Scottish FA to consider introducing foreign referees to Premiership

[hawkeye 1,039]

 By gollum

BBC Scotland's Chris McLaughlin

The Scottish Football Association will consider changes to refereeing and disciplinary procedures, including proposals to introduce officials from overseas.

It follows a heated meeting between the SFA, the compliance officer and the 12 Scottish Professional Football League premiership clubs on Monday.

BBC Scotland understands an agreement was reached for an SPFL working party to look at fundamental change and report back with proposals.

These could be introduced as early as next season.

A number of clubs expressed concern about the standards of refereeing and are in favour of increasing the pool of grade one referees by calling on officials from England, Wales or even further afield.

There was also much debate around the issue of compliance, with most clubs in agreement that the current system needs to change.

Stewart Robertson says SFA disciplinary system needs addressing

Rangers managing director Stewart Robertson said on Tuesday that Scottish football is "re-refereeing" games under the present disciplinary system.

"That is placing intolerable pressure on the referees, which places pressure 

on the compliance system and disciplinary system," he added.

Clare Whyte took over as compliance officer from Tony McGlennan in August to become the third person to hold the post.

The duty of the role is to oversee the judicial and disciplinary process at the Scottish FA.

Referees feel under threat - analysis

Clubs questioning the standard of refereeing in Scottish football is nothing new - it happens to varying levels most years but this year it feels different. Not since 2010 has there been such focus on the failings of officials.

Back then referees felt undermined to such a level that they withdrew their services. Foreign officials stepped in until the dispute was resolved. Could the talk of foreign officials force similar action almost a decade later? It could if the SPFL and the referees can't find common ground.

There's little doubt the men in the middle feel under threat. Some clubs will now try to convince them that foreign help could actually be a benefit.

It will be a hard sell in a pretty tense and often toxic landscape.

[SuperLeeMcCulloch 2,330]

Obviously something needs to change but I don't see how bringing in foreign refs helps, if anything it will effect the refs we already have even more.

Here's a crazy idea, make the officials you have already full time then maybe have a discussion about VAR rather than spend an obscene amount hiring other refs.

[TEFTONG 60,076]

I wonder if they will hire Sean Shamus Fergal and Finbar and just have them refereeing Rangers games. ??...

Red card every 1st half and every stonewall penalty denied until the end time...

[Malvern 11,329]

52 minutes ago, TEFTONG said:

I wonder if they will hire Sean Shamus Fergal and Finbar and just have them refereeing Rangers games. ??...

Red card every 1st half and every stonewall penalty denied until the end time...

Yeah I was thinking every ref would be crossing themselves and coming from Italy or Eire.

[mitre_mouldmaster 21,509]

1 hour ago, SuperLeeMcCulloch said:

Obviously something needs to change but I don't see how bringing in foreign refs helps, if anything it will effect the refs we already have even more.

Here's a crazy idea, make the officials you have already full time then maybe have a discussion about VAR rather than spend an obscene amount hiring other refs.

Ive never really got the 'full time' argument if im being honest.

What kind of extra training do they need? Will them being full time suddenly make them aware that a studs up challenge by Brown is a red card, just like it is with other players? 

[TheKingObv 10,639]

3 minutes ago, mitre_mouldmaster said:

Ive never really got the 'full time' argument if im being honest.

What kind of extra training do they need? Will them being full time suddenly make them aware that a studs up challenge by Brown is a red card, just like it is with other players? 

Full time ref = better money = attracting better referees into the game.

But yeah you're right, being full time doesn't actually make you better, just attracts better refs.

[SuperLeeMcCulloch 2,330]

1 minute ago, mitre_mouldmaster said:

Ive never really got the 'full time' argument if im being honest.

What kind of extra training do they need? Will them being full time suddenly make them aware that a studs up challenge by Brown is a red card, just like it is with other players? 

I'm not saying its the answer far from it but surely you have to try that before using VAR and other means, it wouldn't solve everything but if anything I think it would give a bit of consistency to them, they get taught the rules together and have them constantly drilled into them and also make a system were they are independently marked by a superior who decides whether they had a good game, if they had a bad one demote them a league or 2 for a couple of weeks.

[RangersMedia 35,961]

I agree with Robertson on this one.

The old system was fine to a point.

We have, at most, 18hrs of footage to review a week, from 12 top flight games, weekend and midweek. Its not massive.

