The standard of refereeing in this country

[Tee]

annoying as it is with the poor decisions do these refs really have much of a chance? 22 dickheads appealing for every foul, every corner even every throw in even when they know they are wrong. its all very well us saying after watching a replay from 4 different angles including slow motion that it was 'blatant' but even then often people cant agree on the outcome

introducing technology is the only answer really they need some help

Absolutely insane that it still has not been introduced.

[sean_lfc]

I truly believe one of the reasons we haven't seen technology introduced is because of aforementioned shadow organisation.
Let's face it, football, unlike rugby or cricket or any sports with video technology, is the largest and most powerful sport in the world where huge money flows in and - most definitely - out of the game. Betting. Agents. Syndicates. Corruption. Within the global sport (FIFA) as well as within each region/country. [On all FIFA corruption: http://www.transparencyinsport.org/]

When video technology is introduced, power is given to the people and makes the sport more transparent, which doesn't sit well with people connected to the underground. This happens in every country, of that I'm sure.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/football-betting-scandal-prosecutors-say-up-to-200-matches-were-fixed-a-662479.html

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/may/29/is-italian-football-more-corrupt

To believe that odds fixing and match fixing etc. do not happen when the evidence is clear (even in 'clean' countries such as Germany), to think it wouldn't happen in the biggest and most money-generating league in the world is short-sighted.

[kris90210]

I agree there's no systematic corruption, and I'm sure there are stats that will tell us united get roughly the same amount of contentious decisions as the other 'big clubs'. (That we don't fall in that category anymore shows how far we've fallen)
However there needs to be something to help the officials if they're getting it wrong so often! There were 3 incorrect offside decisions that directly changed results of games this weekend a Arsenal, Goodison and Stamford Bridge. The Chelsea one was difficult but the other 2 were so obvious it isn't even funny.

I don't know what the solution is, goal line technology will help but those occasions are far more rare than frankly ridiculous offside calls, players wrongfully booked for diving, snidey kicks off the ball (yes, I'm looking at you Maroane) and general inconsistency. But this much is clear, something needs to be done.

There are a few things that can be done in my opinion.

1. Introduce a zero tolerance of abuse towards officials. As I said in another thread, they might actually get a few more decisions right if they aren't being screamed at every 2 seconds. Only the captains and relevant players should be allowed to talk to the ref at any given time. It also sets a terrible example to kids. There's simply no need for it. If a rugby player can control himself while he's being stamped on a punched, then I'm sure as **** a footballer can contain himself.

2. Post match video analysis should be used to identify divers and cheats. Punishments should be given out accordingly. Diving and simulation in general have made the refs job 10 times harder. Something needs to be done about this.

3. Scrap the rule that says decisions made by a ref cannot be revisited after a match has been played. Refs are not infallible (as we all know!!!). If a ref gets a decision wrong and it's in the FA's power to correct it, correct it ffs.

4. Scrap the whole 'interfering with play' nonesense. Make offside as simple as it can possibly be. Don't give linesmen anything to think about other than that line and they'll get fewer decisions wrong. As the great Shankly once said, 'if a player isn't interfering with play, he shouldn't be on the pitch.'

5. Goal line technology to be introduced - thankfully this is on the way.

6. Additional training for Refs. We still see the odd awful decision which is just plain wrong. The beachball goal standing for example - that was made by a premiership level ref ffs! Benefit of the doubt not given to the attacking player yesterday is another.

All those things would be a fantastic start in my opinion.

[BobTheCharmer]

Ok I've had enough of this bull**** that goes on week in week out year after year.

Something needs to be done, to at the very least give the FA difficult questions to answer.

We all have our suspicions that Utd get a more than favourable bias from refs.

What we need and someone posted a few articles from a guy in beirut of all places, which basically had war and peace on utd and how they influence the choice of referrees and the decisions they get.

What we now need is cold hard facts and then a way of getting this out into the open. It must with the help of blogs, twitter etc be possible.

We need a few of us who will go through the record books over say the last 5 seasons and record who reffed, what the scores were, reds cards, penalties etc between all the tops teams in their head to heads.

This should then raise enough statistics to at the least raise more than the odd eyebrow and give something for a journo to get his teeth into.

I can't believe no one mentioned on match the day the decisions utd seem to get is unreal. they just comment as if its a one off. its ****ing crazy.

