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AMATEUR v PROFESSIONAL
REFEREES 26-8-08
On my
regular online Q&A session with the fans last Monday on FansOnline.net,
I received the following question:
Do you think that since refs have become professional, the respect
for them has dropped?
It seems to me that when they just got expenses, the players
respected them more as they knew that without them, there wouldn't
be a game.
Since they turned professional, the players know they are now
paid to do a job and should do the job properly, and that respect
has since gone.
Make refs amateur again and players will respect them more...
Keeno
Jeff's reply
Keeno, I honestly believe that you could not be further from
the truth. Perhaps you should ask the same question to the players.
In my experience, referees got a lot more respect when they
went full time.
Firstly, let me correct you on your terms of amateur and professional.
Referees in the professional game have always been paid a fee
and expenses, therefore they were never amateur.
There is a shortage of refs at the moment across the whole of
football - what do you think the situation would be if people
did not get paid? Even in local football, refs get a fee and
it is taxable, just like any other income.
A higher salary does not guarantee a better performance but
players, who are very financially motivated, have a lot more
respect for a referee who is deemed to be a "Pro" than someone
who is not.
The few refs who are full-time have the time to train and prepare
for games just like players do and earn a decent income for
doing so. The money that refs are on in comparison to players
is minute but still acknowledges what they do in the game. It
should actually be a lot more considering the pressures and
responsibilities. Outside of the Premier League, the money that
officials get is nothing short of a joke.
The subject of Respect for officials is currently under close
scrutiny. Many will harp on about the fact that refs will only
get respect if they don't make mistakes. Well that will never
happen because there never will be a referee who does not make
mistakes, just like there will never be a player who is perfect
either.
I think that if you ask the manager of any club or any player
if referees are fitter now thanks to full time training, they
will tell you they are.
Also the credibility of someone who has given his all to a career
(albeit, on a one year contract!!) will always be greater than
someone who just does games on a Saturday.
Since full-time refs were appointed, the old player taunt of
"It's our livelihoods at stake" can now be answered by a ref
with " It's mine also".
Since Philip Don had the foresight to push for full-time refs,
there have been more plusses than minuses. It has not worked
perfectly due to continued mismanagement and that needs to be
addressed quickly.
I hope that someone does not knee-jerk and do away with full-time
refs as that would be a backward step.
Best Wishes
Jeff
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