A&H

Michael Oliver movement

The Referee Store
You can see how hard and fast he's sprinting for that 2nd Gallagher goal, but he looks so slow compared to the players hahaa
 
It was very clear to me that since his return he put in a high degree of work rate. During this fixture, he made multiple successive sprints and continual movement around the FOP. He looks fresher.
 
RefGod said:
It was very clear to me that since his return he put in a high degree of work rate. During this fixture, he made multiple successive sprints and continual movement around the FOP. He looks fresher.
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Earned himself a trip to Dubai to celebrate I reckon
 
I have it good account that he had a problem with fitness at the start of the season. Body Fat %
I have a similar problem with Body Muscle %
 
Images of Michael early in his career show a very different figure to the physique he has now despite the retention of a pouch. This is common with other referees like Mike Dean, Martin Atkinson and even Clattenburg. More recently, Sam Barrott has made noticeable changes to his BF%.

I know many disagree, but I maintain that the BF% needs to be introduced much lower down the pyramid and made stricter. As Michael has demonstrated however, BF% doesn't necessarily equate to fitness or fluidity of movement during matches.
 
RefGod said:
I know many disagree, but I maintain that the BF% needs to be introduced much lower down the pyramid and made stricter. As Michael has demonstrated however, BF% doesn't necessarily equate to fitness or fluidity of movement during matches.
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BF% will probably get ditched
Can't be fat shaming :rolleyes:
 
Big Cat said:
BF% will probably get ditched
Can't be fat shaming :rolleyes:
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Which may well be the case. There are some PL footballers such as McGinn who are well over 18% BF. It isn't necessarily indicative of fitness but based on perception. I would bring the requirement down to L3 at 15%, L4 18%. Currently, Step 1 ARs are not mandated to complete a BF test.

Not to side track, whatever Michael's BF is now, which I suspect to be no more than 16%, he is clearly fit and looking fresher than before his hiatus.
 
RefGod said:
Which may well be the case. There are some PL footballers such as McGinn who are well over 18% BF. It isn't necessarily indicative of fitness but based on perception. I would bring the requirement down to L3 at 15%, L4 18%. Currently, Step 1 ARs are not mandated to complete a BF test.

Not to side track, whatever Michael's BF is now, which I suspect to be no more than 16%, he is clearly fit and looking fresher than before his hiatus.
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you'll lose a huge percentage of 4s instantly and prevent a huge number from ever thinking about it. bad idea imo

i was never the fittest 4 but never unfit. no clue what my bf % was but no chance it started with a 1, maybe not even a 2.
 
RefGod said:
Which may well be the case. There are some PL footballers such as McGinn who are well over 18% BF. It isn't necessarily indicative of fitness but based on perception. I would bring the requirement down to L3 at 15%, L4 18%. Currently, Step 1 ARs are not mandated to complete a BF test.

Not to side track, whatever Michael's BF is now, which I suspect to be no more than 16%, he is clearly fit and looking fresher than before his hiatus.
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BMI or straight up BF… what specifically?
 
RefGod said:
looking fresher than before his hiatus.
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He went on hiatus? I knew he had a few weeks off but I just thought that was something to do with falling out of favour with Howard Webb/PGMOL potentially. I did wonder why his numbers were lower than normal.
 
es1 said:
you'll lose a huge percentage of 4s instantly and prevent a huge number from ever thinking about it. bad idea imo

i was never the fittest 4 but never unfit. no clue what my bf % was but no chance it started with a 1, maybe not even a 2.
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You'd lose a significant percentage of L3s as well. Fitness was always the strongest part of my game but I was never anywhere near 15% BF, pretty sure the lowest I ever got was about 17%. But I dread to think what percentage of L4s are above 18%, I'd be amazed it it wasn't more than 50%.
 
As an aside on movement, has anyone noticed Sam Barrott's style of movement? He moves around like a boxer does in the ring, constantly going round in circles, and even moves with his left arm higher than the right. Might just be me, but what him the next time he is on a game.
 
RustyRef said:
As an aside on movement, has anyone noticed Sam Barrott's style of movement? He moves around like a boxer does in the ring, constantly going round in circles, and even moves with his left arm higher than the right. Might just be me, but what him the next time he is on a game.
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I have noticed that. When he refereed Wolves vs Forest, I spent most of the game watching that arm because it was so obvious.
 
RustyRef said:
As an aside on movement, has anyone noticed Sam Barrott's style of movement? He moves around like a boxer does in the ring, constantly going round in circles, and even moves with his left arm higher than the right. Might just be me, but what him the next time he is on a game.
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He's always done that. Well for the last 12 years or so. He's a good lad, very much in the mould of MO and AM. Hard working match officials and genuine people..
 
RefGod said:
Which may well be the case. There are some PL footballers such as McGinn who are well over 18% BF. It isn't necessarily indicative of fitness but based on perception. I would bring the requirement down to L3 at 15%, L4 18%. Currently, Step 1 ARs are not mandated to complete a BF test.

Not to side track, whatever Michael's BF is now, which I suspect to be no more than 16%, he is clearly fit and looking fresher than before his hiatus.
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You're right, currently Step 1 ARs are not mandated to do a Body Fat test. And a significant number of the list (roughly 100 officials) would likely fail.

That said, in their 'current shape', they are currently delivering above 95% accuracy on their KMD decisions. And from my experience (over the last three seasons), the primary causes of those few incorrect decisions are poor comms or mistaken judgement regarding offside position / offence rather than poor positioning relating to inadequate fitness.
 
I accept my view is based on perception and personal bias knowing that I am comfortably under 18% in my natural state. I have been a Step 1 AR in the past and whilst the accuracy may be high, it's a level that deserves a professional appearance. There is one in particular who consistently finishes in the top 5 but will never get to the EFL due to his BF.
 
RefGod said:
I accept my view is based on perception and personal bias knowing that I am comfortably under 18% in my natural state. I have been a Step 1 AR in the past and whilst the accuracy may be high, it's a level that deserves a professional appearance. There is one in particular who consistently finishes in the top 5 but will never get to the EFL due to his BF.
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And that is a concept that should be challenged. The fitness test is there for a reason, if you can pass the fitness test you should be allowed to officiate at that level whatever your body fat percentage. If the authorities are worried that leads to a few "fatties" letting the team down, even though they are getting all decisions correct, make the fitness test more difficult and then wonder why they are short of officials.

I know a recent L3 who passes the fitness test but will never get his BF under 20%, it just isn't going to happen. But he is a very good referee, the clubs like him, observers like him, why should he be booted out because he doesn't conform to the right body shape? That really falls under body shaming, and in the current climate that is never, ever going to be acceptable.

All I am waiting for now is for Keith Hackett to champion body fat limits, that really would be the ultimate pot calling the kettle black 😂
 
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