My point is that we have to look at ‘why’ refs make mistakes and then see if there is anything the FA can do to help them make better decisions.

I think they can, and I also think that criticising someone for doing a bad job because he’s already in a difficult position is unfair.

That, and the fact that we judge referees by their mistakes, not by their good decisions. If we started judging players like that as well, imagine how that would be like.

Referees need fair treatment as well as help from the FA. That’s all I’m saying.

And no Richard, I don’t accept your argument that calling the ref a wanker is something positive and I wouldn’t be proud to call it part of my footballing culture.

As for the 4th official, that would make great viewing – Wenger and Fergie coming to blows on the touchline, where’s the 4th official?… He’s watching his little tele in case the referee makes a slight error! – I think you’ll find the 4th official already has enough to do. So do we now need a 5th official? – with the massive shortage of officials that not going to work either.

Technology such as goaline sensors will come in. Most referees accept it as inevitable. Ball crossing the line is fact, not the referees’ opinion.

As for the technology to help the referee in match incidents, look at how it would spoil the game!

Example

Drogba rushes into the box and is challenged by Ferdinand. The two players make contact and Drogba goes down. The referee thinks he knows what he saw, but the game has to be stopped for the video replay. The replay show it to be a foul on Drogba, referee gives a penalty, no arguments. Wonderful! It works!

But what if it shows it wasn’t a foul on Drogba? If there was no foul the game should never have been stopped. How do you restart play? A drop goal in the penalty area (that’ll be fun), a free kick to the defending team (that’s fair on the attacking team as they have not fouled anyone!)

Before thinking that technology will solve the problem, think about the consequences it’ll bring to the game.

Referees have always made mistakes, but believe it or not they are making less mistakes now then 10 years ago because due to extensive training and fitness, but the mistakes are being picked up more and more as there are now 22 cameras around the pitch watching every second of the game.

Referee’s seem to want special protection from the mistakes they make. When their mistakes are costly. Worse still the ref’s never come out to tell the world why they made a decision either. As if they shouldn’t explain themselves since “they make no mistakes”. That’s is why they get so much venom.

Football has become too fast paced for a referee with no technological help to succeed in running match without making many needless and silly errors. Yet they never want to go out of their way to get the authorities to introduce technology to help their decision they’d be no real problems. You don’t seem to realise football has become to big a business to have a referee who is prone to mistakes. Even on the smallest and most basic decisions like offsides. But the ref’s and FIFA are doing nothing in terms of technological advances to improve the standards of refereeing. My impression is they don’t really care!

Because let’s be honest, what does a 4th official do? Why can’t he be sited infront of a tv screen, watching the game, connected to the center referee with a radio, to help him out with the decisions. So that he step in when the referee looks like he will blunder so that the referee can always have the best chance to make a right decision?

Furthermore why aren’t referee’s given press conferences like Managers and player? Like around 15 minutes after a game. Enough time for a Referee to view highlights of the game and try to explain why he made the decision he made, in order for the public to understand the referees point of view better?

While you defend referees you should remember people get frustrated and direct venom at them because you can’t argue with a referee or question his decision and succeed. His word is law. And it’s horrible when after a game he doesn’t even make an effort to explain why he did what he did, if it cost you the game. Especially if it’s the type of referee who doesn’t really talk to layers and managers during a game.

You will NEVER get a referee that make no errors. Players make errors, managers make errors and so do referee’s. Live with it, thats football.

As I said to Richard, until anyone referees a game at a decent level they will never understand how challenging, difficult and rewarding it is. As a result players, managers and (especially) supporters will always feel they can pass judgement on something they know nothing about.

No Referees, No Football – FACT

How come not many complaints came out when collina was a referee?? Oh yeah because he was a good one.

You cant be wrong and strong and thats the reason the FA dont back him.

If they have a serious problem with it they should push the football authorities to introduce technology that can help them. If players can get vilified for mistakes on the pitch that cost their teams matches, or for misconduct, a referee should be no different. It’s that simple for me. When a Referee does what Poll did at the world cup he deserves he flak he gets. Worse still when he acts arrogantly like he did vs Cheslea. He deserves to be villified all the more.

Bottom line, a referees earns respect by the consistency in his decisions, the willingness to make the tough decisions when they arise, single mindedness in executing decisions and, and a willingness to communicate with players and managers during a game to make them understand what he is doing. I don’t think a referee should complain about not being defended by th FA. When by and large on a football pitch they are the law of the land. So they should be able to live with the responsibilty that comes decisions they make. Good or bad

I think Ahmed’s point was that the FA claimed to back him but took no action to back their claim up. The FA need to either stand by the referee our quietly remove him, there cannot ever be any middle ground.

Although you obviously play the game but may I suggest you try and referee a game yourself.

The problem we have is so many players think they are “expert referees” but have never completed 90 minutes with a whistle at a decent level.

Yes, referees make mistake. Yes, these mistakes shape a match. Yes, players will curse the referee if he makes a mistake. The big problem is that there is too much abuse, swearing and shouting at referees even when they make the RIGHT decision.

Managers, players, pundits and “fans” are quick to criticise referee’s performance. Why? They have never refereed a Premiership game – what gives them the knowledge to pass judgment on the referee’s performance. You don’t here Graham Poll on the camera stating that he didn’t think Tierry Henry had a good game, or Rooney was poor, he’s not qualified to judge their performance. The problem lies in the fact that referees never get the exposure to explain match incidents after the game, so only one side of the story is heard.

As a referee myself I am not a big fan of Poll, but I sympathised with him during the World Cup. To make a mistake like that on such a huge stage is a shame. He was punished by being sent home from the World Cup and he has to live with that for the rest of his life.

There is no question it was an innocent mistake. Something that players and managers constantly do from game to game. You don’t hear of Drogba being dropped to the reserves because he missed an open goal, or Sir Alex having to manage the Man U under 18′s because he made a bad team selection. Yet people constantly want to see referees dropped to the Championship for even the most minor mistake.

Its time for the FA, the Referees and the clubs to sit down and have a long chat together. We loose 80% of new referees within 3 years of qualifying, mainly due to the abuse they get. There is already a huge shortage of referee in the UK and its getting worse.

No Referees, No Football – FACT