Hanging Judge: Are refs going soft?

I wonder if you’ve noticed how certain referees seem to be going soft in their handling of some football players.

I’ve observed it and I think they are doing a disservice to refereeing and match officiating in general.

The new buzz words in refereeing these days are “man management”.

What a load of nonsense.

This is where we, as referees, are supposed to make allowances for the “emotions” and “stresses” felt by these poor (and overpaid) prima donnas as they go through “the trials and tribulations” of being professional players.

If you were to dissect the pressure they feel, you would find that they worry about whether they should buy a Ferrari, a Porsche, a private jet or a tropical island this weekend.

Literally, in some cases, their salaries resemble telephone numbers, and all for doing something that most of us enjoy doing on a weekend for nothing.

I see referees and their assistants being subjected to the most appalling behaviour after making decisions that, in most instances, are correct.

I see corner kicks and throw-ins being contested when the protester is clearly in the wrong. And I’ve seen referees shoved and verbally abused for trying to do their jobs to the best of their ability. (Thankfully, there is still some respect for woman referees.)

The relatively recent introduction of the video assistant referee (VAR) system was supposed to clear up any confusion about whether a referee’s decision was correct or incorrect, but even that is being questioned.

I’ve been asked several times for my opinion on the VAR and I have said that, in principle, it is a good addition to the game.

Many people will disagree with me, and that’s their right.

If I have a criticism, it’s not against the VAR, but the people who operate it. It takes far too long to arrive at a decision. That, in my opinion, merely adds to the cries from certain quarters that the VAR should be scrapped.

It must also be pointed out, and I’ve witnessed this more than once in the English Premier League, that those who are protesting the loudest are the ones who don’t benefit from the VAR – they are the ones who think it’s great, and therein lies a problem. It’s called lack of honesty.

Winning seems to be the be-all and end-all of any game, and if cheating, lying and being deceptive are called for, then that appears to be in order.

In the middle of all this are the unfortunate match officials.

I have no problem being sympathetic and empathetic with players, but I would never allow any player, coach or manager to treat me the way some referees are treated today.

We are not there to be scapegoats or objects on which certain players can take out their frustrations just because they feel they should have been awarded a penalty, a throw-in or a free kick.

Some referees are pandering too much to players, and forgetting that they are there to arbitrate between two teams and make decisions based on the Fifa laws of the game.

For us to be neutral, and be seen to be neutral, we should avoid verbal contact with the 22 players on the field as much as possible.

Red and yellow cards were introduced after the 1966 World Cup because of language barriers. There is nothing in the laws of the game that says referees must explain their decisions.

Remember the old maxim that, when you’re explaining, you’re losing.

Please feel free to comment or ask questions on this and other issues.

Happy whistling!

• sports@citypress.co.za
• thehangingjudge88@gmail.com
• Follow me on Twitter @dr_errol

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