Refereeing inconsistency. What would YOU do?

[Guest Col city fan]

The issue has arisen again in the post match thread of Refereeing inconsistencies affecting the outcome of football matches. Red cards are issued like confetti. One ref will give something, another won't etc. This of course leads to huge debate post match.

What would you do? Video evidence? Sin bins? Referees giving explanations of their decisions?

Opinions please.....

[foxes161]

Football hawkeye

[Webbo]

It's part of the game. I wouldn't do anything.

[Fox92]

Nothing. It's how the referee perceives it. 

 

The trouble is all this analysis doesn't make referring easier. Sky sit there for 10 minutes showing the reply 6 or 7 times, just like MOTD do nowadays. The decision is the decision and that's it, the referee gets one look at it. It is tough. 

 

I've seen Huth 'grappling' (shall we say) for the majority of the season. No mention of it on here. Yet when his shirt is pulled off everybody goes on one. You win some, you lose some.

 

I'm getting fed up of all this referee talk now. 

[mozartfox]

You will always get inconsistency between referees. What should be stamped out is inconsistency in the same match by the same referee. Jon Toss being the prime example. If you are going to pull someone up for tugging in the box, fine, fine but every instance should then be treated the same. Same for all alleged diving. Consistency is the best we are going to get as different officials appear to have different interpretations of the laws of the game, which is odd I must day. Seems only football has this type of adjudication.

[TiffToff88]

I think referees should be made to attend post match press conferences. As soon as they have to try to explain their bizarre decisions, they will stop making them!

[DJ Barry Hammond]

When you are dealing with rules that are open to interpretation, one off situations, referees that officiate games in line with personality traits, the influence of external factors (crowd / player influence) and the need for split second decisons you will NEVER get consistency - in a way, it's actually stupid to suggest it can be possible.

The clear example of this is the fact that there hardly ever seems to be concensus on decisons from fans - the Vardy one being the classic example where we had 3 different scenario's being thought of as the correct decision.

It's the rule book that needs work, in order to make the decisons surrounding fouls and hand ball more clear cut.

[DJ Barry Hammond]

I think referees should be made to attend post match press conferences. As soon as they have to try to explain their bizarre decisions, they will stop making them!

Worst idea ever - that would just put them under pressure the next time they appeared. You'd end up with so many conflict of interest referees, there'd be none left.

[peach0000]

maybe there could get rid of part time referees in the football league and make them all professional, which in turn would mean the best of the football league referees would be given a chance to get better earlier and faster and would eventually lead to a better quality of referees in the premier league.

[Livid]

There aren't enough referees coming through the ranks.

What we have isn't exactly the cream of the crop but the best we've got. The problem is the likes of Moss aren't the men we want in charge of a billion pound league where individual league places are worth millions and players earn tens or hundreds of thousands per week. High stakes, so yes they make a bad decision players/managers/the media will be on their case.

The FA know due to lack of numbers the quality isn't there so they aren't going to question or criticise those they have got.

Frustration all round.

[Clever Fox]

Referees should be inconsequential to the games. Sadly though their having to much effect on results. This clearly cannot be allowed to continue.

The honest integrity of the game is greater than the whims of some official.

 

It was clear to me that Moss had it in for Vardy from the off. simply because he conned him in the Everton Game.

But then the suits after viewing video evidence that the first yellow was never a foul should have rescinded the red but given him a suspension for descent.

 

Sin Bin and Video is the way forward. That way we will get more correct results instead of some of the crazy decisions we get now.

[Dodgy Bob]

When you are dealing with rules that are open to interpretation, one off situations, referees that officiate games in line with personality traits, the influence of external factors (crowd / player influence) and the need for split second decisons you will NEVER get consistency - in a way, it's actually stupid to suggest it can be possible.

The clear example of this is the fact that there hardly ever seems to be concensus on decisons from fans - the Vardy one being the classic example where we had 3 different scenario's being thought of as the correct decision.

It's the rule book that needs work, in order to make the decisons surrounding fouls and hand ball more clear cut.

See what you're saying but I think you're letting referees off a bit lightly there. Moss decides a headlock in the box isn't a foul but a light brush against the back is, that's not because the rules aren't clear - when it comes to headlocks, they are - it's because the ref is incompetent.

