The Ref Stop

Euros 2024

The Ref Stop
A couple of small questions from observing the refs:

Why would you roll up your sleeves when you can just wear short sleeves? It looks so scruffy.

Why do some refs run around with the whistle in their mouth? That must be distracting, dangerous and difficult.

Which of the refs run around with the whistle in their mouth? I certainly haven’t noticed it at all.

As an aside, whistle in mouth (and on a lanyard around the neck) used to be fairly common until the mid 90s. If I recall there was a ref at France 98 who did, I haven’t seen it in a top level game since then.
 
Simply put, social media automatically assumes English referees are wrong.

Simply put, social media automatically assumes English referees are wrong.

There. I fixed it for you.


There is still a very prevalent mindset, especially among UK users that its English referees are wrong. Collina still held up as this sort of demigod (despite his shortcomings and other issues), European referees better by virtue of instructions on using VAR, and most of all the tournament where UEFA wanted Clattenburg, but the FA said no.


This last is cited as proof that English referees are rubbish, because there weren’t any at the tournament. Totally ignores the facts but quoted again and again regardless
 
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It would appear that the tournament is over for Michael Oliver and his team! Wonder if that’s due to the English involvement? (Don’t know if it is over for AT too?)
 
So we have Zwayer for NED V ENG and Vinčić for SPA V FRA.
Interesting appointment for Zwayer, as it is 3 in a row with the Netherlands for him. He was ref for their R16 fixture, then 4th official for their QF. Now ref for the SF.
 
Surely nailed on for marciniak then
I reckon so. Delivered WC Final and champion league final, he is the safe bet as far as it can be

Outside of Marciniak, dependent on England's progression I see Taylor as next in line. Highly rated in UEFA and as far as this tournament goes has been backed on all his "big" calls (Netherlands Offside and Germany non handball).
 
I reckon so. Delivered WC Final and champion league final, he is the safe bet as far as it can be

Outside of Marciniak, dependent on England's progression I see Taylor as next in line. Highly rated in UEFA and as far as this tournament goes has been backed on all his "big" calls (Netherlands Offside and Germany non handball).

My pick would ber Turpin or orsato...and I'd have Oliver before Taylor too!

Good problems to have for uefa top bods...
 
My pick would ber Turpin or orsato...and I'd have Oliver before Taylor too!

Good problems to have for uefa top bods...
If the policy is that any country involved from the semis onwards won't have a referee involved (which I don't know if it is, but it would make a little bit of sense) then Turpin, Oliver and Taylor are all out (I know that Oliver is definitely out). Orsato has probably ruled himself out of the running too from Saturday's sub-standard (by his own high standards) performance.
 
If the policy is that any country involved from the semis onwards won't have a referee involved (which I don't know if it is, but it would make a little bit of sense) then Turpin, Oliver and Taylor are all out (I know that Oliver is definitely out). Orsato has probably ruled himself out of the running too from Saturday's sub-standard (by his own high standards) performance.
Oh yes none of them have a shot
 
There is still a very prevalent mindset, especially among UK users that its English referees are wrong. Collina still held up as this sort of demigod (despite his shortcomings and other issues), European referees better by virtue of instructions on using VAR, and most of all the tournament where UEFA wanted Clattenburg, but the FA said no.


This last is cited as proof that English referees are rubbish, because there weren’t any at the tournament. Totally ignores the facts but quoted again and again regardless
It's just too hard for those looking for anything to fit their own narrative that (English) refs suck to realize that the issues at WC18 were all because of Mark Clattenburg's decision to leave PGMOL/English refereeing to take the Saudi Arabia job. As we know here, at that level it's not like FIFA's going to change an assignment like they would for a club game on a Saturday. The training and observations on potential World Cup referees pretty much take the full four-year cycle. When Clattenburg made his decision, it wasn't like FIFA could just get Anthony Taylor on the phone and say, "Hey, wanna work the World Cup?" like an assignor would call someone like me up on Saturday night and say, "We have an opening for a U16 club game tomorrow at 2 PM - you free?"

The person I really do feel for right now for the Euros is Clement Turpin. He was excellent in the 2022 World Cup, and had France not advanced he was likely nailed on for at least a semifinal. I know he had a not-so-great game by his standards in this year's opener, but I have to think he would have had a semifinal if France hadn't advanced given his overall body of work and France's success hindering his own chances for previous big assignments. Shows that there are often justifiable factors beyond on-field performance that sometimes impact assignments of this nature.
 
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