Jump to content

Standard of Scottish Referees


MarkD1989KTID

Recommended Posts

Before I start this post....I need to say it's not just sour grapes based on Collums performance yesterday. This is something I've been scratching my head over for quite some time so here goes....

Why is the standard of refereeing in Scotland so bad?? 

Every week and every game there is big decisions in key moments that referee after referee continue to get horribly wrong (Aberdeen had a stonewaller turned down yesterday). 

What is it about referees in Scotland that make them so inconsistent and so poor compared to other countries and importantly how do we improve it? criticising them just makes them close rank and refuse to accept any responsibility burying their heads in the sand. 

Is it the program and academy they have to progress through that isn't working? is it the type of football played in Scotland that is too fast and robust for them to keep up? Do they need to go to other countries to watch competent consistent referees and learn and be tutored by them? 

I genuinely want to know people's thoughts on this....not just slagging them that's easy but real thought as to why they are so so bad...and how do we improve them? 

Their incompetence are costing teams points and they are costing people their jobs.....it has to be more deep rooted than they just aren't very good.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

From the top to the bottom there is an untouchable arrogance to them. I’ve been at Junior games where they walk about full of themselves. It goes right through to the top level. Guys like Walsh, Dallas and McLean walk about like they are the best in the business. They need someone in charge to knock them down a peg or two and bring them back to reality

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For a start, there's no consequences to making a game changing mistake. At least in England they miss a game if they mess up. 

Opening some sort of dialogue with teams and fans where they could maybe explain their thinking would help, but they're so arrogant that they don't like to do that. I'm sure Collum realised pretty quickly yesterday that he had made a mistake with the Dicker sending off but heaven forbid he accept that and back down. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, MarkD1989KTID said:

I think we need technology as soon as possible to help Scottish refs. Agree about the arrogance...if you watch them they have no conversation with players no decisions explained....that only frustrates everyone and there's no relationship from what I can see between ref and player.

We have the technology to help them already........ well Dignitas do. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I can fully understand that in real time it is difficult and they generally err on the side of caution (not giving penalties when they would give fouls in the middle of the pitch). Players cheating make it all the more difficult.

However it is the inconsistency of the officials that drive me daft. Soutar's pull back on Jones was the easiest decision the ref could make yesterday, he thought about it and decided no yellow card.  

Collum had a bad game yesterday but I am normally happy with his officiating.  However I feel the likes of Dallas wants the game to be about him and wastes games with his arrogance.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It is very simple.

There is no sanction at all for poor performance and they are only accountable to (basically) themselves.

For the "career" refs like Spawn of Satan and Louis Walsh, they know that so long as they don't upset Messrs King or Lawell they can pretty much do what they like, and believe that even if they make the biggest howler under the sun no-one in the papers or telly will really care if it's in a game involving the diddy teams. To feather their nests even more, a wee bit of cheating in favour of the boys from Govan will always go down well in the career stakes.

The FIFA list ones are completely untouchable - brought through via a Lanarkshire cabal that makes the Masons look transparent. The statistics about the origin of Scotland's FIFA list referees over the last 15-20 years makes eye-popping reading. Even the "normal" refs resent these pricks and most of the strutting arrogance is vested in these guys. At the moment I think the FIFA ones are Satan, Walsh, Clancy, Thomson, Collum, Cheatin' Beaton, McLean and True Blue Bobby Madden.

Even outwith the FIFA group, there is a massive concentration on refs whose origins are in the Lanarkshire and Glasgow associations, and within that a massive concentration of guys who grew up supporting Rangers RIP.

The Israeli referees' couple of games showed everyone exactly how s**te our ones are  - we can but fantasise that the pampered primadonnas' "strike for respect" had ended with them all getting their P45s and us getting the Israeli guys permanently. 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The champions league goals show on BT is normally a good watch when one of our finest get a game in the big competition. It’s usualy the panel struggling to come to terms with some of the decisions they make. You’d think for their bosses would be embarrassed but it seems to have little bearing on the referee development. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree that refs here are not biased but just rubbish at their job.

The thing is, they walk about as if they are the most important people on the park.

 

Collum, Dallas, McLean, Walsh, Clancy, they all look as if they want to be seen. 

The best refs are unseen. 

 

In saying that yesterday’s game was a difficult one to referee.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Collums performance yesterday was a disgrace worst ref in Scotland. I was at the game yesterday and there were 3 or 4 occasions during the game When there was thrown in decisions to be made and he looked at the linesman who had no f**king idea either  which way to award the throw inn. Basically the linesman is guessing. Collums ment to be the ref not the bloody linesman. Getting paid good money to ruin a game of football. 

Refs seem to forget that people pay hard earned money to go to football. 

In the first half he must have stopped the game every 2 mins for petty fouls. I could go on. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As much as yesterday’s game was difficult to referee he made it hard for himself. I wouldn’t suggest being card happy but his decision to either let things go or award free kicks with no talking to or booking gave the players on both sides too much room. He quickly lost control of the game.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In my youth I shared a flat with a guy whose older brother was a top, top Scottish ref . A bigger , more egotistical Sherman tanker you will never meet . He had a s**t, boring job but once he got on that pitch he was god . I saw him send off a number of players in a Queens Park v ( I think ) Stenhousemuir match . All of them unjustified but he just loved the attention . Anyway , I’ve rarely seen a Scottish ref that is halfway competent never mind good . The current bunch are beyond parody. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Its simple guys.....to be considered to be an elite referee you should need to be registered as having 'PLAYED' the game at a reasonable level whether that is amateur or junior or what!! these guys who are refs who have obviously not   been players are the problems> they have no idea as to the nuances of what happens on a football pitch physically morally or mentally! Its a bit like me reading up on the rules of hockey or basketball which \i have never played,.....becoming an official without ever playing the sport.....knowing the rules..but not understanding the 'rules on the pitch' and officiating at a match and being deemed to be so wrong by the supporters who have played the grass roots game for years.....I despair!!

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree that refs display arrogance, but they have a difficult task on occasion when players abuse them. I was at Troon v Pollok a couple of weeks back and the attitude of the Troon captain to the ref was shocking. Mind you, the way he talked to his own players demonstrated that he should never have been skipper in the first place. 

Have a look at this link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YUF9LSXAkY . The ref is clearly displaying confidence bordering on arrogance but he makes his point, firstly by explaining the law and the offence, and then by placing his marker about his authority. Watch the reactions of the players. Sadly, he compares what is expected in rugby versus football in sarcastic terms, but it really just shows how the standards of authority and respect are perceived to be different. It's how you sort that which is the problem. Refs need to be better, players need to be respectful and coaches must impose discipline. 

Use of TMO / VAR is really important, although still subject to interpretation. You will generally get the correct decision in the context of the game/offence, but it is not infallible. It does, however, give the officials a few vital seconds to step away from what could be a match changing decision, perhaps have a discussion, and approach the final call with a fairly clear head.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Arrogance is the consistent theme and I agree with that. Perhaps the pool of refereeing 'talent' is so small in Scotland that it helps generate that attitude?

In these days of easier international travel is there a case for foreign refs? Cricket has managed it for test matches after all and there must be less money in that.

Surely referees who came in occasionally would be less likely to be swayed by reputations and (maybe) past conduct and the whole twisted sisters thing?

The only objection would be lack of understanding and sympathy for the Scottish Game but it seems to me player behaviour has forfeited that and after all it's supposed to be an international game played in accordance with the same rules.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...