JOINT PUBLICATION OF FA LEARNING AND THE REFEREES ASSOCIATIONVOLUME 24 JANUARY 2015

REFEREEING

From grassroots to World Cup Final

How Howard Webb became one of Englands greatest referees

Contributors:David Elleray, Alex Horne, Daniel Meeson, Adam Gale-Watts, Simon Breivik, Mike Mullarkey, Tom Nield, Mike Gardiner, Roger Vaughan, Inga Jemison, Phil Knight, Mark Horlick, Jane Simms, Sharleen Watkins, James Gould, Kieron Salmons, James Whittaker, John Key, Will Finnie

Editorial Team:David Elleray, Ian Blanchard, Peter Glynn, Thomas Coupland

Design:David Mills, James Howle, Aadil Mughal

Image Recognition:Getty Images, FA Learning

Acknowledgements:The contents of Refereeing are copyright ofThe Football Association. No articles, features or anyaspects can be reproduced or photocopied withoutwritten permission of The Football Association.The views of this journal are not necessarily those ofThe Football Association or The Referees Association

Published By:FA Learning,The Football Association,St. Georges Park, Newborough Road,Needwood, Burton-Upon-Trent, DE13 9PD

Website:TheFA.com/Refereeing

Email:FALearning@TheFA.comra@footballreferee.org

The FA Crest is a registered trademark of The FootballAssociation. The Football Association 2004

RA-FA LIAISON COMMITTEE

Chairman

David EllerayChairman FA Referees CommitteePresident The Referees Association

The FA Referees Committee

David Horlick Vice Chairman

The FA Refereeing Department

Neale Barry FA Head of Senior Referee DevelopmentIan Blanchard FA Senior National Game Referee ManagerRoger Vaughan FA National Referee Manager Recruitment, Retention & DevelopmentDaniel Meeson FA National Referee Manager VolunteersKeith Stroud FA National Referee Manager Workforce

The Referees Association

Laura Ritchie RA Board ChairmanPaul Field Acting RA General ManagerAlbert Astbury RA External A airs Committee (Chairman)David Crick RA representative on FA Council; member of FA Referees Committee

The RA-FA Youth Council

Will Finnie Chairman

3

HANDSHAKE FOR PEACEPAGE 8

Foreword David Elleray 4

A Personal Perspective Alex Horne 6

Handshake for Peace David Elleray 8

O ciating in Cold Weather Simon Breivik 10

The Winters Tale Adam Gale-Watts 14

Ten Point Plan Roger Vaughan 16

Howard Webb: Refereeing Career 18

Howard Webb: A Refereeing Role Model Mike Mullarkey 20

Howard Webb: A Role Model for Young Referees Tom Nield 22

FIFA Lists 2015 + Referee Registration 23

Club Marks: Living by The Sword Mike Gardiner 24

Abandoning Games due to Serious Injury Mike Gardiner 26

The Football Association Development Group Inga Jemison 28

The Danish Exchange Daniel Meeson 30

Disability Football Mark Horlick 33

Latest from the Referees Association 34

Latest from the RA-FA Youth Council 40

A Successful Season So Far Sharleen Watkins 45

The Season So Far Jane Simms 46

HOWARD WEBB: A REFEREEING ROLE MODELPAGE 20

OFFICIATING IN COLD WEATHERPAGE 10

54

Foreword

We appointed Swiss FIFA referee, Stephan Klossner, to o ciate, which seemed most appropriate given Switzerlands neutrality in the Great War (as well as a Swiss referee being in charge when we beat Germany in the World Cup nal in 1966).

In this peaceful context, I am very pleased to focus in this edition on the Handshake for Peace concept (left) which was borne in South Africa in 2010 and was formalised at last years World Cup.

The idea is simple: at the end of the match the two captains and the referee meet and shake hands in a symbolic gesture that, after the battle of the match, peace, friendship and respect are restored.

I saw it working exceptionally well at the FA Cup nal in Oslo as it is takes place at the end of every senior Norwegian match. This simple gesture is attributed with leading to a much better atmosphere in Norwegian football, so please do take time to study what is becoming a growing sporting phenomenon.

Sadly, we also lost members of the refereeing family in 2014. Among the losses were Frank Hannah (Manchester FA), a former FA Referees Committee Chairman, and Pat Partridge, the former World Cup referee from the North East. We extend our condolences to their families and friends and to the families and friends of all referees who died in 2014.

2014 also saw Alex Horne, FA General Secretary, announce his departure from The FA. Alex has been a huge supporter of refereeing in England both directly and through his excellent work with the International FA Board (IFAB). He re ects on English refereeing in his farewell article.

This edition also includes plenty of winter season information and advice which we hope will be of bene t to everyone in the game, such as Simon Breiviks article on how to keep warm and reduce the risk of injury in cold weather which is reinforced for assistant referees by Adam Watts.

Roger Vaughan extends the cold weather advice to pitch inspection where the clear message is that if both teams do not want to play, then dont play. This is especially important where there is a safety risk such as frozen ground.

On the theme of matches not being played, or not nishing, there is an excellent article on how to deal with a serious injury, which is especially pertinent to those of you o ciating in grassroots football where medical experts, ambulances and facilities are usually not immediately available.

The FA Referees Committee and FA Refereeing department are committed to helping extend football and refereeing for all people, and so to that end we welcome the work in County FAs and by The RA and the RAFA Youth Council to increase the number of referees from all di erent backgrounds.

Equally, we are keen to increase the number of o cials operating in disability football, and this edition contains an inspiring article from the Liverpool CFA about how they have increased the number of referees involved in blind and cerebral palsy football.

Throughout the referee world there are inspirational stories and people, with one of those being Howard Webb who has moved from the eld of play to the stand. In this edition we re ect on his career and his in uence as a role model from a young referee and from one of his closest friends and colleagues, Mike Mullarkey.

On the subject of inspirational people, I am sure you will join me in saluting Brian Stevens, a former Football League referee from Gloucestershire, who just before the turn of the year refereed his 3000th match at the age of 75.

Brian is an inspiration to us all and I hope that those of you thinking of retiring at the end of the season might re ect on Brian and give refereeing at least one more year.

The clear message running through this edition is that there is so much help and advice available to you from articles and helpful people. A series of articles from the RA and the RAFAYC are timely reminders of how those organisations can assist, educate and support you, regardless of what level you are o ciating.

I wish you all an enjoyable and successful start to 2015 and I hope that the warmer than usual weather in 2014 continues and you do not need to inspect too many pitches.

Best wishes,

David EllerayChairman, FA Referees CommitteePresident, The Referees Association

FOREWORD

The idea is simple: at the end of the match the two captains and the referee meet and shake hands in a symbolic gesture.

2014 was an important year, not just for refereeing but for the entire nation.

Together we remembered those who paid the ultimate sacrifice 100 years before in the 1st World War, and to commemorate such a historic occasion an incredible Game of Truce took place in December between a British Army XI and a German Army XI.

76

A Personal Perspective: Alex Horne

My 11 years with The FA have been a tremendously signi cant period for me and my over-riding emotion is pride. Put simply, I am extremely proud to have served The FA, the global games oldest governing body, for more than a decade.

