Some thoughts on referees: Have they been left behind the rest of football?
Over the past three decades, we have seen an exponential increase in spending on the best foreign players and managers in the PL. Oil money owners have come in and provided world class facilities and innovation for player development.
All of this investment and advancement has been to do with playing the game itself. Has there been much change in the refs themselves since the 90s? Is there enough investment in creating or finding the best refs in the world to match the level that the game is now being played at?
The game is played at a greater pace, with more complicated decisions being required with the introduction of VAR. Refs seem like the weak component in the evolution of the game that now needs investment to improve the standard and reliability.
The lack of investment in refs could result in, you know, "investment" in refs. But that's for another day. Or today. We shall see what I can be bothered writing.
Anyway, PL referees get paid an annual salary of between £40,000-£70,000. Think about how low a figure that is in the grand scheme of football. To put that into context, Ronaldo earns their annual salary in TWO HOURS. That around the length of one football match.
Can you think of any other industry where there is such a disparity in wages between key roles?
Referees play a crucial role in the integrity of the game, and if they are significantly underpaid compared to players, there might be a temptation for some officials to seek alternative financial gains.
Is it really wise to have the most influential people in football, also being the easiest target? For someone being paid £40k a year, even say £1,000 to give a team a throw in is tempting for them. Someone who owns Saudi Arabia could probably afford a bit more than £1,000 to have more influence on a match…
We go on about how important and influential refs are in football, literally about five times a match, yet we don’t look into the wider issue, we just keep complaining and offer no solutions.
Some analogies:
It is like having the exponential improvement in mobile phone technology but doing absolutely nothing to improve battery performance over this time. Like when I used to try and navigate and strava my hill climbs over 10 hours or so and the phone would last about 2 hours with GPS and mapping etc. The tech is great, but they needed to invest in battery tech.
Like having world class trains that can go 300mph, but still having the rail infrastructure from the 19th century.
Imagine NASA investing in the tech they have over the past 30 years not investing in the technicians and maintenance staff. Yeah let’s pay people 40k per year to maintain these multi-billion pound spacecrafts, and don’t invest in training them. What if Russia offers one of these staff members £100k to sabotage a component? Nah should be fine: PL football.
The end.
Bye
Referees: Have they been left behind?
posted on 7/12/23
comment by Thorgen Kloppinson - "When the facts are ... (U1282)
posted 5 hours, 37 minutes ago
I think referees should be on a minimum £100,000 per year plus expenses, transportation and hotel costs paid for by the home club
=====
Naah, bad idea. Clubs should never pay a cent to or for referees.
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As long as what the home club must pay for is precisely defined, I see no problem. And I definitely agree that Ref's salaries for PL games should be in the ballpark of
£200,000 or more. Lower leagues a bit less.
posted on 7/12/23
comment by Thorgen Kloppinson - "When the facts are ... (U1282)
posted 5 hours, 38 minutes ago
The offside law needs to be changed back to what it used to be, if any part of your body is level with defender then you are onside, there should be clear space between defender and attacker for offside to be given.
=====
Another ridiculous suggestion. Offside has never been like that and offside should and will always remain offside. If you think this through and critically then you will see that it's not practical at all.
How will defenders lay offside traps if they have to make sure the attacker is that far offside? That thing defenders do where they rush forward just before the pass is played to catch an attacker offside will be erased from the game.
Defensive training will change because relying on offside will be too risky. Defenders will often just be going backwards and backwards as they can't trust the offside and they have to ensure the attacker is past their own body width which is risky. It's actually ridiculous yet you see people suggesting it. Usually the same people that don't want VAR, the geniuses.
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The offside rule used to be aimed at discouraging "goal hanging" whereby an attacker simply hung around the opponent's goal.
The current rule is so perverse in the fine judgements involved, a toe can be offside, that even VAR can't figure it out sometimes!
Perhaps player's shirts can be fitted with Radar controlled buzzers that go off whenever they are offside?
posted on 7/12/23
Flashing lights would be better than buzzers, perhaps? The Radar stuff would be a miniature air traffic control system!
posted on 7/12/23
I know in traning the playets halve gps thingies on em n r track by drones too see if they r getting intoo correcked position so tech is there
posted on 7/12/23
comment by JustCallMeTed (U21528)
posted 3 hours, 31 minutes ago
comment by Thorgen Kloppinson - "When the facts are ... (U1282)
posted 5 hours, 38 minutes ago
The offside law needs to be changed back to what it used to be, if any part of your body is level with defender then you are onside, there should be clear space between defender and attacker for offside to be given.
=====
Another ridiculous suggestion. Offside has never been like that and offside should and will always remain offside. If you think this through and critically then you will see that it's not practical at all.
How will defenders lay offside traps if they have to make sure the attacker is that far offside? That thing defenders do where they rush forward just before the pass is played to catch an attacker offside will be erased from the game.
Defensive training will change because relying on offside will be too risky. Defenders will often just be going backwards and backwards as they can't trust the offside and they have to ensure the attacker is past their own body width which is risky. It's actually ridiculous yet you see people suggesting it. Usually the same people that don't want VAR, the geniuses.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The offside rule used to be aimed at discouraging "goal hanging" whereby an attacker simply hung around the opponent's goal.
The current rule is so perverse in the fine judgements involved, a toe can be offside, that even VAR can't figure it out sometimes!
