The future of refereeing

[RefereeX]

Use it when heated and itll backfire.

This was my point to be fair. The player likely already thinks you're a kn*b and saying that isn't going to improve his opinion of you!

 

[RefIADad]

I think the earlier new referees are taught that you referee a different game to what you see on the TV the better.

Scrutiny is part of refereeing at all levels and if you can't detach and dissociate from it, it'll eat you alive. That said, clickbait culture is rife and growing, this obviously doesn't help, but if you care enough about refereeing and have enough knowledge and/or the right network you can see through most of it.

I aim to make a point of speaking to players and coaches about topical incidents before a game to make sure we're all on the same page - lets not pretend they know the laws or what should/shouldn't be happening anyway.

Your first paragraph was exactly what those of us leading our officials training session Monday night said.

Do not try this at home. The World Cup is a totally different game. At our level, call fouls. Issue cards to modify behavior. Keep the game safe, fair, and fun. Do not try to use the World Cup standard unless you want to have a mass con or two on your games.

 

[RustyRef]

Your first paragraph was exactly what those of us leading our officials training session Monday night said.

Do not try this at home. The World Cup is a totally different game. At our level, call fouls. Issue cards to modify behavior. Keep the game safe, fair, and fun. Do not try to use the World Cup standard unless you want to have a mass con or two on your games.

100%, they are effectively different games, and that isn't a new thing, has been like that ever since I started refereeing nearly 30 years ago. When you first start refereeing you are officiating players who pay to play. Get to L4 (in England) and they won't pay but are possibly just getting expenses paid, get to L3 and they are being paid, and so on until you get to multi-millionaires. If you tried refereeing a Premier League game the same way you did a local league Division 6 game it wouldn't end well, and vice versa.

Add to that you are refereeing in front of 1 man and his dog (if lucky), through perhaps 50, then perhaps 500, and if you get to the top 60,000+ as well as millions watching live across the World. It is just naive to think they are the same games that can be refereed the same way.