Go back and review instances of violent conduct, diving, etc. Wooly things like bad tackles, etc... they are part of the game and open to far wider interpretation.

Example with McGregor. Yes, he is wreckless and as a single incident it could easily be red. My complaint is there are countless examples this season, even in our own team, where similar hasn't been red carded or cited for review. I don't think the McGregor thing is particularly remarkable in the sense of bad tackles, I don't even understand how that can be cited and the Ajer incident not - as that was 100% a red card and intentional violent conduct. 

I say support our own referees and simplify the system! The review system is as inconsistent as a referee, seeing it in real time.

[Gazza2258 478]

2 hours ago, mitre_mouldmaster said:

Ive never really got the 'full time' argument if im being honest.

What kind of extra training do they need? Will them being full time suddenly make them aware that a studs up challenge by Brown is a red card, just like it is with other players? 

Possibly, but more time for training than they have now, fitter, especially the linesmen who struggle to keep up a lot of the time, and prob more importantly it may attract a better standard of ref to the system as a career.

[billscott 2,463]

2 minutes ago, Gazza2258 said:

Possibly, but more time for training than they have now, fitter, especially the linesmen who struggle to keep up a lot of the time, and prob more importantly it may attract a better standard of ref to the system as a career.

as i said in a previous thread most refs have good well paid jobs would you give that up to go full time when you could get bombed out a few weeks later if you gave a decision against celtic  the premier refs currently get 1000.00 per game  that not a bad wee sideline for them also i dont think fitness is the problem  it is lack of football knowledge and the use of common sense

[RangersMedia 35,961]

Need the extension built, we will hire a part time builder and heh I will let a part time mechanic loose that £100k Porsche, he does it as a side line from his full time job.

Full time professionals will always be better. Yes they will give baffling decisions, get things wrong and have bad games, but thats the nature of refereeing. Overall the trend will be upwards. After 10 years or so, with people who have actually came through the full time system from scratch the standard would almost definitely be better.

[Gandalf the Blue 1,384]

If its to be a mixture of foreign and domestic refs, then the taigs will now just moan when its our turn to have a Scottish ref

I don't think this problem goes away unless you have VAR and refs have to explain their decisions given from it

[magic8ball 27,901]

Aye let's go get foreign refs .

What are the people calling for this expecting .Are they expecting 2 or 3 top refs from some of the big leagues .

What they are going to get is lower level refs from Albania Israel etc much th3 same as last time. 

Are these guys going to be any better .probably not .

And I really can't see why the taigs are calling for this .the facts are down in black and white .they get less cards per foul than any other team .most teams are about 5 to 7 fouls per card then we have a huge spike in the stats .with them sitting at almost 11 per card .that tells it's own story .

 

Also it's no coincidence to me that since the last time they brought in foreign refs and the flawed compliance system there has been a huge decline in standards of refereeing .

It's the system and those at the helm that need removed .not the refs 

[rangersross 6,530]

In fairness to them, if you're an executive board that sets up a working body to produce an exhaustive list of solutions to a crisis in any industry, you'll inevitably get some absolute stinkers. That said, whereas a competent board can easily discount the ludicrous suggestions that a blue-sky research exercise is bound to produce, the SFA are stupid and inept enough to genuinely consider this sort of shite. 

[Laudrup1984 25,100]

I have watched a lot of foreign football over the years, particularly Spanish, Italian, World Cups, European Championships, Copa Americas etc with a bit of everything else too. Quite honestly some of the refereeing you see abroad is just as appalling. Even in England you have parodies like Mike Dean! 

[eejay the dj 31,964]

On ‎20‎/‎02‎/‎2019 at 10:25, hawkeye said:

 By gollum

BBC Scotland's Chris McLaughlin

The Scottish Football Association will consider changes to refereeing and disciplinary procedures, including proposals to introduce officials from overseas.

It follows a heated meeting between the SFA, the compliance officer and the 12 Scottish Professional Football League premiership clubs on Monday.

BBC Scotland understands an agreement was reached for an SPFL working party to look at fundamental change and report back with proposals.

These could be introduced as early as next season.

A number of clubs expressed concern about the standards of refereeing and are in favour of increasing the pool of grade one referees by calling on officials from England, Wales or even further afield.

There was also much debate around the issue of compliance, with most clubs in agreement that the current system needs to change.

