Referees: An Essential Element of Football or an Outdated Tradition?

Referees: An Essential Element of Football or an Outdated Tradition?

Referees play an essential role in football as they are responsible for enforcing the rules of the game and ensuring fair play. However, like any human being, referees are not perfect, and mistakes can happen. Some people argue that referees should not be on the football pitch because their decisions can sometimes be controversial and influence the outcome of the game. 

On the other hand, others argue that without referees, there would be chaos on the football pitch, and players would take advantage of the situation by breaking the rules. Referees are trained professionals who are knowledgeable about the game and can make impartial decisions based on the rules of the game. 

Furthermore, technology has been introduced in recent years to assist referees in making decisions, such as goal-line technology, which helps determine whether a ball has crossed the goal line or not. The use of technology has reduced the margin of error in refereeing decisions, making the game fairer.

In recent years, technology such as VAR and goal-line technology has been introduced to help referees make more accurate decisions in a timely manner. While this technology can add some extra time to the game, it ultimately aims to reduce errors and ensure that the correct decisions are made. 

However, while technology has improved the accuracy of refereeing decisions, it is important to remember that it is not fool proof and can sometimes create its own controversies. Additionally, the use of technology can sometimes slow down the pace of the game and disrupt the flow of play.  I previously wrote an article about the future of technology in football, which you can read by following this link.

There is a perception that referees in football do not receive the same level of respect as referees in rugby. While it is difficult to compare the two sports directly, there are several factors that may contribute to this perception. 

One factor is the nature of the sports themselves. Football is a fast-paced game with a lot of physical contact, which can sometimes lead to heated exchanges between players and referees. Rugby, on the other hand, is a sport that places a greater emphasis on sportsmanship and respect for the referee. 

Another factor is the way that referees are perceived and treated by the governing bodies and media in each sport. In rugby, referees are often praised for their role in upholding the integrity of the game and ensuring fair play. In football, referees are sometimes criticized by fans and media for their decisions, and there is a perception that they are not always supported by the governing bodies. 

Until the referees gets respect that they deserve, them being on the football pitch only hinders what they are doing on the pitch. Players shouting back at the referees are not a good sign, referees are supposed to be an authority figure on the pitch. We see players surrounding the referees and swearing at them, this has become the norm, so much so that in grass root football or 5 a side games you would see kids & teens screaming and swearing at the direction of the referees.  
In rugby the referees gets mic’d up and everything gets put on the stadium and everyone can hear it, if the players are rude, talk back or even swearing to the referees they would get a telling off or get sent off.  

I believe the referees need more help by the FA officials, but until that happens, I don’t see why referees should be on the pitch. Everything can be done over the speakers, free-kicks distances can be measured and showed on the pitch with lasers, this why it would be more accurate instead of the referee walking and calculating it with his steps. I have seen so many times when a team breaks away on a counter and the ball hits the referee, the play is then stopped the moment completely shatters, the defencing team regroups gets all their men back into a defensive structure, the play then restarts with a drop ball with one person competing in the drop ball.  

Catch you in the next one