Women officials - yes or no?

[Shaggy]

In light of Mike Newell’s “interesting” comments on women officials in football, what do YOU think?

I don’t consider myself sexist at all, but I also don’t think women should be officiating in men’s football. Women’s football? Fine, but the men’s game is virtually a different sport. IMO it’s like having a cricket umpire in the chair for the men’s singles final at Wimbledon. Different sports.

[dww]

Even if that is true if the lady in question has always officiated on mens games and works her way up like a man would do then I don't see a problem. It is about how they perform in their job, frankly I suspect that it would be much harder for a woman to obtain a role in the mens game than a man, so would assume that any that make it are in fact bloody good at what they do.

[Bob]

"It is bad enough with the incapable referees and linesmen we have but if you start bringing in women, you have big problems," said Newell.

"This is Championship football. This is not park football, so what are women doing here? It is tokenism, for the politically-correct idiots.

"She should not be here. I know that sounds sexist but I am sexist, so I am not going to be anything other than that."



Oh, and the lady in question - 'i would'

[Shaggy]

But a woman has never played men’s football, so how can she officiate in a game that she’s never played?

[Mumsafan]

I'm not a fan of female officials at all. I don't know why, maybe just old fashioned. They can ref the women's game if they want cos that's **** anyway

[dww]

I don't think that you need to have played to officiate well. There are no Referees who have played football to anything like a comparable standard to players in the PL. Frankly the difference between the game and how it is officiated at League One and lower to the PL is enormous, yet all referees have come up from that sort of level. I don't see how if a woman has spent time officiating at each level up the ladder and has performed comparably with men that she should be prevented from refereeing/running the line at any higher level.

It may be harder for a woman who hasn't played mens football to pick up the nuances of officiating it, but I don't see why if she performs well in games that she does officiate that she shouldn't get an opportunity to go further. At the lowest levels of the game most refereeing is god awful anyway - so giving women a start in the lower levels will have zero effect on the standard of officiating. If they do well and work their way up then they should have all the opportunities available to men doing the same job.

[Bob]

I don't think that you need to have played to officiate well. There are no Referees who have played football to anything like a comparable standard to players in the PL. Frankly the difference between the game and how it is officiated at League One and lower to the PL is enormous, yet all referees have come up from that sort of level. I don't see how if a woman has spent time officiating at each level up the ladder and has performed comparably with men that she should be prevented from refereeing/running the line at any higher level.

It may be harder for a woman who hasn't played mens football to pick up the nuances of officiating it, but I don't see why if she performs well in games that she does officiate that she shouldn't get an opportunity to go further. At the lowest levels of the game most refereeing is god awful anyway - so giving women a start in the lower levels will have zero effect on the standard of officiating. If they do well and work their way up then they should have all the opportunities available to men doing the same job.

Strongly disagree with your opening sentence. Half of whats wrong with refs today is that they don't know the game is played. They don't have to play to the same level i.e. PL level, but certainly to some extent.

[Diego]

But a woman has never played men’s football, so how can she officiate in a game that she’s never played?

neither have the current refs or so it seems

[DeeGame]

Depends on how good looking they are

[dww]

I disagree with you but as no players of any note want to become referees though the point is to some extent moot.

Any way as getting to referee at a certain level is a competitive endevour surely if men were better due to their experiences then they would get on the list above women due to ability and not due to their gender?

[Mumsafan]

Most refs have had no experience of playing football to a high level.

Most of the problem with refs these days is their egos. I see most of them every fortnight as they meet near here. They get put through a fitness regime over 2 days which nearly kills them cos they are not fit enough at all. Then they sit round and watch videos of errors and discuss them! Discuss them! It could be a manager losing his job cos some prat didn't give something! It annoys me so much. Then they play golf and have a three course slap up meal. The cost of the 2 day malarkey will be phenominal as the place they stay is very expensive and boasts a Championship Golf Course. This happens twice a month! ******s.

[Anfield Mole]

I'd have to say no, simply because it wouldn't feel right directing the sort of bile one directs at the likes of Poll at a woman. Moreover, singing 'who's the bitch in black' doesn't have quite the same ring to it as 'who's the ******* in the black'.

[JRG]

I don't think that you need to have played to officiate well. There are no Referees who have played football to anything like a comparable standard to players in the PL. Frankly the difference between the game and how it is officiated at League One and lower to the PL is enormous, yet all referees have come up from that sort of level. I don't see how if a woman has spent time officiating at each level up the ladder and has performed comparably with men that she should be prevented from refereeing/running the line at any higher level.

It may be harder for a woman who hasn't played mens football to pick up the nuances of officiating it, but I don't see why if she performs well in games that she does officiate that she shouldn't get an opportunity to go further. At the lowest levels of the game most refereeing is god awful anyway - so giving women a start in the lower levels will have zero effect on the standard of officiating. If they do well and work their way up then they should have all the opportunities available to men doing the same job.

Good post mate I couldn't agree more.

[Neil Young]

Good post mate I couldn't agree more.

Likewise.

[Icon]

They need a week off once a bloody month!