decade and longer CFAs have had targets set by the FA for the percentage of female and ethnic minority backgrounds, the latter varies depending on the region, for example the percentage is much higher in London that it is in Somerset. The same applies to their councils, they have targets for the same categories. And, as @JamesL has said, the FA and PGMOL have been very open that they want to encourage those from underrepresented groups into refereeing.I hope this statement from Howard Webb is not more very thinly veilled"positive recruitment". Have i misunderstood the meaning here?
We’ve made no secret that we are looking to broaden our pool of officials and entice people from other areas of the game and society into refereeing who may have historically not been well represented,” said PGMOL chief refereeing officer Howard Webb.
Yes they can. But that's not the barrier. No more, thank you.I thought anybody 14+ can apply to do a referee course at their CFA. If people want to become a referee they can. Has that changed?
What benefits?So many industries where similar skills to referees (problem solving, analysis, decision making) have embraced neurodiversity for example, to the benefit of the organisations involved, nothing from PGMOL.
What benefits?
Agree totally. If they are not good enough they will soon be found out!I have no issue with fast tracking, providing the ex players are at the required level needed.
The way I see it is if a player breaks through at 18 and is good enough they are good enough then they’ll play first team level, same for referees for me. If they’re good enough/have the LOTG knowledge then I have no issue with it.
Very few but I take your point.We have ex players at the top already and it doesn't help