Last year, we marked our 150th anniversary and unashamedly spent a year celebrating the national game and especially those who make it happen week-in, week-out from the grassroots up. We also honoured our founding fathers, and men such as Ebenezer Morley, Charles Alcock and Arthur Pember were put back in the spotlight.

In particular, we recognised Morley. He was the man who penned the original Laws of the Game which in turn set association football on its fantastic journey. He was 32 when he called the rst meeting of The FA, about the age I joined as its Finance Director in 2003. I now nd myself sitting in the privileged position as a Director of The International Football Association Board, the body which oversees the Laws of The Game.

As an Association, we have played our part in the IFAB for 129 years, maintaining a conservative hand on the pen that can amend the Laws that govern the game; Laws that provide the universal simplicity that makes the game instantly recognisable and easily accessible, and which have allowed it to grow into the worlds largest and most loved sport.

Referees remain the local guardians of the game and our role has always been to protect and enhance their role as the nal arbiters of proceedings wherever the game is played. Our view remains that when amendments to the Laws, or introduction of new equipment or technology, can assist referees in their decision-making, these are times to be bold.

That is why The FA championed for a decade or more the introduction of Goal-Line Technology when others were sceptical and why we advocated the introduction of vanishing spay as an obvious advance.

It seems that every year we are commending our English referees and assistants for yet more top-class appointments. This year, Mark Clattenburg and his UEFA Super Cup team, Sian Massey and Marc Birkett, in particular, have led the way. Our top o cials are also acting as ambassadors for the great refereeing profession, and we are seeing numbers stronger than ever at all levels of the refereeing pyramid - I applaud the tireless work of The FA sta in the Referees Department and beyond who make this happen.

Our 150th anniversary allowed us to come together as an organisation and re ect on who we are and what we do as we go forward. The FA was a very di erent place a century and a half ago and indeed ten years ago when I rst arrived. However, our values remain the same as they ever have been, underlined by the strapline we developed to mark our 150th, supporting football since 1863.

No one does that more than our referees and I thank you for all that you do to keep the game alive in all corners of England.

As I write these words, my time at The Football Association is drawing to a close as I leave the organisation at the end of January 2015.

A PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE: ALEX HORNE

Our view remains that when amendments to the Laws, or introduction of new equipment or technology can assist referees in their decision-making, these are times to be bold.

The Handshake for Peace is a joint initiative by the Nobel Peace Center and FIFA, which aims to combine the global reach and power of football in a simple gesture that is symbolic of friendship, respect and peace in society.

HANDSHAKE FOR PEACE

The campaign was launched on 10 December 2013 at the FIFA Club World Cup in Morocco where the rst handshake took place between Aaron Mokoena and Morten Gamst Pedersen (below).

Since then it has become a component of the match protocol at all FIFA tournaments, and FIFA is contributing to the Nobel Peace Centers budget in support of its activities.

8

Handshake for Peace

9

By David Elleray, President of the Referees Association and Chairman of The FA Referees Committee

WATCH: THE HANDSHAKE FOR PEACE

Origins of the Handshake for Peace

The concept is the brainchild of the secretary-general of the Football Association of Norway, Kjetl Siem, who introduced it during his time as CEO of the South African Premier Soccer League in 2010.

Through Siems advocacy, FIFA embraced the Handshake for Peace in 2013 and it was formalised at last years World Cup as an integral part of the match protocol throughout the nal tournament.

DOWNLOAD: THE HANDSHAKE FOR PEACE AT THE 2014 WORLD CUP

The idea is simple: at the end of the match the two captains and the referee meet and shake hands in a symbolic gesture that after the battle of the match peace, friendship and respect are restored. The handshake has been developed in association with the Nobel Peace Centre, which is intimately involved with the Nobel Peace Prize.

The Handshake for Peace in Norway

With the Nobel Peace Center based in Norway, it is appropriate that it features strongly in Norwegian football the Handshake for Peace occurs at the end of every senior match and the reaction is very positive.

Indeed, the top-ranked Norwegian international referee Svein Oddvar Moen says that he has nothing but positive experiences with Handshake for Peace.

With its main focus on respect and fair-play, it has developed to become a very positive concept in Norwegian football. It provides a framework for mutual respect for both winners and losers. Time has now come to bring the concept to other nations and leagues.

The Chairman of The Norwegian Football Referees Association and FIFA-referee, Svein-Erik Edvartsen, says

Our experience is that the on- eld atmosphere has changed signi cantly after the concept was introduced.

READ: SVEIN-ERIK EDVARTSENS THOUGHTS ON THE HANDSHAKE FOR PEACE

There are now less negative comments about the referees in the media. Immediately after the post-game Handshake for Peace procedure is carried out, the captains of both teams are interviewed on the eld.

There are probably a number of reasons for the decrease in negative referee comments, but this interview is de nitely a key factor.

FIFAs commitment to this sporting movement was made clear by the FIFA Presidents letter prior to the 2014 FIFA World Cup nals.

READ: FIFA PRESIDENT, SEPP BLATTERS LETTER TO FINALISTS OF 2014 WORLD CUP

Another signi cant supporter of the Handshake for Peace is Gerard Piqu, who said: I regard this job as a calling and I believe we have a duty to ght for peace and justice wherever we can.

READ: THE FIFA WEEKLY INTERVIEW WITH NEYMAR AND GERARD PIQUE

The future for the Handshake for Peace

For those who believe in the power of football, the Handshake for Peace concept should spread throughout the world into football at all levels.

Its a simple act which refl ects the true spirit of sportsmanship and that, once the match is over, friendship and respect are restored.

Side 2

anything negative related to Handshake for Peace. On the contrary there have been numerous positive experiences. We are to be honest quite surprised by the positive effect of the concept and the total absence of negative incidents. We did not anticipate this and therefore view it as an underlining of the fact that new ideas should be tested before conclusions are made and that one should not be negative to novel and progressive ideas before they are tested. This definitely also goes for the family of elite-referees which by many is regarded as being conservative. It is our experience that the Handshake for Peace concept has had a positive effect on the on-field atmosphere during games. Negative post-game comments about referees are also reduced in numbers, something which probably - among other things - is related to the Handshake for Peace post-game procedures. Directly after these procedures are carried out, the captains of both teams are interviewed on-field. The reasons for reduced numbers of critical and negative comments about referees are probably multiple, but these interview directly after the Handshake for Peace procedures which now are widely accepted as important are undoubtedly a key factor. Various things can be said and done in the heat of game action. But there are no reasons for unsportsmanlike behavior after the game. The Norwegian Football Association has truly been successful in creating a framework for good on-field and off-field atmosphere and recognition of the fact that all actors are role-models. The Norwegian referee family has after one and a half season had a very positive experience with Handshake for Peace and we are looking forward to the continuation. Especially now that FIFA has decided to implement the concept. With best regards, The Norwegian Football Referees Association

Svein-Erik Edvartsen Chairman

There are now less negative comments about the referees in the media.

ke for Peace. On the contrary quite surprised by the positive effect of the concept

and the total absence of negative incidents. We did not anticipate this and therefore view it as anunderlining of the fact that new ideas should be tested before conclusions are made and that one should not be negative to novel and progressive ideas before they are tested. This definitely also

referees which by many is regarded as being conservative.

concept has had a positive effect on the ongame comments about referees are also reduced in ng other things - is related to the

game procedures. Directly after these procedures are carried out, the captains of both teams field. The reasons for reduced numbers of critical and negative comments about

rees are probably multiple, but these interview directly after the Handshake for Peaceare undoubtedly a key factor.

