Refereeing Standards

[davethegrave]

Frequently I was bemused by some of the refereeing decisions in our matches last season.

I've refereed myself in the past although no higher than Sunday morning park football so i know it's a difficult job to do. But we see so much holding, pushing and foul throws that seem to go unpunished. Are we just biased or is the standard declining?

[skillspaybills]

It's not an easy job but the level of incompetence we see week in week out is what pisses me. Some are completely arrogant with it aswell..

Then again I saw a Reading player take a throw on 10 yards into the pitch on Sunday. I genuinely hope it got pulled back because that is dire if so. At any level..

I know a young lad who's pushing hard to go through the tiers as a ref. I do hope to see some fresh faces as some of these refs are poor in every game I see them.

[pinewalker]

This topic can keep us going all Summer!
The pushing and holding at corners/free kicks stems from the laws defining in play. The ball isn't in play until it is struck by the boot of the taker, and before it is in play free kicks or penalties for pushing and holding cannot be awarded. An addition to the law adding 'positioned for play' when the ball is on the corner D or where the free kick is to be struck - and extending the awarding of free kicks and penalties to that time might cure it.

The foul-throw seems to have been eliminated in Europe as regards that part of the law which requires 'released above the head'. Players' hands can be seen still on the ball at eyebrow level when throwing short. In the VNL there are 2 persistent foul-throwers I noticed, the Barrow player who throws effectively one-handed, and the Boreham Wood player who deliberately puts horizontal spin on the ball.

A provision completely ignored is the lack of requirement for a player to leave the field when he receives brief treatment on the field as the result of a foul challenge 'and the aggressor was cautioned'. I understand refs do not tell a player who is walking off to the sideline that he need not do so, they expect the player to know.

[davethegrave]

I'm talking about holding and pushing when the ball is in play. It happens all the time.

And what I see is Foul Throws where the player does not have both feet on the ground. Unfortunately Louis is guilty of this too.