Padfoot
The Persecuted One
One of the very few things I haven't had much involvement with in football, is the appointment of officials to cup games....mainly for semi's and finals for the purposes of this thread.....
Just having a glance over who has been semi final appointments on our youth county cups.....and it's truly frightening. Over the years I have lots of experience of these colleagues, from being on the line to them, to them running the line for me, and from watching them officiate games my son has played, not to mention other semi's or final's they have had in the past.
Out of the ones that I have seen this season (none of them are promotion candidates, being all "more mature" colleagues and with no intention to go further), if I had been observing them, they would have all been "below standard" at best, in one or two cases "well below standard".
So how the hell do they get appointed to these games? Nowhere more than then youth game is the corruption of club marks more apparent.....and because it "doesn't matter" no one bothers to quality check it.
I would rather these semi's and final's are given to promotion seeking candidates who have demonstrated good standards then just given to the best scoring ref's on the youth leagues......who are often scored highly because they failed to issue cards when required, failed to dismiss for the blatant DOGSO, or in some cases, have issued cards, but then told the players/coaches not to worry because they wouldn't put them in.
This is what is wrong with refereeing at the moment.....and this is what is causing the rise of poor player behaviour....because they come through the youth leagues expecting referees not to enforce the LOTG......and the CFA's and leagues perpetuate it by appointing these slackers to their youth finals because teams consistently score them highly for not doing their jobs!
Just having a glance over who has been semi final appointments on our youth county cups.....and it's truly frightening. Over the years I have lots of experience of these colleagues, from being on the line to them, to them running the line for me, and from watching them officiate games my son has played, not to mention other semi's or final's they have had in the past.
Out of the ones that I have seen this season (none of them are promotion candidates, being all "more mature" colleagues and with no intention to go further), if I had been observing them, they would have all been "below standard" at best, in one or two cases "well below standard".
So how the hell do they get appointed to these games? Nowhere more than then youth game is the corruption of club marks more apparent.....and because it "doesn't matter" no one bothers to quality check it.
I would rather these semi's and final's are given to promotion seeking candidates who have demonstrated good standards then just given to the best scoring ref's on the youth leagues......who are often scored highly because they failed to issue cards when required, failed to dismiss for the blatant DOGSO, or in some cases, have issued cards, but then told the players/coaches not to worry because they wouldn't put them in.
This is what is wrong with refereeing at the moment.....and this is what is causing the rise of poor player behaviour....because they come through the youth leagues expecting referees not to enforce the LOTG......and the CFA's and leagues perpetuate it by appointing these slackers to their youth finals because teams consistently score them highly for not doing their jobs!