Various things can be said and done in the heat of game action. But there are nounsportsmanlike behavior after the game. The Norwegian Football Association has truly been

field atmosphere and recognition of the

n referee family has after one and a half season had a very positive experience with and we are looking forward to the continuation. Especially now that FIFA has

Inte

ntion

The Norw

egian Fo

otball Re

ferees

Associati

on was es

tablished

April

19th 198

6. The ass

ociation`

s

purpose

is to prot

ect the in

terests

of the act

ive refer

ees and a

ssistant

referees

in relatio

ns with o

ther

bodies w

ithin the

Norwegia

n

football

organizat

ion, and

also

actively c

ontribute

to the

recruitme

nt, prom

otion and

developm

ent of ref

erees and

assistant

referees

.

Board Svei

n-Erik Ed

vartsen

Chairman

Geir ge

Holen

Member

Vibek L

arsen

Member

Mads Ah

lsen

Member

Svein Od

dvar Mo

en

Member

Contact

inform

ation

Norsk Fo

tballdom

merfore

ning

v/ Geir

ge Holen

Rustadgr

ende 47

0693 Oslo

E-mail

gea-hol@

online.no

Account n

umber

6272 05 1

3825

Web

www.nfdf

.no

To whom

it may co

ncern.

Oslo 12.

August 20

13

Handsha

ke for Pea

ce

Han

dshake fo

r Peace is

a concep

t jointly d

eveloped

by the N

orwegian

Football

Associati

on and th

e Nobel P

eace Cen

ter in Os

lo. It com

prises

specific m

easures t

o induce

changes i

n perspe

ctives and

attitudes

and to

promote a

message

for peac

e.

Duri

ng his tim

e as a soc

cer execu

tive in So

uth Africa

, after hav

ing met w

ith

Mr. Nels

on Mande

la and his

support

ers, the G

eneral Se

cretary of

the

Norwegia

n Footba

ll Associa

tion, Mr.

Kjetil Sie

m, came

up with t

he idea fo

r

the conce

pt. Meetin

g with M

r. Mande

la and his

support

ers made

Mr. Siem

understan

d the vast

internat

ional sign

ificance

of the No

bel Peace

Price,

and how

importa

nt work w

ith peace

and frat

ernization

is for peo

ple

experienc

ing hards

hip and d

ifficulties

. It struc

k him that

the socc

er-society

in Norway

could de

velop a j

oint vent

ure with t

he Nobel

Peace C

entre.

The

concept H

andshake

for Peac

e is now d

emonstra

ted and p

romoted

trough a

specific

handshak

e perform

ed by the

captains

of the tea

ms in all

Norwegia

n top-soc

cer game

s, adopte

d as follo

ws:

T

he capta

ins of the

two team

s greet on

e anothe

r and the

referee

centerfie

ld prior t

o kick-off

. A TV-te

am is pre

sent to b

roadcast

sound an

d images

.

The c

aptains t

hank each

other and

the refe

ree after

the game

centerfie

ld throug

h a Hands

hake for

Peace. A

TV-team

is presen

t

to broadc

ast sound

and ima

ges.

Work i

s ongoin

g to arra

nge for a

rule allo

wing the

captains

of the

teams on

ly to con

fer with t

he refere

e during

the game

. Violatio

n of

this rule

is to be p

enalized

with a ye

llow or r

ed card.

This rule

is not

yet imple

mented.

As re

ferees, w

e were po

sitive to

the idea

and the c

oncept bu

t at the s

ame

time anx

ious as t

o how it

would w

ork in rea

l-life socc

er espe

cially afte

r

the game

. If, for in

stance, t

here imm

ediately

prior to g

ame-end

, or even

earlier, h

ad been

a contro

versial in

cident of

a nature

that wou

ld affect

the

remaind

er of the

game we

expecte

d that the

Handsha

ke for Pea

ce post-

game pro

cedure w

ould be a

major ch

allenge.

The Han

dshake fo

r Peace

procedur

e was firs

t tested d

uring the

2012 seas

on, and h

as now be

en in

effect for

a whole

season p

lus five m

onths a

ll league

and cup

games. N

ot

a single o

ne of the

top-leve

l referees

has in th

is period

experienc

ed

H A N D S H A K E F O R P E A C EH A N D S H A K E F O R P E A C E

Sarah Steiner (text) and Christian Grund (pictures)

Sport has the power to inspire and unite people. This state-ment from Nelson Mandela is familiar all over the world. The idea that football can change the world and make it a better place can sound lofty and even glib, but countless examples show the game do-ing exactly that (see page 12). To achieve big things you need big names. Headline-grabbing

events and an international stage are precondi-tions for global recognition. As the worlds gov-erning body, FIFA is in a position to meet this requirement by recruiting players as ambassa-dors, organising politically significant meetings and facilitating dialogue. The Handshake for Peace is an example of this kind of project.

A simple handshake forms the core of the initiative: two human beings offering each oth-er their hands as a universal symbol for peace and friendship. The project initiated by the Nobel Peace Center in Norway is a component of FIFAs mission to build a better future through football, headlined by the slogan It starts with you and me.

In the build-up to the World Cup in Brazil it has started with Neymar and Piqu, with the Barcelona stars joining forces to back the project. The players, whose backgrounds could hardly be more different, exchanged a handshake to send out a signal and stand to-gether for peace. One was born into humble surroundings and grew up with the ball at his feet on Brazilian beaches while the other comes from a middle-class family and is a carefully nurtured product of the famous La Masia academy. Without football their paths would surely never have crossed. But talent and determination has brought them togeth-er and they are now jointly campaigning for the good cause. Football has taught me you can achieve anything in life if you really want it. It can set things in motion so its our duty to use our popularity for a good cause, Neymar declared.

The new PeleBorn to a mechanic and a home help in Mogi das Cruzes, 40 km to the east of Sao Paulo, football played a defining role in Neymars life from the start. As a kid he played on precipi-tous coastal streets. Playing downhill is more difficult, Neymar reckons, because of the abrupt stops required after a full-on sprint, and that has become one of his trademark

moves today. At the age of 11 he joined the FC Santos youth academy, Meninos da Vila, and was later identified as one of the greatest po-tential talents in the world game. Pele felt he could be better than me, and TIME magazine dubbed him The next Pele. He scored 156 goals in 256 games in his time with Santos.

