adminCOMPLAINING about referees is nothing new. The difference is, this time, there seems to be an admission from those in authority that there is a kernel of truth behind the moaning.
It may be hyperbolic to describe Premier League officiating as being in crisis. But the Professional Game Match Officials Board would not have hired its first chief refereeing officer if it was happy with the state of things.
Howard Webb began his role at the top of the PGMOL on December 1 and has a wide remit which will allow him to rip things up and implement new processes. Webb reached the very top of refereeing in 2010 by taking charge of the World Cup final and Champions League final.
After working as the head of refereeing at the Saudi Arabian Football Federation and spending six years working in the United States and Canada in similar roles, the 51-year-old has returned to try and fix things in the Premier League and Football League.
Webb is tasked with overhauling the preparation, coaching and assessment of referees in order to try to raise standards across the board.
His appointment was described as a “major coup” by PGMOL managing director Mike Riley.
Webb’s arrival has been followed by further additions to the structure. Danielle Every (chief operating officer), Dr Steve McNally (performance support director) and Dr Wayne Allison (coaching director) have all arrived to work on the overhaul of the PGMOL.
Riley, who has been managing director since 2009, will leave his position at the end of this season. His pending departure is part of a wider changing of the guard, with veteran referees Mike Dean, Jon Moss, Martin Atkinson and Kevin Friend all retiring back in May.
Atkinson and Moss are both now working under Webb to coach referees.
The Premier League sent two referees to the World Cup, Anthony Taylor and Michael Oliver, but neither made their mark.
Taylor did not take charge of a match beyond the group stages, despite staying in Qatar on standby, while OIiver refereed Croatia’s quarter-final win over Croatia, but was not used thereafter.
Poland’s Szymon Marciniak earned widespread praise for his performance in the final.
Taylor took charge of Ghana’s 3-2 win over South Korea, which ended in controversy and a red card for manager Paulo Bento. Bento blasted Taylor for showing “a deep lack of common sense” after the match on November 28, with the South Korea boss furious about Taylor’s decision to blow the final whistle before Korea could take a corner.
Taylor and Oliver are considered the cream of the crop, with Paul Tierney, a Premier League referee since 2014, is the most used this season behind the duo. They are three of the 19 in the Select Group One (SG1) referees who primarily work on Premier League games.
Webb has chosen officials for the first time for the upcoming matches, with Taylor being handed Manchester United vs Nottingham Forest on December 27 and Oliver getting Arsenal vs West Ham on Boxing Day.
They are the best referees Webb currently has at his disposal, but they are indicative of how far the problem extends.
Taylor was slammed by Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola following Liverpool ’s 1-0 win over Manchester City in October.
One of the main criticisms of PGMOL chief Riley is that he is rarely, if ever, heard from following controversial incidents. That is expected to change with Webb now in charge.
During his stint in North America, Webb regularly held calls with media to discuss VAR incidents and videos were published weekly to explain decisions and show the in-game communication between officials.
Those are the plans, but that optimism could quickly evaporate when the Premier League returns over the festive period following a break for the World Cup. All it takes is one high-profile refereeing controversy or VAR mistake for the edifice to crumble. – Mirror.co.uk
Mathew Masinge
Online Reporter