Comments for Players should learn the ropes of reffing at http://www.wsc.co.uk , comment 0 to 14 out of 14 comments http://www.wsc.co.uk Mon, 13 Feb 2012 10:08:45 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.2 http://www.wsc.co.uk/content/view/4891/38/#pc_1684 Oh, I can see the possibilities inherent in this. Just imagine-- Lee Bowyer, referee. Robbie Savage, referee. Joey Barton, referee. Oh, yessss..... :) - leebatt Sat, 13 Mar 2010 02:10:53 +0100 http://www.wsc.co.uk/content/view/4891/38/#pc_1677 It's worth noting that there are several stages of qualification to becoming a top referee. Doing a course to reach the most basic grade doesn't entitle me to argue with a professional ref, it just qualifies me to referee youth games. For a pro, it would mean having no excuse for ignorance of the game's laws, not a passport to argue the toss. Dissent by word or action is, as all players of course will know, a yellow card offense. - imp Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:12:15 +0100 http://www.wsc.co.uk/content/view/4891/38/#pc_1676 "I could see the player who is the qualified ref being the one who is tactically deployed to hang on the referees shoulder, give his opinion and all that" if this would be an effective tactic why has this not been done before? With regard to Keith, I have seen him argue with refs but without a significantly different outcome to anyone else. I am most in favour of the pundits and commentators having the training. I know that producers often instruct pundits to pull out the referees perceived mistakes as it creates a talking point to fill 15 minutes, it's far easier to grasp than tactical analysis. If they will insist on doing this could it not be based on knowledge? It is (vaguely) akin to unqualified people who make packaging for tablets complaining about the way a proffessor has used the laws of chemistry to produce a drug. - Lincoln Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:20:27 +0100 http://www.wsc.co.uk/content/view/4891/38/#pc_1675 If professional footballers completed a referees course and exam on the Laws of the Game, they would just manipulate that as a new way to 'get at' the ref eg "you have to listen to me, I'm a ref too" etc. It's the nature of the professional game. I could see the player who is the qualified ref being the one who is tactically deployed to hang on the referees shoulder, give his opinion and all that. Same applies for managers. Only rarely does their criticism of referees highlight a lack of knowledge of the laws. It usually consists of second guessing as to why decisions were made, and blinkered interpretations of incidents, all designed to play the victim. Like with footballers, a refereeing course and exam on the Laws of the Game won't change their approach. - Roches P.A. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:36:22 +0100 http://www.wsc.co.uk/content/view/4891/38/#pc_1674 Heh, I did think about that flipside - in fact I've already thought about how I might fall into the trap of, erm, gently arguing my case with referees as both a player and a coach, pompously citing my new qualification. But presumably, Bishopville Red, you're not playing in a professional league - at the top end you won't get the kind of frustrating ignorance of the laws you sometimes get with referees in the amateur game. I'm not daft enough to think there would be no arguments or controversy, but I think that as qualified referees themselves, players will have no excuse for not knowing better. Every game I've watched this week has featured players clattering in for reckless tackles (eg, Steven G), taking players out, then getting yellow cards while moaning at length about how they 'got the ball'. - imp Wed, 10 Mar 2010 11:15:46 +0100 http://www.wsc.co.uk/content/view/4891/38/#pc_1671 Just to play devil's advocate, I became a bigger critic of refs after I got my ref's license. I was qualified, therefore I was in as good a position o call bullshit on the ref. Or so I thought... Sadly, I've corrected (yes, I actually was right, they were not) the refs in my league often enough to "justify" my naughty dissenting behaviour. I've also suffered the outrage of getting carded because the incompetent shite in the middle was not fond of being corrected. Nothing worse than eating that shit sandwich because the ref doesn't know the rules. I hate refs. End of. SB - Bishopville Red Wed, 10 Mar 2010 03:15:53 +0100 http://www.wsc.co.uk/content/view/4891/38/#pc_1670 It may just be an Australian Rugby League thing but a number (possibly a majority) of TV and radio commentators have their ref's ticket. Whether or not this makes them a better judge of what is going on on the field (especially in Greg Hartley's case) is a moot point. - Gratius Falsius Wed, 10 Mar 2010 03:02:50 +0100 http://www.wsc.co.uk/content/view/4891/38/#pc_1669 Especially the pundits - especially the ultra-lazy Lawrensen. They also ought to learn the rules of the competitions - Line Acre was spouting guff about it was unfair that Pompey should loose 9 pts - they spent money they didn't have to win the cup - i.e. they cheated the other teams - such a penalty is warranted - and in fact rather light. - Red Adder Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:59:27 +0100 http://www.wsc.co.uk/content/view/4891/38/#pc_1668 Bah, apologies for the "there/their" typo. - tratorello Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:36:13 +0100 http://www.wsc.co.uk/content/view/4891/38/#pc_1667 Excellent article. I can only echo what's been said about TV and radio pundits, they should be forced to take a yearly referees exam to make sure that there knowledge of the Laws is up-to-date and correct. - tratorello Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:35:26 +0100 http://www.wsc.co.uk/content/view/4891/38/#pc_1666 It would be nice if the likes of ITV, Sky and the BBC insist its pundits, for lack of a better word, pass a refereeing exam. - The Exploding Vole Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:33:35 +0100 http://www.wsc.co.uk/content/view/4891/38/#pc_1665 Yes. And let's have Steve "If you know the rules of the game, you're a saddo" Bruce first in the queue, please. At the very least, it should be mandatory for all players to read You Are The Ref of a Sunday. - sebpatrick Tue, 09 Mar 2010 14:23:19 +0100 http://www.wsc.co.uk/content/view/4891/38/#pc_1664 Excellent article. Really enjoyed that. - Mighty Mudhsuden Tue, 09 Mar 2010 13:27:12 +0100 http://www.wsc.co.uk/content/view/4891/38/#pc_1663 Ian Plenderleith is Alex Ferguson's Nom de Plume - Chirpy Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:53:37 +0100