Referee’s- are they getting worse?

[clive40golf]

Watching BHA game tonight and I have to say the referee is of Sunday league level. How he has missed the two blatant penalties for Brighton ( luckily Var corrected). It looks like the standard of refereeing worldwide is at an all time low.
How do change this downward spiral? Should there be a level of football a player has to achieve, so they have an understanding of the game, before they can ref matches ?

[Bosscat]

Why was that stamp on Lamptey not a straight red ... VAR should have sent the Ref to look again

[Vegas Claret]

the worst set of officials I've seen in a long while

[box_of_frogs]

We mock the Brit refs, but some of the dross from Europe is another level of rubbish.

[clive40golf]

the worst set of officials I've seen in a long while

But how can they combat letting this level of refereeing happening again.
Just remembering our match on Monday night, referees ineptitude could cost clubs points/money/passages to the next round in knockout matches & even relegation.

[tarkys_ears]

Hah. Watched the MLS or specifically a Miami game?

Refs are clearly instructed. It plays out more scripted than WWE

[Quickenthetempo]

It's getting harder to ref, the players have got cheating down to a fine art.
The first Brighton penalty wouldn't have been awarded as he simply went down of his own doing after contact. In two motions.
A genuine trip, that used to earn a penalty would be all one movement.

When I played, players used to want to outstrength the opposition, so going down would be the last option.

Last week, a player hit the deck after being poked in the eye.
The only time in the world, where you would go to ground with a poked eye.

It's impossible to ref a game properly now, but I can't accept their mistakes from VAR.

[Spijed]

The difference nowadays is that there is far more scrutiny of decisions, that's all.

Whereas back in the days of Clive Thomas etc. there was little in the way of post match analysis. When he famously blew his whistle in the match between Brazil & Sweden, denying Brazil a goal, it would have been talked about far more now, than it was then.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDfV35ddpu0

[IanMcL]

They are getting wrapped up in the var

[aggi]

Players are being taught to dive during training, any contact (and sometimes no contact) from the shoulder upwards results in a player on the floor clutching their face, there are way more cameras scrutinising everything.

All those make it much more difficult to referee and much more obvious if there is an error. I remember watching games on tv where a player would go down off the ball and no-one would ever know what happened as there was no camera pointing at it, that doesn't happen now.

Add to that, laws are constantly being "evolved" to add more nuance which makes them much harder to enforce.

[Eyesofblue2]

In one respect I do sympathise with them. With all the VAR nonsense and the ever changing directives, especially on handball, the opportunity for them to use their common sense and experience has been stripped away. The poor buggers must not know if they're coming or going, a lot of them are now out of their depth, and it shows.

[Funkydrummer]

The main thing at play here, I think, is that they don't have to try
too hard, as most decisions can be viewed/ corrected. They have
a ready made backup so need only go through the motions and run
about a bit.

Safety in technology as far as they are concerned. I've mentioned this
before on here but we sit in the Bob Lord not too far away from the linesman
and they are clearly instructed to not give any signals/decisions untill they
are instructed to do so by the referee in their earpiece. Clearly instruction
issued prior to KO.

Many a time it's laughable to see the linesman dithering with his little flag.
Not needed anymore in reality.

[dougcollins]

I actually found the officials in the Championship better. They have to give instant decisions, particularly offsides.

Nowadays, when the PL officials end up in a ground with no VAR (in a cup game) they make a proper mess of it. Totally reliant on VAR.

[Nonayforever]

Refs aren't getting worse it's the job that's getting worse.

When rules and directives are continually changing, plus the scrutiny, its no wonder they take the easy option.
Won't be long before they have to fill in forms in-between the action.

[AlargeClaret]

Technically , Refs are better than ever ,better training fitness , etc . It’s the sheer ( often hysterical ) over scrutiny of every challenge , tackle , coming together ,push ,elbow and ultimately any contact at all that seems to ruin the prem .

[timshorts]

We mock the Brit refs, but some of the dross from Europe is another level of rubbish.

But their var corrected the clear and obvious errors - whereas ours just makes things worse.

[Hipper]

I'd love them to go on strike.

[addisclaret]

" any contact (and sometimes no contact) from the shoulder upwards results in a player on the floor clutching their face "

I absolutely despise this cheating, particularly when it's contact with chest or shoulder but they go down holding their face. VAR should be watching for this and the players dragged to the pitchside monitor and be shown it and embarrassed in front of the whole stadium, or world if it is a TV game, then given a yellow card.

[bfcjg]

Problem is a diminishing pool to choose from. Younger refs leaving in droves ,no one actually wanting to become refs. Abuse main factor but the agenda from disgruntled managers and players implying they are not actually part of football has to end. I'm still furious about Monday but what can you do until such refscsre dropped into non league and replaced by top refs, but they aren’t there.

[ijkay]

are they getting the attitude of if i am not sure VAR will correct it no guts anymore

[ijkay]

are they getting the attitude of
if i am not sure VAR will correct it
no guts anymore

[PremierLeagueClass]

We mock the Brit refs, but some of the dross from Europe is another level of rubbish.

By and large I’ve always found European refs to be streets ahead of ours.

[Awayfromburnley]

Ref's are human. They make mistakes, as do the actual players.

The scrutiny of each ref is ridiculous though. VAR Should have eased their pressure but it has accentuated the pressure on them.

I believe that if players were not allowed to argue with refs as with rugby, then they may be more relaxed and make more decisions based on their knowledge and experience.

Let's face it, you don't reach prem league level reffing by being rubbish. Something else is causing them to make errors.

[dougcollins]

Mike Dean just supported us, as ever, on Soccer Saturday - not a handball.

Dawson and Merson disagree.

[Les Lawrence]

Dawson who played for Forest,and Merson who doesn't know what day it is

[dougcollins]

Absolutely.

[1968claret]

Mike Dean just supported us, as ever, on Soccer Saturday - not a handball.

Dawson and Merson disagree.

And that is the problem with VAR in a nutshell. The expectation is that it would mean every decision would be correct. But so often, what is correct, is highly subjective. Even with this decision, which we all feel is cut and dried, others will disagree and see it slightly differently.
I am just not sure any more, I was originally in favour, that VAR is suited to football. Too many key decisions will always be subjective.