A deep commitment to Santos runs in the family. Neymars grandfather Ilzemar was a passionate fan of the club, and his father was even good enough to appear for the youth sec-tion. He became a professional and featured for a number of clubs but was forced to end his career prematurely due to injury. He want-ed his son Neymar junior to do even better, and the child has fulfilled and wildly exceed-ed his dreams and expectations. Neymar sen-ior is now his sons manager and close confi-dant. My father is so much more than just my father, the Bara forward said. Hes my best friend, hes my life. The 22-year-old did not get where he is today simply through talent. Neymar is possessed of almost unbelievable ambition, a character trait not universally re-garded in a positive light. But his vocabulary does not include the word lose. He played incessantly as a child, in the stands at the sta-diums where his father was playing, on the beach, in the streets and even indoors at home. He spent his childhood with his par-ents and sister in a single room with one mat-tress for all four family members.

A friendship for lifeIt was impossible to imagine Neymar without the ball. I dribbled around the room and gave a commentary on my play. I even awarded fouls. If I ran into the sofa Id complain to the referee, Neymar smiled. And because he had a ball at his feet everywhere and at all times he was almost inevitably spotted and singled out. At a veterans tournament where his father was playing in late 1998, Neymar junior charged up and down the steps in one of the grandstands, catching the eye of a man on the lookout for talent. He obviously possessed such incredible dexterity, agility and co-ordi-nation, recalls Betinho, who was looking for new players for a futsal team. Here was the kind of unique talent only born once in a thou-sand million, the coach is supposed to have said. The two struck up an increasingly strong friendship which continues to this day. Betin-ho was present when Neymar joined Santos and was among the multitude in 2013 when the player was officially unveiled by Barcelona.

Neymar first came to Europe in 2006, completing a 14-day trial with Real Madrid and utterly convincing the coaching staff of his ability. But he ultimately decided to go back home. It was basically perfect, but I was

I regard this job as a calling and I believe we have a duty to fight for peace and justice wherever we can. Gerard Piqu

98 THE F IFA WEEKLYTHE F IFA WEEKLY

is now de

monstrat

ed and p

romoted

trough a

specific

handshak

e perform

ed by the

captains

of the tea

ms in all

The capt

ains of th

e two tea

ms greet

one ano

ther and

the refe

ree

team is pr

esent to

broadcas

t

The capt

ains than

k each o

ther and

the refe

ree after

the game

team is pr

esent

The capt

ains of th

e two tea

ms greet

one ano

ther and

the refe

ree

team is pr

esent to

broadcas

t

While the rest of Europe looks forward to a winter football break, here in England were facing the prospect of a freezing cold winter on the fields. But, have you ever considered how well prepared you are to deal with the wintery conditions? If ignored, the cold can present a real challenge one that goes beyond cold fingers and toes.

11

A drop in core temperature can bring about a loss of stamina because of a drop in your maximum heart rate and a reduction in the oxygen being delivered to your muscles. Whats more, your bodys ability to produce power deteriorates, which means your sprinting ability su ers. And, to top it all o , your risk of injury increases in the cold. Combine these factors with the ever-increasing pace of the game and you could be facing a testing 90 minutes.

The good news is that the detrimental e ects of the weather can be prevented providing you are well-prepared. But, as the weather deteriorates, I wonder how many o cials spare any thought for the environment theyre refereeing in and how many simply go through the motions. One thing is certain, when the match kicks o , all match o cials must be primed for action.

Wear the correct amount of clothing for your warm-up, the match and at half-time, bearing in mind that you will probably want to wear more during the warm-up than during the match. Use your training sessions in the cold as an opportunity to figure out what youre most comfortable with. These days, theres an abundance of specialist equipment on the market designed to keep you warm, such as under-garments that can easily be worn under your match kit.

HOTTIP

11

PRE-MATCH The rst hurdle is to keep warm between the end of your warm-up and the start of the match. Its not exactly ideal warming up for 15 minutes only to spend the ensuing 15 minutes cooling down again.

If you referee parks football, you probably have the opportunity to warm-up until the moment you blow your whistle for kick-o . But, if youre refereeing at higher levels you will have formalities to deal with, like standing in the tunnel, standing for handshakes and photos with the mascots.

The key to staying warm is being as active as you possibly can at all times. See Half-Time advice on page 13.

OFFICIATING IN

with Simon Breivik, PGMOL Head of Sports Science

10

WARM-UPThe rst line of defence against the cold is the warm-up. It is a common misconception that the warm-up is all about reducing injury risk its equally important for optimising physical performance.

The easiest way to structure your warm-up is to break it down into stages.

Jogging is the most important but also the most neglected element of the warm-up. Too many o cials saunter around the pitch lethargically before spending the best part of their warm-up stretching. Standing still in freezing cold conditions, whether youre stretching or not, is more likely to cool you down than warm you up. So, if you do just one thing during your warm-up, make it a good jog.

You should spend the rst ve to ten minutes jogging starting slowly and steadily speeding up. This gradually increases blood ow, respiration, heart rate, muscle temperature and muscle exibility.

Once youve raised your core temperature and your muscles are warm, its time to focus on mobility by performing exercises youll be familiar with if youve ever watched players warm up skipping, carioca, backwards running, side-stepping, hip rolls etc. These exercises should be performed on the move so that youre maintaining body temperature. Once youve completed the mobility drills, you should progress to dynamic stretches forwards and sideways straight-leg swings, high kicks, high-knees, heel icks etc.

The nal phase of the warm-up concerns preparing the muscles speci cally for high-speed running and sprinting. Using cones, set out a small grid and perform increasingly longer high-speed runs. Then progress into all-out accelerations over 10-30m.

Finally, introduce movements that are speci c to your role on the pitch. Assistant referees should perform side-stepping movements into an acceleration whilst referees should perform some backwards running into forward curved accelerations as well as perform some fast 180 turns. Its important when performing the accelerations/sprints that youre getting plenty of rest between each repetition, otherwise youll start to fatigue.

Now that youre warm, the real challenge begins staying warm for the next two hours.

O ciating in Cold Weather

THE MATCHThe amount you move around the pitch will dictate your body temperature during the match. The more you move, the more heat you will generate.

Assistant referees have very little say in their movement during a match. If its a one-sided game, theres a danger theyll be rooted to the half-way line for long periods without moving. And, unlike goalkeepers, who can perform their own mini warm-ups throughout a match, assistant referees cannot randomly take-o down the touch line in the opposite direction to play to get warm.

Referees have a little bit more control over their activity levels and can get away with jogging around a bit more than they normally might but dont do anything over the top that will put you out of position.

HALF-TIME Unless its been a terrible match, you should come o at half-time feeling warm. But beware you will cool down very quickly when you stop moving, especially if your clothing is wet. Your body will lose up to 25% more heat if youre clothing is wet so the rst thing you should do is change as much of your kit as possible, especially your under clothing.

Studies on football players have demonstrated that muscle temperature can drop as much as 2C during the half-time break. Magni Mohr and his colleagues at the University of Copenhagen discovered a link between a decline in muscle temperature at half-time and a lowered sprint capacity at the start of the second half. But they also found that sprint performance could be maintained if players carried out some form of low-intensity activity prior to the second half kicking o .

