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How your fitness has changed as a result of Covid-19

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You actually have to be faster on the line than in the middle. As the referee it doesn't really matter if you lose a bit of ground on the nippy forward as he runs away from you, whereas on the line you've got to try and keep up with him in case there is an offside or a ball in and out of play decision.

In ran the line in a Tottenham U19 this season that was totally end to end and I was absolutely blowing by half time let alone full time, probably as hard as I've ever had to work on a football pitch.

I’m pretty sure the MLS tests used to require a better sprinting performance from ARs than Rs and a better endurance performance from Rs.
 
The Referee Store
Oh it appears you have misread my post in regards to what I value most Ina good referee. I can relate it to your. "The same referee" means keep all other sections, with their high conributing factors, and apply them as you would otherwise. Fit vs unfit mean keep or leave it out the fitness section. Surely you are not saying the fitness section is worth nothing.
Depends on who is writing the report and what other, higher priority events occurred in the game ;)
 
In the real world how many football fans actually care if a referee is fitter than last weeks referee? He cares that whoever takes the whistle gets the vast amount of his decisions right, first time, most times..... I get the 20 stoner argument and to some degree agree with it but I'd like to see a bit of empathy for the game, some understanding of what actually is meant and what is mis-timed. Not going to include VAR mess ups this season but some are truly embarrassing at that level....
I see certain refs at BDTBL and my head sinks into my hands. I don't want favouritism, but there is a huge spread of quality in the SG group and fitness or beep tests has bugger all to do with why!!
 
2400to referee Division 1 (Step6) middles and senior line. Level 4s do the Premier middles.
Interesting. Here it’s a flat 2000 for anyone below L4 for the step 5 and 6 leagues, then straight to the 2600 for L4.

In general the coverage for L4’s at our Step 6 is decent, though the 5-4 candidates tend to get the Step 6 middles when they are short.
 
In the real world how many football fans actually care if a referee is fitter than last weeks referee? He cares that whoever takes the whistle gets the vast amount of his decisions right, first time, most times..... I get the 20 stoner argument and to some degree agree with it but I'd like to see a bit of empathy for the game, some understanding of what actually is meant and what is mis-timed. Not going to include VAR mess ups this season but some are truly embarrassing at that level....
I see certain refs at BDTBL and my head sinks into my hands. I don't want favouritism, but there is a huge spread of quality in the SG group and fitness or beep tests has bugger all to do with why!!
Credibility
 
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Rous Cup 1985, you lot could pick spots off the referees boots not looking too clean, the badges and socks not matching, probably other stuff but...... nobody cared till it became a thing, a very minor thing!!!
 
You earn credibility by giving good decisions, its ok looking credible, being in the 'best' place and then getting decisions wrong?

its not one or the other, it’s both (and I’m talking about refereeing at levels where you don’t have a dozen tv replays analysing every decision).

If you are in the right position but you give the wrong decision you lose credibility.

If you are well behind play, even if you get theright decision, you lose credibility because of your positioning.

When you get up to supply league level, the players become assets for the clubs and the spectators pay to watch, so whether you agree or not, how you look, act and operate from the time you get to the ground to the time you leave can have a major impact on your credibility.
 
Well, I’d rather have a ref that generally got things right, the rest is only window dressing...
Who wants a credibly dressed halfwit spoiling a game....we’ve had a few of those this season
 
Well, I’d rather have a ref that generally got things right, the rest is only window dressing...
Who wants a credibly dressed halfwit spoiling a game....we’ve had a few of those this season
I’m really not sure if you’re being obtuse or deliberately trolling here.
How clean or well ironed your kit is only a part of appearance. If you are turning up with a beer belly and are obviously blowing out of your backside 5 minutes into the game, that WILL have an impact on your credibility to players, coaches and spectators, more so than whether your shirt is tucked in or your collar is turned up.
Being able to “sell” your decisions is a big part of the game, certainly at higher levels and it’s a much harder job if you’re not in an optimal position because you are not fit enough.
 
You make more correct decisions because you see what actually happened.
You see what actually happened because you're in the best position.
You're in the best position because you move to it quickly enough.
You move quickly enough because you're physically fit.

Being physical fit is not a necessary and sufficient condition for being a good referee. Nothing is. But without fitness, referees do a worse job.
Some are lucky enough that they only do games where "fit" is a bit more than being able to walk for an hour. Going beyond that level means needing more.
 
I've observed referees in their first season going 7-6 who think they are very good referees and it generally hasn't gone well. They confuse the fact that the players accept them with the requirement that they meet the refereeing competencies.

