World Cup 2010
That's it the domestic season is over and we off to the world cup. Our leading Referee is also going to take part, Howard Webb and his two assistants, Darren Cann and Michael Mullarkey would have been training hard and they have been working together in their domestic league. I personally hope he doesn't get the world cup final because England are there but if they are not I really hope Howard gets the chance. He reffed the champions league final brilliantly and has every chance of doing well in the world cup.
For those of us who are brave enough to ref and not sit at home watching and critisising the referee after seeing the 12th camera angle, we all know you can be brilliant in a game for 89 minutes but that one error is the one everyone remembers. I wish Howard and the team the best of luck for the world cup
Referee Promotion
It isn't an understatement to say I wished I took up the whistle sooner, or even followed the promotion trail sooner. Nowadays the development of referees is way beyond when I started, more information, more help and mentors to help you out. This season 09-10 season I was lucky enough to get asst Ref on one of the NCEL cup finals, this was at the end of a very good season, where my assessments have been quite good. It does give you the dream to go further. That means doing 15 middles (as referee) and 5 Lines (asst ref) between March 1st and Feb 28th. The referee promotion season doesn't run Aug /Sept to April / May. I have already got enough games in as an asst, and I have over half my middles already covered. So doing the right number of games for level 4 won't be an issue.
So what else is needed, good club marks and good assessments and the small matter of the fitness test. I need 3 assessments and they will take place providing I conquer the fitness test. The fitness test is 2500m in 12 minutes followed by 2 50m sprints in 7.5 seconds. Now I have no issue with running 2500m, I have no issue in running non-stop for 12 minutes, however doing both at the same time seems to be a problem and is a challenge. Speed is definitely the issue over a distance. People would say build up on stamina and run faster for longer, I have done this for the last couple of months, knocking major time of my runs, I also did a training session at Don Valley stadium that I shouldn't have completed if stamina was an issue.
My fitness has come along way, better than last years. We did the 2500m in this training session and I was nowhere near unless I counted wrong, but once again for the 2nd time in 3 days I completed running for the 12 minutes. We then did the two sprints and did them no issue, and then completed a full on training session, so how can I match up distance with speed? The fitness test is this month and I need to find time quick, I have been for a couple of runs, one where I did 400m at a time sprinting and managed to keep each lap between 1m 40 and 1m 50, this would bring me in on time.
The aim was to get my legs used to running at this speed on a regular basis. It hurt I won't deny it but it was about doing it. I have also run away from the track, I advise anyone to train on the build up to the fitness test to run on a track it is totally different. Occasionally run something different but a lot of track running. So I have confidence in my ability as a ref, my fitness on a match day won't let me down and I much more experienced for assessments so would like to think everything is in place. Just the one obstacle to overcome and that is to run for 12 minutes straight completing a minimum of 2.5 k. I am doing a few 12 minute + runs away from the track, plus the Don Valley workout on Thursday before trying a mock fitness test Sunday. Let's hope the hard work pays off, because to fail it means waiting one more year, one year older making it even harder.
Junior football needs premiership referees
The situation with the game means we desperately need premiership referees in junior football, it is expected by team managers and supporters as well as some players. Junior football exists for kids to enjoy a game of football, it also helps to develop and nurture our future footballers. David Beckham was once one of these players, Messi, Deco, Ronaldo, Lampard, Gerrard and many many others. They made mistakes at junior level, and learned from those mistakes, how to chip the ball, how much power etc etc etc. However referees at this level are not allowed to learn, if they have just passed their exam no matter what age, they are expected to go and referee the perfect game, if they are young referee's, adults realise they are there to be bullied. New referee's are not given a chance. They are not given a way into their game to find there feet and learn.
Now lets look at this from a different angle and the experienced referee, they were once new refs and they started off probably mens Sunday league, and a few junior games. These refs have experience but and its a HUGE but they will not touch junior football, this has nothing to do with the players or the fact its not promotion game for them, it is plain and simple and that is the parents. The way the parents behave not always towards the match official but sometimes to the young players on the pitch. So these referee's simply don't touch junior football.
We will now go back to the young and new refs being bullied, some keep going and will find the teams with respect and decency, make it up a senior league and then say "I won't do junior football" the rest simple say "I don't have to put up with this" and unsurprisingly they leave refereeing. This is an out of control spiral because a lot of junior football teams expect premiership referees who sadly have already been chased off by parents before them. There is no time for an inexperienced referee to learn, which wouldn't surprise people to learn that the FA will see potentially good referees and place them in a position to referee at Academies out of harms way. This in turn means less referees for junior football, less referees willing to do junior football. So when a referee gives a decision and the young player on the pitch copies the abuse directed to the referee "why don't you have assistants" then remember you are very lucky to have a referee. Start respecting the referee you have and then one day, their will be enough referee's to have assistants.
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