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“A massive
overhaul of the management, training and development for all
match officials operating in the professional game was
introduced for the 2001/02 season by The Football Association,
F.A.. Premier League and Football League”.
So says the
opening paragraph of the FA’s statement on the introduction of
professional referee’s last season. This was the FA’s big
answer, this is how they were finally going to stop their
officials being humiliated every week by Andy Gray and the like.
Their answer was to pay the people who were no good at the job
in the first place more money. Fantastic.
The whole
structure is flawed from the start. Standards of refereeing
should be equally consistent, fair and up to the same standards
throughout the leagues. However the FA set up a two tier system
of referee’s the “select group” to handle the Premier League and
what they consider other important games and the “national
group” for everything else.
By admitting
there is a gulf between their levels of referee’s competence
they are insulting the football league and all it’s great clubs.
“The Football Association plays a vital role in ensuring that
football gets the match officials it deserves” they trumpet
on their website. You really can read that statement two ways.
Now I can
live with people getting things wrong, what I can’t live with is
the level of totally incompetent officials we have to tolerate
in the lower leagues. Making mistakes is one thing, being bad at
your job is something else. And what happens when your club
feels it has been wronged? Last week I thought I’d try to see
exactly that myself.
Following Rob
Styles disgraceful performance I sent an email first to the
referee’s association, they informed me that I should contact
the Football League’s Jim Ashworth with my comments as he was in
charge of Nationwide League refereeing. This I did, to his
credit Mr. Ashworth replied however only to tell me that as the
referee in question was from the “select list” (you couldn’t
make it up could you) I should forward my concerns to the FA. I
did this, only to be told that the head of the “select list” was
former whistle blower Philip Don and I should forward my email
to him. This I did, to date I haven’t received a reply. Now I
didn’t expect an overnight revolution on account of my comments,
but a reply out of courtesy would have been nice.
This article
isn’t about Rob Styles, I wouldn't want to inflate his ego
anymore than it already is, he already has he's own website. I
was going to write this before his inept display at Wycombe. Rob
Styles maybe the tip of the iceberg where incompetence is
concerned but there are plenty more just behind him and we see
them each an every week. The FA’s and Philips Don’s lack of
response to me and the many other fans I know have sent emails
demonstrates the complete contempt we are held in by these
people and the level of arrogance with which they go about their
jobs.
Unfortunately
we are in an age where the official is immune from criticism.
Managers are scared to speak out because they will be fined or
get touchline bans, fans are ignored and treated as an
inconvenience because they are seen as bitter. Players are
treated like children on the pitch by overbearing, arrogant
match officials who are totally oblivious to their lack of
ability in their chosen profession.
Somewhere,
somehow this bottled up aggression is going to come out. At some
point the wrong referee is going to make the wrong decision and
upset the wrong person. I honestly believe that in the not too
distant future we will see a professional footballer hit a
referee. Not the little push that Paula DiCanio gave Paul Alcock
but a proper smack in the face.
I’m not
condoning it, I’m not saying I’m looking forward to it, but
unless the FA does something and soon to address the problems we
see each and every week then where else is this frustration
going to come out? You could probably put up with poor
officiating if the relevant authorities admitted there was a
problem and did something about it. What annoys me more than
anything is the way the FA and Philip Don bury their heads in
the sand and wrap their precious officials in cotton wool away
from the nasty people wanting to shout out them.
There is no
recourse and no redress, the referee is right and that is the
end of the argument. But the referee isn’t always right, and
someone needs to recognise this, do something about it and fast,
otherwise the scenario I mentioned, though unfortunate will
happen and when it does who will really be to blame?
ron@qprnet.com |