Likewise, when Oliver issues two yellows for pull backs by Drinkwater but fails to issue a yellow on Rooney for a more obvious pull back, again, it's not the rules at fault, but the referee.

Personally, I'd like the FA to be more open about how they train referees. Today's refs are well paid professionals, they should have a demanding schedule of professional improvement between games. There should be lots of money being spent on ensuring referees are getting the best possible physical and mental training. Watching Moss, it's hard to imagine he doing anything other than sitting in his pants eating takeaway pizza between games.

[Christoph]

Give 4th officials more power and a tablet with the game on so they can watch replays in detail. Then they can give the referees better feedback on hard decisions

[jammie82uk]

As much as we winge and complain about it nothing can really be done

As you mentioned it, it does look like video technology could be used in the future depending on test results in the Italian leagues but that won't solve everything as it doesn't in other sports it's used in

As for the refs themselves they are going to make mistakes as they are only human and we are not gonna get consistency between refs because the rules are open to Interpretation And If I'm honest it doesn't bother me as such if in one game a ref will give something another don't as long as they are consistent in that game

Yesterday for example and have seen it a few times this season Michael Oliver refereed the game differently in both halfs

2nd half he Starting pulling up players for things he let slide a multiple of times in the 1st half

It's no wonder players and fans can get frustrated by that

[HighPeakFox]

I'd be unwilling to referee myself, so cannot imagine what it must be like for these guys. Yes they are sometimes dreadful, but as long as it is not corrupt, leave it alone. There's only more scrutiny because we have this wall-to-wall coverage, so once again TV and media own the game ever further.

[Guest kristianity77]

Just introduce a challenge system like in Tennis.  2 or 3 calls per game, to be made by the captain that can be looked at by a video ref. So when Grey got pulled down yesterday by Rooney, Morgan can ask ref to refer it.  30 seconds later, video ref calls foul, Rooney second yellow.

[wardyfox86]

Nothing. It's how the referee perceives it.

The trouble is all this analysis doesn't make referring easier. Sky sit there for 10 minutes showing the reply 6 or 7 times, just like MOTD do nowadays. The decision is the decision and that's it, the referee gets one look at it. It is tough.

I've seen Huth 'grappling' (shall we say) for the majority of the season. No mention of it on here. Yet when his shirt is pulled off everybody goes on one. You win some, you lose some.

I'm getting fed up of all this referee talk now.

This!

I would worry for every corner we concede if video refereeing was introduced.

A video replay of yesterday's sending off could have revealed a penalty, or a dive. Replaying those sort of decisions would make no difference as the footage is still inconclusive and just reading the forum you can see the split opinion.

All it would do is put more pressure on the referee to get the decision right, with all the available avenues at his disposal.

[DJ Barry Hammond]

See what you're saying but I think you're letting referees off a bit lightly there. Moss decides a headlock in the box isn't a foul but a light brush against the back is, that's not because the rules aren't clear - when it comes to headlocks, they are - it's because the ref is incompetent.

Likewise, when Oliver issues two yellows for pull backs by Drinkwater but fails to issue a yellow on Rooney for a more obvious pull back, again, it's not the rules at fault, but the referee.

Personally, I'd like the FA to be more open about how they train referees. Today's refs are well paid professionals, they should have a demanding schedule of professional improvement between games. There should be lots of money being spent on ensuring referees are getting the best possible physical and mental training. Watching Moss, it's hard to imagine he doing anything other than sitting in his pants eating takeaway pizza between games.

Referees are taught to show restraint early on in the game - because it gives them difficulties in game management later on - so that's just one example where referees are actually encouraged to be inconsistent (and fans tend to back this).

Pushing / pulling in the box - the real difficulty here is 1.) deciding who is committing a foul on who 2.) the sheer number of players doing it. 3.) the instinct to watch the ball

That is why you will find most of those incidents draw nothing from the referee. Its too hard to call, you can't properly focus on 4 or 5 separate sets of players all within an instant and know who has been doing what which is why Huth has got away with loads. Of course if it's obvious (like when Morgan had two arms outsreched pulling back Reid) that's when a call is often made.

