We all know the things that happen in the World Cup - they happen every time - an injury to a big player, a major nation facing early elimination, great games, shoot-outs and more. And you can add to that list 'refereeing controversy'. So I thought I'd treat you to some refereeing tidbits you really should know ahead of the German Fussballfest, and pose a few questions to which I have no answer...yet.
The major thing that I notice about this year's line-up of officials is that the list is much smaller than in the past. Just 22 referees will share amongst them the 64 World Cup encounters. Last time there were 36. There should have been 23 this time, but the Italian contingent has been pulled from the list.
FIFA actually selected 44 referees, then whittled this down to the 23, now 22, that we have. Aside from my concerns voiced last time about whether referees who do not regularly officiate high-profile games being asked to do just that on the biggest stage possible, I think the system makes perfect sense.
The trouble is, pooling referees then selecting what they feel is la crème de la crème means they have no excuses. "One or two major mistakes have been made which is a concern," said FIFA spokesman Keith Cooper during the last World Cup. This was a World Cup which saw FIFA President Sepp Blatter also publicly criticise the standard of assistant referees then take such a stance on refereeing standards in the latter stages of the competition that he apparently appointed the semi-final and final refs personally. He also wanted an overhaul of the refereeing selection process. And he got it.
But this means that if the standard of refereeing is deemed to be poor (and I mean by the powers that be, not the British tabloids) the buck stops at the top. So the decision has been made to have the draft-like process, and to cut the number.
One reason given for the smaller group being taken to Germany is this will give the referees more time on the pitch, because they, like the players, get sharper the more they play - they need match fitness too.
I think that's fair enough. And the end of the day, it's a craft, the same as playing, and like any craft the more often you practice it, the better, in theory, it should become. The obvious observation for me, off the back of this, is that the youngest of the referees in this year's competition is 32-year-old Aussie Mark Shield. Valerin Ivannov of Russia is the oldest at 45 years of age. Prominent referee Marcus Merk is 44 and our own Graham Poll is 43. This question will I'm sure be asked.
It was a point brought up by Arsenal's Jens Lehmann, sent off in the Champions League final by Rune Hauge (who was in the original 44-man group but isn't included in the final party) stating that he wondered whether the referees are able to keep up with the game these days, hat the game has got so much quicker that the old legs would struggle. I think this is a very fair comment on the whole, but it shouldn't come into play here.
If the referees are the '33rd team' at the World Cup, as Herr Blatter referred to them, then it's ironic that they have cut their team down to a similar size as the countries involved. And they are not held back by nationalities like international managers are. These 22 should be the best anywhere - their age should not be an excuse.
Okay, Pierluigi Collina may be unique in the sense that he's the only popular referee who has ever lived, but the reason for this is that he is almost certainly the best ever. The Pele of referees. I think, and most I'm sure would echo this, the fact that an age limit made him resign seems ridiculous as age was no limit to him. He was the best, and probably still would be (when's the last time anyone stood toe to toe with Gordon Ramsey in a shouting contest like he did at Soccer Aid?) if he was still at it.
So no Collina. No Kim Milton Nielson (the nine-foot-three one who sent Becks off), no Anders Frisk (cheers, Jose), no Urs Meier (altogether: 'aaaaah'). So what will we see?
Well you will see all the officials hooked up with technology. No, not refs in the stand or sensors in the football, but the officials will be miked up for communications. This has been seen before, in Champions League games etc, but it's a first for the World Cup. FIFA have been really big in the run-up to this World Cup on the nature of teamwork. You will probably have heard about officials being in 'teams'. For example, English referee Graham Poll will be accompanied in most of the matches he refs by his assistants Phil Sharp (who ran the line in the 2002 final) and Glenn Turner. Both Englishmen, and evidence of FIFA's theory in practice.
Teams will not always be the same nationality, but it's pretty close. You will see three-man teams from the same European countries, but footballing hotbeds such as Benin could only muster up one linesman, and no compatriots have traveled to accompany Singaporean referee Maidin Shamsul. However, every single official, in order to qualify for this competition, has had to pass written and oral English tests. I am not familiar with how similar the native tongues of Egypt and Rwanda are, but it should matter not. If they are struggling, they can fall back on English, and FIFA have tried to keep the teams within either the same confederation or native language.
Something else I think is a great piece of news is that delegations of FIFA officials and referees will visit each of the squads. Talk is always of new directives and refereeing clampdowns, but as I often say, referees are like traffic police. They might make some dopey rules and enforce them very strictly, but unfortunately, that's the law. If a policeman knocks on your door and lectures you on national speed limits, then you get done tomorrow going 45 in a 40 zone, more fool you. I'm not saying I don't do it, but there is no excuse.
So I am pleased that the players and coaches will be informed of how the laws will specifically be enforced this year. I just wish they'd stop by the television studios to inform ex-players that the rules have actually changed since they stopped playing. But anyway, my point is that I will not defend refs who make a cock-up, but I will defend them if they are simply implementing what their bosses have asked them to.
What to look out for? Well it seems to have been said before, but the tackle from behind is on the agenda. And this is not just for scything challenges through the back on someone. I think it will be very harsh, but don't be surprised, especially from a ref in their first big tournament desperately trying to impress, if you see a red card for a deliberate trip. Those who are familiar with my thoughts on the game will know that I hate cheating and dangerous play, but a bit of rough and tumble in football should not only be tolerated but encouraged. I'm not vindicating players go round tripping each other up. And if it happens when someone is
clean through then fine, send him off.
But seriously, a trip equals a red card (I sense you don't believe me, but it's a genuine guideline this year). That's nonsense for me. Red cards should be reserved for prevention of goals and seriously hurting, or trying to hurt someone. Book them for tripping. And fine, send them off for a second. But let's not get carried away down a poor avenue. Hopefully more of the sensible referees will 'get it' and use their brains a little.
The other areas on the clamping-down agenda are exactly what you would expect. Elbowing, time-wasting and diving. Fair enough, I think you'll agree. Although I can't wait to see someone swinging an elbow, missing, and the intended victim acting like he was shot. Then they both get sent off for respective offences. Hilarious.
The World Cup is about the football, not about the officials. The frequently-quoted refereeing adage is that a good referee should not be seen. This is not 100% accurate, but is generally true. I think a very good referee will be noticed, because their handling of the game will need to be brought to the fore at times. But on the whole, the idiom is true.
Hopefully we won't have multi-page splashes in tabloids urging people to flood referee's websites. It's nice, sometimes, for me to have a nice juicy incident to write about. But I care too much about football, and therefore this competition, to be selfish about it. If there's a controversial incident or talking point to be written about, I hope that Philip Cornwall and co will do the business and that I don't have to be in the chair.
I am now off, however, to find out what odds I can get on the spread betting coupon for 25 or more red cards (there were 17 last time). Not that I'm a pessimist or anything...