Stewart Robertson says SFA disciplinary system needs addressing

Rangers managing director Stewart Robertson said on Tuesday that Scottish football is "re-refereeing" games under the present disciplinary system.

"That is placing intolerable pressure on the referees, which places pressure 

on the compliance system and disciplinary system," he added.

Clare Whyte took over as compliance officer from Tony McGlennan in August to become the third person to hold the post.

The duty of the role is to oversee the judicial and disciplinary process at the Scottish FA.

Referees feel under threat - analysis

Clubs questioning the standard of refereeing in Scottish football is nothing new - it happens to varying levels most years but this year it feels different. Not since 2010 has there been such focus on the failings of officials.

Back then referees felt undermined to such a level that they withdrew their services. Foreign officials stepped in until the dispute was resolved. Could the talk of foreign officials force similar action almost a decade later? It could if the SPFL and the referees can't find common ground.

There's little doubt the men in the middle feel under threat. Some clubs will now try to convince them that foreign help could actually be a benefit.

It will be a hard sell in a pretty tense and often toxic landscape.

People have a go at the SFA all the time . Remember the SPFL is the 100% corrupt towards the scum . Without a shadow

A working group organised by these scum bags . We know how this is going to go

 

 

[eejay the dj 31,964]

1 hour ago, Laudrup1984 said:

I have watched a lot of foreign football over the years, particularly Spanish, Italian, World Cups, European Championships, Copa Americas etc with a bit of everything else too. Quite honestly some of the refereeing you see abroad is just as appalling. Even in England you have parodies like Mike Dean! 

I think they will  only be including refs from Serbia ,Croatia , Poland , Italy and Rep of Ireland as part of the proposals

[Essandoh 21,194]

Something an old Eastern bloc country would do in the face of mass corruption. How embarrassing.

How about the Scottish Government drop their independence pish and invest in the country’s national sport? There is money there.

Get rid of plastic pitches and make refs full-time.

[72barca 1,788]

According to Brenda tonight the referee cost them big time. He was German. He must have forgotten what Ireland did for Germany during WWII.

F**k foreign refs. The plan is now dead.

[.Williamson. 82,019]

6 hours ago, 72barca said:

According to Brenda tonight the referee cost them big time. He was German. He must have forgotten what Ireland did for Germany during WWII.

F**k foreign refs. The plan is now dead.

What has Ireland got to do with anything?

[SuperPapac05 3,383]

SFA will do anything to pander to and please their bheasty mhasters. 

[72barca 1,788]

1 hour ago, .Williamson. said:

What has Ireland got to do with anything?

Well, let's see now. In the WWII they let the Germans dock and fuel in Ireland, allowed them to offload fifth columnist spies, lit lights in Dublin, Belfast and Glasgow at various times to assist the Germans in bomber raids.
I thought it was kind of funny for an Irish club to exhibit outrage to a German ref when they are so closely linked. Especially when the Irish club are leading the thrust to bring in foreign refs for the SPFL.

[.Williamson. 82,019]

42 minutes ago, 72barca said:

Well, let's see now. In the WWII they let the Germans dock and fuel in Ireland, allowed them to offload fifth columnist spies, lit lights in Dublin, Belfast and Glasgow at various times to assist the Germans in bomber raids.
I thought it was kind of funny for an Irish club to exhibit outrage to a German ref when they are so closely linked. Especially when the Irish club are leading the thrust to bring in foreign refs for the SPFL.

They aren't an Irish club 

Also it is nice of you to rewrite history and say Belfast and Glasgow also had lights on to help the Luftwaffe. Are you seriously suggesting that when Belfast was hit there were people in Belfast helping it to be hit just to get one over on the other community?

[G.E.C. 18,718]

The Dutch ref we had against Spartak was terrible. 

[72barca 1,788]

6 hours ago, .Williamson. said:

They aren't an Irish club 

Also it is nice of you to rewrite history and say Belfast and Glasgow also had lights on to help the Luftwaffe. Are you seriously suggesting that when Belfast was hit there were people in Belfast helping it to be hit just to get one over on the other community?

Have you ever seen a blue Saltire or a UJ at the piggery? Why were they originally founded again?
Parkhead was closed down during the war because they shone floodlights at the time.
More plastic paddies (they can be heard calling the Spanish police 'dirty orange bastards) support that club than there are Irishmen in Ireland.
p.s. I read that the fenian element in Belfast showed lights for the German bombers during the blitz on the Belfast shipyards, might be wrong.