This isn't entirely referee related, but more so my experience of this forum in an 'open blog' style way. I've decided to leave the forum (nobody will mind, I didn't highly contribute) but with my personal experiences of this forum, I've felt it's lost it's way. I joined 3 years ago as a new referee and found it to be highly beneficial to learn tricks of the trade, and gain opinions and guidance on situations I had problems with on the pitch. Unfortunately, I feel this has slowly progressed into a place where you have to watch what you say before you get jumped on, be told how it used to be OK and patronised for getting something wrong. Everything becomes a blame, whether that's a referee telling us about an error they made, law changes, VAR etc and rather than discussing the scenario at hand and saying how things can be changed for the better, somebody has to be told they are wrong. The majority of referees here are genuinely trying to help and credit to them, but it takes too long to filter through particular messages to gain the advice, if by that stage it hasn't already gone off track.
I noticed another thread which had somebody state similar problems, and I hope this forum doesn't continue to progress down this route as at one stage, it was a genuine benefit for me. I unfortunately no longer feel this benefit and just feel frustrated.
I noticed another thread which had somebody state similar problems, and I hope this forum doesn't continue to progress down this route as at one stage, it was a genuine benefit for me. I unfortunately no longer feel this benefit and just feel frustrated.