So, the half-time challenge for referees is to stay warm by moving around as much as possible (not stretching). Easier said than done given youre con ned to a small changing room, but its worth a go. Perhaps jogging on the spot intermittently thirty seconds on, one minute o would be enough to retain a degree or two. You could go as far as to take a hot shower (if theres any hot water) which is a passive form of warming up but only in very cold conditions.

In an ideal world, youd use the last ve minutes of the half-time break to perform a mini re-warm-up. You may have seen the USA team do just this before the start of the second half of their matches at the World Cup. The question is, as a match o cial, how do you t this in before the second half kicks o ? It is a logistical challenge, especially if youre refereeing at a level that requires you to perform administrative duties, such as pressing a bell a few minutes before kick-o etc.

But, bearing in mind the most e ective method of warming up is to jog, you should attempt to perform at least a couple of minutes of light jogging before kick-o . Assistant referees have the excuse of checking the nets to squeeze in some running. Referees would bene t from using the time it takes the players to get into position to run back and forward across the half-way line a few times.

If youre refereeing parks football, you may have to stay out on the pitch at half-time so you could perform a re-warm-up in the six or seven minutes before the second half is due to start.

Take on extracarbohydrates

Exercising in the cold tends to deplete glycogen (carbohydrate)

stores more quickly so its important to replenish stocks at half-time. An energy drink and some fruit would be sensible.

Dont forget to drinkAlthough you may feel less

thirsty in the cold, you are still losing fluid and therefore need

to replace it.

HOTTIPS

Dont wear too much. Even in the cold, your body will produce a lot of heat, especially if your work rate is high. It is very difficult to remove an undergarment ten minutes into the match.

HOTTIP

Have a spare set of clothes for the second half. Wet clothing will cool you down extremely quickly so this is particularly important in wet conditions.

HOTTIPS

Only strip off your warm-up top just before you head out for the first half. Put an extra layer on at half time and only strip it off just before walking out for the second half.

POST-MATCHOnce youve blown the nal whistle, you should get back to the changing room as quickly as possible and have a hot shower. Ideally, a cool-down would be performed immediately after the match but this can be problematic at a football ground. Instead, you should try to perform an active recovery training session the day after your game. This should consist of 25-30 minutes of light aerobic activity preferably swimming or cycling. Once youre dressed, its time to rehydrate and replace the energy youve used so consume a high-carb, medium protein snack/meal as soon as possible.

1312

O ciating in Cold Weather

Adam Gale-Watts, PGMOL Senior Coach for Assistant Referees and former FIFA Assistant Referee, provides invaluable tips and advice on how to stay warm on the field through the cold winter months.

1515

TIPS FOR KEEPING WARM AS AN ASSISTANT REFEREE THE WINTERS TALE:

14

Exit, pursued by a bear is one of William Shakespeares most famous stage directions and comes from The Winters Tale, and whilst the only animal the assistant referee potentially considers during a match is a PIG (Interferes with Play, Interferes with an opponent, or Gains advantage from being in that position), the cold temperatures and di cult underfoot conditions that can be experienced during the winter months of the football season may prove to be a distraction - just as being pursued by a bear would be.The focus of this article is to outline the main challenges that cold temperatures and tricky underfoot conditions may bring for those of you running the line during the winter months and to consider some strategies for avoiding these challenges impacting on performance. Unlike some species of bear, assistant referees hibernating during winter months is not an option.

THE CHALLENGES OF BEING OUT IN THE COLDThere is some simple physiology at play here, much beyond the scope of this article; however in essence, via a process called thermoregulation the core body temperature is maintained at around 37C.

If the temperature drops one of the mechanisms to increase body temperature is to shiver, which increases the body temperature but can cause a distraction so reducing heat loss, which results in feeling cold, is best avoided.

Research has shown that during a typical match the physical activity pro le of assistant referees involves standing still for around 46% of the time, usually whilst positioned on the halfway line with the play taking place in the other half of the eld of play. So unlike a referee who may well be able to adjust their movement pro le to keep warm, the relatively xed position of assistant referees in line with the second last opponent during the majority of the match situations leaves less scope for using this approach to keep warm.

Whilst assistant referees should be mentally active at all times, including those times positioned at the halfway line, concentrating fully on the match and the role in the refereeing team, both cold temperatures and di cult underfoot conditions can be a challenge. These factors can have a signi cant e ect on the decision-making process (cognitive performance) due to distraction.

Maintaining appropriate levels of concentration is critical to accurately responding to match situations, especially in the primary role of making o side judgements, so being distracted by feeling cold and/or being worried about the conditions of the touchline are potential distractions which have the ability to negatively impact on performance.

AVOIDING BEING FROZEN OUT OF THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS The following are some tips for keeping warm as an assistant referee, intended to help avoid the distraction of cold temperatures or di cult underfoot conditions:

FUELLING AND HYDRATION Almost everything we do, whether it is a physical behaviour or a mental process, requires the same energy source: glucose. Prepare by consuming suitable foods and hydrate appropriately prior to the match, and top up your levels at half-time

WARM-UPWear suitable clothing for the warm-up, which is designed to get you warm and ready, not to make you cold before you start. Consider wearing a tracksuit top and bottoms, and a hat and gloves in extremely cold temperatures remember to ensure that any clothing ts in with a professional appearance

OCCUPYING YOUR MIND Keep focused and concentrate fully on the match to distract yourself from feeling cold. Some assistant referees use self-talk, where they do not speak out loud, to keep focused on the match

WALK YOUR TOUCHLINE Walk the touchline prior to the match to know what the underfoot conditions are like. This will allow you to select the most suitable footwear e.g. studs, moulded boots, trainers. Review at halftime whether a change of footwear is required

AVOID GETTING COLD FEETCold feet can be very distracting, so here are a few tips:

* Avoid putting on wet/damp footwear dry out your footwear before you put it on

* Consider putting Vaseline on your feet* Consider wearing a second pair of ankle socks under your

football socks

* Change your socks at halftime* When standing still, wiggle your toes to keep your feet moving

The Winters Tale: Tips for Keeping Warm as an Assistant Referee

AVOID GETTING COLD HANDSCold hands are not only very distracting, but they can impact the ability to hold the ag and/or write so here are a few tips:

* Consider putting Vaseline on the backs of your hands and arms

* Avoid putting Deep Heat on your hands, as this may well rub Deep Heat on your hands, as this may well rub Deep Heato in other sensitive areas, like eyes and cause irritation

* Consider wearing a long-sleeved shirt* Consider wearing gloves that allow you to grip the ag, write,

and also t in with the professional appearance of a match o cial a short-sleeved shirt and gloves should be avoided

INVEST IN SOME GOOD QUALITY UNDER GARMENTSGood quality base-layers under your shirt and undershorts are a way of retaining body warmth and avoiding unnecessary heat loss. Consider a change of undershirt and/or shirt at half time

In summary, open your mind up to thinking about strategies and approaches to keep warm as an assistant referee during the winter months. Applying a layer of Vaseline to exposed skin on hands and arms, adding additional layers of clothing, changing clothing at half-time and being fuelled and hydrated are ways to keep warm. Dont be the assistant referee who came in from the cold having made a poor judgement because they failed to avoid distraction.