Perhaps player's shirts can be fitted with Radar controlled buzzers that go off whenever they are offside?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Technology is the answer.
posted on 7/12/23
comment by JustCallMeTed (U21528)
posted 4 hours, 30 minutes ago
comment by Thorgen Kloppinson - "When the facts are ... (U1282)
posted 5 hours, 37 minutes ago
I think referees should be on a minimum £100,000 per year plus expenses, transportation and hotel costs paid for by the home club
=====
Naah, bad idea. Clubs should never pay a cent to or for referees.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
As long as what the home club must pay for is precisely defined, I see no problem. And I definitely agree that Ref's salaries for PL games should be in the ballpark of
£200,000 or more. Lower leagues a bit less.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Agreed, but if what clubs pay is defined they can just pay it to PGMOL and let them take care of their refs.
It's tricky because for example, which hotel will the home club pay for? Some are better or more expensive than others etc.
posted on 7/12/23
comment by Thorgen Kloppinson - "When the facts are ... (U1282)
posted 2 hours, 36 minutes ago
comment by JustCallMeTed (U21528)
posted 4 hours, 30 minutes ago
comment by Thorgen Kloppinson - "When the facts are ... (U1282)
posted 5 hours, 37 minutes ago
I think referees should be on a minimum £100,000 per year plus expenses, transportation and hotel costs paid for by the home club
=====
Naah, bad idea. Clubs should never pay a cent to or for referees.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
As long as what the home club must pay for is precisely defined, I see no problem. And I definitely agree that Ref's salaries for PL games should be in the ballpark of
£200,000 or more. Lower leagues a bit less.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Agreed, but if what clubs pay is defined they can just pay it to PGMOL and let them take care of their refs.
It's tricky because for example, which hotel will the home club pay for? Some are better or more expensive than others etc.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Yes, I thought of that...but I decided it was a bridge too far.
PGMOL can specify the hotel categories.
posted on 7/12/23
comment by JustCallMeTed (U21528)
posted 26 minutes ago
comment by Thorgen Kloppinson - "When the facts are ... (U1282)
posted 2 hours, 36 minutes ago
comment by JustCallMeTed (U21528)
posted 4 hours, 30 minutes ago
comment by Thorgen Kloppinson - "When the facts are ... (U1282)
posted 5 hours, 37 minutes ago
I think referees should be on a minimum £100,000 per year plus expenses, transportation and hotel costs paid for by the home club
=====
Naah, bad idea. Clubs should never pay a cent to or for referees.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
As long as what the home club must pay for is precisely defined, I see no problem. And I definitely agree that Ref's salaries for PL games should be in the ballpark of
£200,000 or more. Lower leagues a bit less.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Agreed, but if what clubs pay is defined they can just pay it to PGMOL and let them take care of their refs.
It's tricky because for example, which hotel will the home club pay for? Some are better or more expensive than others etc.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Yes, I thought of that...but I decided it was a bridge too far.
PGMOL can specify the hotel categories.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Still pointless and carries a small unnecessary risk.
posted on 7/12/23
comment by JustCallMeTed (U21528)
posted 12 hours, 31 minutes ago
comment by Thorgen Kloppinson - "When the facts are ... (U1282)
posted 2 hours, 36 minutes ago
comment by JustCallMeTed (U21528)
posted 4 hours, 30 minutes ago
comment by Thorgen Kloppinson - "When the facts are ... (U1282)
posted 5 hours, 37 minutes ago
I think referees should be on a minimum £100,000 per year plus expenses, transportation and hotel costs paid for by the home club
=====
Naah, bad idea. Clubs should never pay a cent to or for referees.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
As long as what the home club must pay for is precisely defined, I see no problem. And I definitely agree that Ref's salaries for PL games should be in the ballpark of
£200,000 or more. Lower leagues a bit less.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Agreed, but if what clubs pay is defined they can just pay it to PGMOL and let them take care of their refs.
It's tricky because for example, which hotel will the home club pay for? Some are better or more expensive than others etc.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Yes, I thought of that...but I decided it was a bridge too far.
PGMOL can specify the hotel categories.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
For your information, from grass roots through to the PL the home club pays the referees match fee and travel expenses. This will also most certainly include hotel costs etc, however the match fee for the PL may be paid centrally but will ultimately come from the home club’s finances.👍
posted on 8/12/23
comment by GeniusGreaves (U1302)
posted 8 hours ago
comment by JustCallMeTed (U21528)
posted 12 hours, 31 minutes ago
comment by Thorgen Kloppinson - "When the facts are ... (U1282)
posted 2 hours, 36 minutes ago
comment by JustCallMeTed (U21528)
posted 4 hours, 30 minutes ago
comment by Thorgen Kloppinson - "When the facts are ... (U1282)
posted 5 hours, 37 minutes ago
I think referees should be on a minimum £100,000 per year plus expenses, transportation and hotel costs paid for by the home club
=====
Naah, bad idea. Clubs should never pay a cent to or for referees.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
As long as what the home club must pay for is precisely defined, I see no problem. And I definitely agree that Ref's salaries for PL games should be in the ballpark of
£200,000 or more. Lower leagues a bit less.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Agreed, but if what clubs pay is defined they can just pay it to PGMOL and let them take care of their refs.
It's tricky because for example, which hotel will the home club pay for? Some are better or more expensive than others etc.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Yes, I thought of that...but I decided it was a bridge too far.
PGMOL can specify the hotel categories.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
For your information, from grass roots through to the PL the home club pays the referees match fee and travel expenses. This will also most certainly include hotel costs etc, however the match fee for the PL may be paid centrally but will ultimately come from the home club’s finances.👍
----------------------------------------------------------------------
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