The thing is, if referees were 100% consistent and got every decision correct - fans would hate it, because the game would be stopping all the time and we'd have many more games of 9 vs 9 or stupid things like that.

[The Doctor]

The lack of consistency between referees (the challenge on Vardy that got labelled a dive, and the foul by Drinkwater that got the second yellow were exactly the same) is annoying, but that's just something you have to accept from having humans refereeing and giving room for common sense to be applied rather than going for if it hits a hand, if there's contact, foul regardless of the circumstances.

 

Problem is more the likes of Moss, and to a lesser extent Oliver, who don't show consistency in the same game - Vardy pulled back and goes down easily, dive. Reid pulled back and throws himself down - penalty. Rooney pulls back to stop Grey getting into the box, no foul, Drinkwater pulls back to stop Depay getting into the box - second yellow; How you fix that though is practically impossible - the referee will always be able to just say "I didn't see it properly, if I had I'd have given it" if him missing a controversial decision is put to him.

[Guest]

Main ref to be in a studio with a team of video experts relaying decisions to a muppet on the field.

[yorkie1999]

Get rid of video replays and ban cameras from football matches. We had none of all these fouls, constant penalty appeals and retrospective bans before technology took over.

[fuchsntf]

Oliver did nothing wrong, IMO he didnt simply see Rooney-Gray incident.

He didnt recognise the DD Y/R incident as a penalty, he was wrong, but heyho.

Fans get their opinions wrong every week and they often have a better view.

Moss, judging a dive was wrong (it may of been), but no way could of or should of

called it, opinions shouldnt count, that was also Gallagher error he opinionated

a thought of what a player was trying to do.

FFs there are so many easy dives to recognise, that wasnt boxable.

The FAs around the world could ease the situation tomorrow...

Grappling in the box, no thought no opinions, its black n white in the rules,

any player pulling pushing with intent, with arms, hands or complete body is a foul.

So we should be seeing next season 5-10 penalties in everygame around the world,

then Players, managers, even ignorant bias fans will begin to realise.

Then refs will be protected within the simplicity of the 'GOOD OLD RULES'

The rest is as it is..there will be mistakes, eyes concentrated elsewhere, other human error

moments...but stop the grappling and tomorrow 99% of fans will be satisfied.

No matter what !! the refs will always be a willy puller.....its just a simple Anglo-saxon thing,

and a great chant of the terraces...

I do believe also the 4th ref should be more involved,

have his own technical area, with monitor.Also linesman should

more involved and openly be seen supporting the ref, like in Rugby.

Maybe if we get more technical, then fans have to show more understanding,

there will be teething problems.

Another thing ,All top 4 divisions should have goal line technology...

there is enough money, that should be handed down, maybe introduced a division

Per season.

One more request..For me the Sunday post match thread, was ruined in part, due to

too many reactions or silly opinions on refs performance, instead of concentrating

on our team and individual performances, and obviously the great draw.

The ref this Saturday, didnt have a poor game taking into account penalty area incidents,

Within all football Then ,in fact spot on with Simpson and Lingaard, from his angle with

Mahrez pen, I didnt agree with no descision given, but heyho..we got away with somethings..

.

[Fox92]

Just introduce a challenge system like in Tennis.  2 or 3 calls per game, to be made by the captain that can be looked at by a video ref. So when Grey got pulled down yesterday by Rooney, Morgan can ask ref to refer it.  30 seconds later, video ref calls foul, Rooney second yellow.

 

Tennis is a stop-start game though, football isn't. I don't want the game to be stopped just so players can debate something. 

[Tuna]

How difficult would it be to have a fourth official with a live feed micced up to the ref It would take 30 seconds to look at the replay and say yay or nay to the man in the middle.

[Strokes]

It sometimes takes two or three replays before I've decided for sure what happened, I give the refs abuse sometimes but honestly, it's a thankless job. I really don't think Oliver had a terrible game, he wasn't biased and a lot of those decisions were tough. People calling for Rooney to be sent off should take a look at his first booking, which was harsh IMO. It's swings and roundabouts, we've not done bad this season really.