Both cold temperatures and difficult underfoot conditions can be a challenge and these

factors can have a significant effect on the decision-making process.

210

3

7

8

9

4

5

6

16

Roger Vaughan, FA National Referee Manager - Referee Development, provides a series of useful tips for you to consider when inspecting a field of play this winter.

BE PROACTIVE - PICK UP THE PHONE AND MAKE CONTACTIt will normally be the responsibility of the home club to con rm the xture with the referee, but dont be afraid to make initial contact if the weather is already looking uncertain and ask them what their plans are in terms of ground inspections or what the current condition of the eld of play is like.For matches in a stadium do they use a local referee to complete their inspections to avoid unnecessary travel for you, your colleagues and the away team? Remember, as the referee you are the leader and sometimes it will be you that has to take the initiative. If you are required to complete the inspection, ask the home club what time somebody will be at the ground to meet you.

GET TO THE GROUND EARLYBe prepared to inspect the eld in appropriate clothing. By being prepared it will allow you to complete your inspection more realistically, so pack your boots, a tracksuit and a match day coat. Make sure where possible you get to the ground before the players and managers get there the fewer the people present when you make your initial assessment the easier your situation becomes.

THINK BALLBefore you walk out onto the eld of play, remember to take one out with you. Consider how you as a referee can sell to the people watching that a ball will not roll, it wont bounce and it simply sticks in the puddles and the mud if you did not have a ball. The ball is an invaluable tool for you to have and quite often by using the ball e ectively it will publicise the judgement of whether or not the game can be played even before you do.

EVERY BLADE OF GRASSDont just consider the main activity areas (centre circle and penalty areas). The fact is, the game will potentially be played on every single blade of grass and its therefore important to survey the entire playing surface before deciding.

Dont forget to ensure that it is not just the areas that the 22 players will also operate remember to ensure that the perimeter lines are also t for assistant referees to operate on throughout the 90 minutes. Their safety is paramount.

NOT JUST THE FIELD OF PLAYSome of the games that you will referee will take place within stadia where there is terracing, a covered standing area or maybe some form of seating. In conjunction with the club you may have to check that these areas are t and safe for spectators to watch the game.In addition, especially as you go further up the refereeing pyramid you will also have to consider travel for those involved - what are the access roads like? What are the conditions like that they will face when they try to return home? All of these areas are equally important.

WHAT ABOUT THE TEMPERATURE?In freezing cold conditions remember that the temperature will often begin to drop after midday. Its important to understand this speci cally when you are completing inspections before 12pm what might seem playable now may be a very di erent story at 3pm. Remember the weather forecast, its conditions and anticipated temperatures. Even more important, you need to try to work out what the conditions will be like at the end of the match if it is touch and go with low temperatures at 3pm then for sure the pitch will be un t by 4.45pm. Too many referees focus only on the conditions at kick o - think 90 minutes ahead.

DO IT ON YOUR OWN OR WITH YOUR TEAMYou will need an open and clear mind when you are undertaking a pitch inspection. When you arrive people will undoubtedly give you their input and opinion and on occasions this can be really helpful so dont dismiss that after all, there is nobody that knows their pitch like the groundsman so dont be afraid to absorb their early thoughts.

17

Inspecting the eld of play during the winter months

1

The only time you really have to be the decision-maker is when the two

teams do not agree.

After this, politely ask that you be given some time alone or with your team so that you can survey the eld of play for yourself. You will be amazed how professional you will look to people when they are trying to form an opinion of you.

THINK SAFETY, NOT FARCEThe most important factor you need to consider above all when making your nal decision is - Am I satis ed that this eld of play and the surrounding areas pose no risk or place no player in danger? If you have any doubt then the game must be postponed.Secondly, consider - if I decide to play this game then whilst it may pose no risk to me or the players, will it develop into a farce? Even if people are not paying to watch, the game if the conditions are such that the players cannot show their skills because of the state of the eld then it looks farcical and you could lack credibility if you continue.

THE DECISION IS MADE COMMUNICATE IT WITH CONFIDENCE AND STRENGTHIn our role as referees we make hundreds of decisions during the course of a game. Some of them are popular and readily accepted, but some of them arent. Field of play inspections are no di erent and there will always be somebody somewhere that disagrees with your decision. However, make sure that you communicate with con dence, explain your thought processes, highlight the risk areas if you are postponing a game and reiterate the importance of player safety and avoiding farcical conditions. Remember the opening guidelines if both teams are in agreement think very carefully before you go against them - if they do not want to play and you insist they do you have already undermined your authority and respect; and if someone is then injured you will be the one they will blame.Finally, whilst the responsibility often falls with the home club, you communicate your decision to the league, the away team and your colleagues if they are not with you at the time this way there is no risk of anybody not receiving information from the home club.

If you require any further support or assistance on how you should carry out your inspections at any of your games please do not hesitate to contact your local County FA Referee Development O cer they will be only too happy to assist. Enjoy the rest of your season and if temperatures remain above normal hopefully you will not need these guidelines too often.

Its that time of the year when the weather takes its toll on football xtures up and down the country and when you need to be aware of what to do if called in to inspect the eld of play. Whilst it is ultimately the referees decision, it is very important to consider the views of other people and not make (or be seen to make) the decision in an aloof, isolated manner. Where there are safety concerns and BOTH teams do not want to play, you will be putting yourself in a very di cult position if you insist on going ahead. Equally, if there are no safety issues and BOTH teams want to play then think very carefully before calling the game o . In reality, the only time you really have to be the decision-maker is when the two teams do not agree.To play or not to play is a decision that we will face regularly during the course of our career so within the guidelines above, here is a ten point plan for you to use as a guide for inspecting a fi eld of play:

DO YOUR HOMEWORKHave a look at the forecast and anticipated conditions the day before your game. There are regular updates on the media and there are plenty of websites on the internet that will give you accurate information.

Ten Point Plan: Inspecting the Field of Play During the Winter Months

1918

Howard Webb Focus

Commenced refereeing

Promoted to Class 1

Promoted to Northern Counties East League Assistant Referees List

Promoted to Northern Counties East League referees list

Promoted to National List of Assistant Referees

Promoted to Panel Leagues Referees List

Promoted to National List of RefereesPromoted to Select Group of Referees

Promoted to FIFA List of International Referees

Promoted to UEFA Elite Category of Referees

Promoted to Select Group of Assistant Referees

25 May - Football League 1 Play-O Final Cardi City -v- QPR at Millennium Stadium

7 August - FA Community Shield Arsenal -v- Chelsea at Millennium Stadium

14 May - FA Trophy Final Grays Athletic -v- Woking at Boleyn Ground

23 May 4 June - UEFA Under-21 Finals in Portugal Refereed 2 group games (including the opening match), and a semi- nal

1530 June - FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil Refereed a group game and a semi- nal

1989

5 Feb Football League Carling Cup Final Arsenal -v- Chelsea at Millennium Stadium

19 May - Football League Championship Play-O Final Blackpool -v- West Ham United at Wembley

7 June 29 June - UEFA Euro 2008 Finals in Austria/Switzerland Refereed 2 group games

30 June 22 July FIFA Under-20 World Cup Finals in Canada Refereed 3 group games (including the opening match), a quarter- nal and a semi- nal 11 June 11 July - FIFA

