Originally Posted by MFKS
Why do you think the standards are dropping? What decisions/performances that you've seen indicate this? Just out of genuine curiosity.
The climate is very very different to how it used to. (This is largely helped my the theatrics on TV). Players going well out of their way to trick the referee, this obviously makes things a bit more difficult, and sometimes, they are going to successfully trick the referee.
Why do you believe the referees are poor? Lack of training? Lack of experience? Lack of support? Lack of knowledge?
Again, if you have 14 players turn up for trials, your arm is twisted and you pick those 14. If 40 turn up, you can pick the best players for various positions and who works well together, and 99.9% of the time, you'll end up with a better team.
Apply the same logic to referees. The intake isn't the issue. Year after year, 20+ (granted I'm a little out of touch as i've been away for a few years now) in Macquarie and I imagine similar, if not more in Newcastle sign up to become referees. This gives you at the very least 30 new referees each year. The problem is retention. As i said, over the years, many decide refereeing is not for them. Fair enough, maybe they couldn't "harden up" or they were too "insecure" as you say. Then, by the time the referees are suitably experienced to attempt the demanding nature of NPL, there aren't that many left. So instead of getting to pick the best 5 referees from a pool of 50+ referees. You get to pick the best 5 out of 10. So to a degree, you get what you are given, and you can only do so much with what you are given. This then carries on and progresses, and the "best/willing" NPL referees are given a crack at A-League, once they do their certificates and assessments. Are you seeing where this is going?
The issue, as you say, is indeed not having enough referees of high standard. The issue is whats happening to drive these people away.
Do you have the same attitude towards Police? Or ambulance officers? Or nurses? Or the 15yo flipping burgers at Maccas? Is it their job to get criticised, constantly questioned, taken advantage of etc.
How is it their fault? The issue is not the victim, it is the perpetrator.
There is a definite difference between banter, and the shit the refs cop. Don;t get me wrong, there can be a good level of banter between the referees and players, sometimes this helps diffuse situations. But i think most will agree, it generally exceeds this and goes down a verbal abuse and sometimes physical assault path.
I agree, it takes a different kind of person to be a referee, not everyone can do it, not everyone is willing to do it. So, why are we not doing everything we can do to keep these people in the game.
Yes, the referee can dish out cards and send people off. But can you imagine the uproar and the outcry if they did this? There's already many complaints on here for the referees "trying to be the centre of attention" issuing cards and blowing free kicks, can't have it both ways.