One referee sauntered around the pitch, barely broke into a run let alone a sprint, and gave a penalty from around 40 yards away. I was actually closer than him and it was just plain wrong, there wasn't any debate to be had. In the debrief after he wasn't having it, saying that it was me that was wrong not him. I even threw an olive branch saying that had he made an effort to get closer I might have been more likely to give him the benefit of the doubt, and his response was that he was the best referee in the league so why should he run any more than he normally does. Think you can imagine the range that his mark was in ...!
 
Oh it's a lot more than just getting the decision right. I give you one example but there are a lot more.

One of those tackles that is intended to hurt opponent. Just taking the the red card out early is not going to cut it to stop a mass con.

1. You are 40 yards away. By the time you get to the hotspot with the red card in hand, a few punches have already been thrown
2. You are 10-15 yards away, sprint to the spot and take the offender away with red card in hand before anyone else gets there and mass con avoided.

There only difference there is fitness (or laziness). Correct decision is made in both cases. Its not the AOL, not not knowing how to manage a situation, but giving yourself the opportunity to do it by being close.
 
I’m not justifying fat referees at all. I’m just saying that a ref getting decisions right doesn’t have to be top of sprint class or fashion class.
To the paying public it’s about decisions nothing else, they couldn’t give too hoots about sprint badges, beep tests and your latest kit trends. That’s just like an ugly bird trying to hide behind make up. Pretty on the outside but wait till you see her when it really matters!
Now, back to sorting that lippy out, season starts soon 🖍
 
Picking up a Turbo Trainer for my bike today so a pathway to maintaining some semblance of fitness..
Did one of them work out thingymabobs yesterday and boy am I sore this morning.
 
I've observed referees in their first season going 7-6 who think they are very good referees and it generally hasn't gone well. They confuse the fact that the players accept them with the requirement that they meet the refereeing competencies.

One referee sauntered around the pitch, barely broke into a run let alone a sprint, and gave a penalty from around 40 yards away. I was actually closer than him and it was just plain wrong, there wasn't any debate to be had. In the debrief after he wasn't having it, saying that it was me that was wrong not him. I even threw an olive branch saying that had he made an effort to get closer I might have been more likely to give him the benefit of the doubt, and his response was that he was the best referee in the league so why should he run any more than he normally does. Think you can imagine the range that his mark was in ...!
Sounds like one of my debriefs :mad:
 
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Why do liners need to run to any level, it’s normally a sedate sideways crabbing style! How do you measure that action as jogging isn’t the same surely?

I guess you don't run the line very often, and note that you seem to have a pretty sizable chip on your shoulder about referee fitness.

Regardless, Assistant Referees run a great deal. In a match where the referee runs, say, 12 KM, I will run about 10 as an Assistant. While there is a good amount of sidestepping, this is usually for a short time and intermittent. The vast majority of movement on the line, for me, is jogging and sprinting. Furthermore, ARs are more prone to constant movement as modern defenses tend to move much more to adjust to the high pressing style that is so en vogue.

To answer the question in the OP, my fitness level has remained approximately the same. Luckily, my association has developed a home workout routine and fitness plan for referees and I am happy to be able to follow that.
 
I guess you don't run the line very often, and note that you seem to have a pretty sizable chip on your shoulder about referee fitness.

Regardless, Assistant Referees run a great deal. In a match where the referee runs, say, 12 KM, I will run about 10 as an Assistant. While there is a good amount of sidestepping, this is usually for a short time and intermittent. The vast majority of movement on the line, for me, is jogging and sprinting. Furthermore, ARs are more prone to constant movement as modern defenses tend to move much more to adjust to the high pressing style that is so en vogue.

To answer the question in the OP, my fitness level has remained approximately the same. Luckily, my association has developed a home workout routine and fitness plan for referees and I am happy to be able to follow that.
I really struggle to run a lot when I'm on the line - I'd say the games where I do the most running (good standard of U18s football tends to be more competitive than the adults games I've been on the line for) are between4-5km. I never struggle in terms of fitness on the line and I'm never significantly behind play. Maybe one day I'll get a shock and be on the line and run 10km!
 
I guess you don't run the line very often, and note that you seem to have a pretty sizable chip on your shoulder about referee fitness.

Regardless, Assistant Referees run a great deal. In a match where the referee runs, say, 12 KM, I will run about 10 as an Assistant. While there is a good amount of sidestepping, this is usually for a short time and intermittent. The vast majority of movement on the line, for me, is jogging and sprinting. Furthermore, ARs are more prone to constant movement as modern defenses tend to move much more to adjust to the high pressing style that is so en vogue.

To answer the question in the OP, my fitness level has remained approximately the same. Luckily, my association has developed a home workout routine and fitness plan for referees and I am happy to be able to follow that.
Who’s credible now when your making stuff up, guessing! Linos need a cigar for half the game 😂
 
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