World Cup Finals in South Africa Refereed 2 group games, a round of 16 game and the nal, The Netherlands -v- Spain

31 May - FA Cup FinalChelsea -v- Everton at Wembley

2

24 October 15 November - FIFA Under-17 World Cup Finals in Nigeria Refereed 3 group games and a quarter- nal

3

12 June 13 July- FIFA World Cup Finals in Brazil Refereed a group game and a round of 16 game 10

65

98

8 June 1 July UEFA Euro 2012 Finals in Poland/Ukraine Refereed 2 group games and a quarter- nal 7

1

Total number of Premier League matches refereed (2003-2014)296 Total number of full international matches refereed (2005-2014)42 Total number of UEFA Champions League matches refereed (group stage and beyond, 2006 2014) 36

22 May - UEFA Champions League Final Inter Milan -v-Bayern Munich in Madrid

HOWARD WEBBREFEREEING CAREER

5 AugustNorth American Superliga Final Houston Dynamo -v- New England Revolution in Foxborough, USA

4

PROMOTION PATHDOMESTIC FINALS AS REFEREEOVERSEAS FINALS AS REFEREEINTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENT APPEARANCES

1990

19921993

19951996

1998

2000

2003

20052006

20072008

2009

2010

20122013

2014

1991

1994

1997

1999

20012002

2004

2011

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

2120

Howard Webb Focus

Mike Mullarkey FIFA and Select Group Assistant Referee

HOWARD WEBBA REFEREEING ROLE MODEL

If you research the meaning of the term role model the accredited definition comes from the socialist Robert K. Merton. He defined it as a person whose behaviour, example, or success is or can be emulated by others, especially by younger people.

In refereeing terms, that description could not sit more appropriately than on the broad shoulders of Howard Webb.

Having spent the last seven years working with Howard, it has given me an almost unique opportunity to see how he operated and how he has coped with the responsibility of being a role model.

Starting out in his career, Howard would never have seen himself becoming a role model and having to act in a certain way to ful l that role. It is not a status that he has actively sought out; it has simply developed throughout his career.

So, what is it about the man that commands the respect and the status of a role model?

The thing that has struck me in all the time I have spent with him is his ability to communicate with people across all walks of life. He is as comfortable talking to the chief executive of a football club or business as he is meeting football fans. More importantly, he makes every person he engages with feel valued, and is equally interested in what they are about as he is sharing his views.

I have no doubt that everyone who meets Howard for the rst time goes away with a better impression about referees and refereeing than they might have had prior to meeting him.

Howard has a professional approach with a personal touch. He leaves little to chance that is within his control. His planning and approach to training, preparation, performance and review is second to none and right to the end of his active career, he was always seeking ways to improve both his personal performance and that of his team.

Howard would always make sure that every member of his match day team felt valued and, in return, would get the very best out of each individual. The ethos of the team being

stronger than the sum of the individual parts could not have been more evident.

Another area that Howard has been mindful of has been to be aware of what is expected of him given his role model status. This is an interesting situation because he did not choose this. It has evolved with him during his career and he has needed to behave in a manner that, in some respects, people expect of him given his position.

The pro le resulting from being a leading referee can cause some people to change, perhaps becoming obsessed with their own importance. That could not be further from the truth in Howards case. There is no ego about him, nor was there room for any ego in his dressing room. Howard only wanted honest, hardworking people around him. He has, of course, been aware of what people expect of him and always ensures that in the public eye his approach and manner are be tting of his status.

Once Howard has identi ed someone as an honest and hardworking person, you nd yourself as a friend for life. The loyalty he displays is second to none and I can speak very personally when I say that I know how much his support for his friends and colleagues is a lift when di cult times come.

Undoubtedly, Howard has changed since he started out as a referee in the Rotherham local leagues in the late 1980s. He is a di erent man now than he was in those formative years but the changes have been an enhancement of those basic life skills and it is those skills that have seen him reach the absolute pinnacle of the game and which have led to him being recognised outside his own eld and culminating in his richly deserved MBE in 2010.

They are skills such as a willingness to learn, to absorb and thrive on feedback and advice, as well as a hunger to seek opportunities to improve himself both as a person and as a referee.

The most interesting thing about Howards rise is that he does not possess some magical talent.

It would be easy to believe that he was simply born to be an international referee, certainly given that people recognised his potential from an early age, or that he was destined to reach the highest levels and to referee the biggest matches. However, believing this would, quite simply, be doing Howard and his family a massive injustice.

He has achieved success because he has worked incredibly hard and made many sacri ces along the way in order to achieve his dreams. Being prepared to put himself out to put in the work required to give himself the opportunity to be the best he could be controlling all of the things that he had the ability to control.

Another area that has stood out for me in terms of Howards talents has come in his outlook since the World Cup in South Africa 2010.

He could have relaxed following that tournament, having just refereed the ultimate match in world football, and simply gone through the motions knowing that his reputation and status in the game would see him through on most occasions.

Instead, he simply assessed where he was and identi ed how he needed to work to achieve selection for Euro2012, the next major international tournament.

It speaks volumes that he was not only selected for Euro2012, but also the following FIFA World Cup in Brazil 2014.

On the eld Howard always displayed an air of calm and assured con dence. To be successful on the biggest stage, you need to have a con dence in your ability, but this should never develop into arrogance.

In Howards case, he was acutely aware of this. Indeed we made a pact that in the event of any display of arrogance, permission was granted to speak our minds and raise our

concerns. Needless to say, I have never needed to consider such drastic action.

Taking that con dence onto the eld of play is just the start. The biggest requirement is, of course, the ability to make accurate decisions, communicate these e ectively, and to have the courage to make the big or challenging decisions when required.

Howard understood fully that his actions on the eld would in uence referees all over the country and, indeed, the world and was acutely aware of the need for him to be seen to do things properly. Maintaining standards and protecting the image of the game were constant themes in working as part of Howards team.

We are now close to having identi ed all the component parts that make up the DNA of Howard Webb.

Honesty; hard work; integrity; professionalism; self-evaluation; courage; determination and sacri ce are all required and even then success is not guaranteed. Never closing his mind to a learning opportunity no matter how small, and always striving for the perfect performance.

In addition to all of these, you need a degree of good fortune. The nature of the job itself means that even the best referee cannot be perfect all of the time. No matter how hard you work, there will be occasions when the decision you make is not the correct one. This is, of course, the case with Howard too, however, it is the ability to bounce back from those low moments and to come back stronger that is the great strength. It is not about the mistake you make, but how you learn from it and how you come back from it. Doing that in a very public arena is far from easy, but demonstrates the nal ingredient to making a success of your career.