[Kenneth]

Agree that every incident is looked at in isolation. Most decisions have an element of grey about them, so the possible doubt is highlighted to show the issue is inconclusive. Where there is no grey and a decision is plain wrong then its talked about in the context of the game, 'balances out' a previous incorrect decision of some kind, or it's generalised to be ok because a team 'didn't deserve to lose' on the balance of play etc. There's always someone trying to explain them away.

I don't think it is humanly possible to officiate a game of football accurately. Refs and assistants guess constantly to some degree but mostly see enough to be right more often than not. Something major needs to change.

[Exiled_red]

I really have no idea how Fellaini didn't get booked, at the very least for persistent fouling. He's such a **** house.

Mirallas as well in the first half he got away with alot. But Sterling got booked for a nothing foul and was walking a tightrope.

This weekend the officials got alot of decisions wrong and directly affected the outcome of at least 3 games.

[dww]

Is there any evidence that refereeing is worse here than elsewhere?

[Boogs]

Is there any evidence that refereeing is worse here than elsewhere?

Is the refereeing any worse in this country than it was 25 years ago or has technology just got better? HD TV, twitter reaching millions and football forums where we can now all link up a discuss desicions without being in an Alehouse and all pissed up. As times have moved on all othe sports have moved on apart it would seem, football. There is surley some sinister reasons for this as one of Mostar above post alludes to.

[Kenneth]

Is there any evidence that refereeing is worse here than elsewhere?

What would such evidence, or evidence to the contrary, consist of?

[Joey Jones]

There are a few things that can be done in my opinion.

1. Introduce a zero tolerance of abuse towards officials. As I said in another thread, they might actually get a few more decisions right if they aren't being screamed at every 2 seconds. Only the captains and relevant players should be allowed to talk to the ref at any given time. It also sets a terrible example to kids. There's simply no need for it. If a rugby player can control himself while he's being stamped on a punched, then I'm sure as **** a footballer can contain himself.

2. Post match video analysis should be used to identify divers and cheats. Punishments should be given out accordingly. Diving and simulation in general have made the refs job 10 times harder. Something needs to be done about this.

3. Scrap the rule that says decisions made by a ref cannot be revisited after a match has been played. Refs are not infallible (as we all know!!!). If a ref gets a decision wrong and it's in the FA's power to correct it, correct it ffs.

4. Scrap the whole 'interfering with play' nonesense. Make offside as simple as it can possibly be. Don't give linesmen anything to think about other than that line and they'll get fewer decisions wrong. As the great Shankly once said, 'if a player isn't interfering with play, he shouldn't be on the pitch.'

5. Goal line technology to be introduced - thankfully this is on the way.

6. Additional training for Refs. We still see the odd awful decision which is just plain wrong. The beachball goal standing for example - that was made by a premiership level ref ffs! Benefit of the doubt not given to the attacking player yesterday is another.

All those things would be a fantastic start in my opinion.

Another thing that could be done is to make officials more accountable about their decisions. If they make a mistake, along with being 'stood down' for games, they should apologies.

[Boogs]

Another thing that could be done is to make officials more accountable about their decisions. If they make a mistake, along with being 'stood down' for games, they should apologies.

How about just giving them the technology that is available and they won't have to apologies!

[Joey Jones]

How about just giving them the technology that is available and they won't have to apologies!

Fair enough, but I don't think that the technology available will be used for a long time. This is the FA & PL we're talking about.

[rudedog]

I keep hearing about 'these things even themselves out over the course of a season' - as a way of making sure this really does happen, opposition fans should be appointed referees for all Man Utd's remaining fixtures.

Should even things up a bit

[dww]

What would such evidence, or evidence to the contrary, consist of?

It was a somewhat rhetorical question I guess. The point being that the current debate appears to suggest that referees in this country are particularly poor.

I suppose we would (as usual) on this forum have to accept anecdotal evidence. My feeling from watching European games is that the difference isn't huge but that a slower paced game is easier to referee/officiate.

[dww]

Is the refereeing any worse in this country than it was 25 years ago or has technology just got better? HD TV, twitter reaching millions and football forums where we can now all link up a discuss desicions without being in an Alehouse and all pissed up. As times have moved on all othe sports have moved on apart it would seem, football. There is surley some sinister reasons for this as one of Mostar above post alludes to.

My feeling is that the reason for football not changing in these regards is that football has always valued the fact that it is essentially the same game grass roots up to the top and this is why it is the most popular game in the world. I suspect not ****ing with a winning formula is the simplest explanation.