In Howards case, that career took him to the biggest stadiums, o ciating at some of the most important matches in the world. In future, other people will take on the mantle of refereeing role models. These role models are not just at the top level. O cials on the Football League can be role models for those at the level below and likewise those at Contributory level for those currently o ciating on local leagues.

Re ect on how you conduct yourself now. What attributes of a good role model do you currently display and what are the areas that you would need to work on.

The chances are that the areas to work on to be viewed as a good role model are also those that will enhance your chances of progressing your refereeing career.

Remember, the next iconic role models are yet to be moulded. Why couldnt you be one of them?

Howard has achieved success because he

has worked incredibly hard and made many

sacrifices along the way in order to

achieve his dreams. Howard took charge of the World Cup Group C clash between Ivory Coast and Colombia

HOWARD WEBBA ROLE MODEL FOR YOUNG REFEREES

22

Howard Webb Focus

Tom Nield, Level 2 B referee & former Chairman RAFA Youth Council

On Saturday 22 May 2010 I sat down to watch the UEFA Champions League final with only one interest: the team of all English match officials, Howard Webb, Mike Mullarkey, Darren Cann, Martin Atkinson (4th official) and Peter Kirkup (Reserve Assistant Referee).

Fifty days later, on 11 July, I sat down along with 531 million others to watch another prestigious nal, this time the pinnacle of football nals, the 2010 FIFA World Cup Final o ciated by the same referee, Howard Webb and the same assistants, Mike Mullarkey and Darren Cann.

As far as sporting personalities and role models go, I consider Howard Webb to be amongst the very best. He is a role model for any individual, sporting-minded or not, but for any aspiring referee he has proven

to be the ultimate example of what can be achieved in the game.

During his 25-year career, nine years as a FIFA International referee, 11 years on the Premier League and three years on the Football League, he has achieved almost all that can be, both domestically and internationally.

He has commanded the respect and admiration of his colleagues, players across the world and the wider footballing community for all of it but I believe, more so, for how he has conducted himself, both on and o the eld of play.

His dominant stature and physical presence are blended perfectly with charisma, knowledge, ability to manage and communicate and, more impressively, a sheer drive and determination to achieve and deliver.

At no stage has this been more evident than at the 2014 World Cup nals where he went into the tournament physically tter than he was in 2010 when he took charge of the Final. Even after receiving the ultimate refereeing appointment, Howard continued to improve and it is this strength of character

and motivation that, for me, makes him the perfect referee.

At the 2014 Manchester FA Referee Awards Dinner, Howard provided a glimpse of what drives this determination to succeed when he said: it is not how high we rise, but it is how we respond after we fall that determines who we are.

They were words that resonated loudly amongst all the guests in attendance, and he followed them up with by telling an enraptured audience, amazing things can happen to ordinary people.

All that should be added to this comment is that for you to be that ordinary person destined for amazing things, you must apply yourself and display the drive and determination that is required and expected of a world class referee.

The opportunities and support in refereeing have never been greater and Howards appointment as PGMOL Technical Director will help ensure that England will be producing more inspirational role models at every level of the game and, hopefully, another World Cup nal referee very soon.

REFEREE REGISTRATION FOR SEASON 2015/16 IS ON ITS WAY!

We congratulate all those who have been accepted onto the FIFA list and especially the new FIFA o cials:

John Brooks (assistant referee) Peter Nurse (Futsal referee) Craig Pawson (referee) Rebecca Welch (referee)Two signi cant names, Howard Webb and Darren Cann, are missing from the 2015 list as Howard retired in the summer and Darren has reached FIFAs retirement age of 45. Howard and Darren were two of the very best o cials this country has ever produced and their achievements are extraordinary. Tribute has been paid to Howard in this edition and a full tribute will be paid to Darren when he retires from active o ciating, which we hope will not be for some time.

MENS FIFA REFEREES LIST Martin AtkinsonMark ClattenburgAndre MarrinerMichael OliverCraig Pawson*Lee Probert Anthony Taylor

MENS FIFA ASSISTANT REFEREES LIST Simon Beck Simon BennettGary BeswickJohn Brooks*Stuart Burt Stephen Child Jake Collin Darren EnglandPeter KirkupMike Mullarkey

WOMENS FIFA REFEREES LISTSarah GarrattAmy Fearn (nee Rayner)Rebecca Welch*

WOMENS FIFA ASSISTANT REFEREES LIST Natalie Aspinall (nee Walker)Sian MasseyLisa RashidElizabeth Jane Simms

MENS FIFA FUTSAL REFEREES LIST Marc BirkettPeter Nurse*Gavin Sartain

*New Nomination

FIFA MATCH OFFICIALS2015 The FA Referees Committee nominated four o cials for the 2015 FIFA lists and all nominations were accepted by the FIFA Referees Committee. The following o cials are entitled to wear the FIFA badge throughout 2015.

Phil Knight, FAs Whole Game System Communications Consultant

With the Christmas decorations only just packed away, thoughts are already turning to the referee registration process for season 2015/16, which for the rst time will be completed entirely within the Whole Game System (WGS).

As many County FAs will be opening their WGS registration window from the end of February, the WGS Referee Development O cer Working Group has already met to review the electronic registration process for the new season.

The FAs National Manager responsible for Referee Development and the WGS, Roger Vaughan, is keen to see the online take-up increase for a sixth consecutive year.

Due to the excellent e orts of the Referee Development team, the online percentage has increased each year hitting a new peak of 70% for the current season, he said.

With WGS proving to o er a reliable registration platform I am excited at the prospect of surpassing even that impressive gure.

The online tool has already received positive reaction from many across the game, including Birmingham FA Level 4 referee Joel Richards who believes its ease of use is ideal for any referee looking for a simpler way of registering for the new season:

The Whole Game System is a fantastic tool. It is available to all referees making registration a simple and easy process.

All referees have their own unique Log-In which recognises them and provides all of the relevant registration details to make the process so quick and simple.

Your local Referee Development O cer will be in touch shortly to con rm when your County FA will open its registration window, but in the meantime you can of course use WGS to report your discipline - indeed you are strongly encouraged to do so.

23

However, the biggest issue is on- eld performance. In many cases the person that marks you may be the manager and there are always going to be issues that are controversial and may not sit well with them.

For instance, they can get rather involved and maybe excitable about decisions and so you might, on occasion, have to take measures to curb this exuberance. But this should be dealt with in a calm, rational and polite way.

In other cases, it may be the club secretary or another who marks you but no matter who, the main skill you need is communication.

The main issue is o cials, players and spectators understanding what you are doing and why. Selling decisions is critical if the decision is seen to be delivered with credibility and thus is reasonable then, on re ection, some of the controversy can be taken out of incidents.

Mike Gardiner, FA licensed instructor and FA assessor coordinator - Midlands Pool, discusses the value of club marks and provides useful advice on how you might influence yours.

CLUB MARKS: LIVING BY THE SWORD?

For some, one of the frustrating elements of the refereeing pyramid is the reliance on club marks, but why? We are providing clubs with a service so perhaps they should have a say in how our performances are perceived.The truth is, and this can be borne out by the Referees Secretaries of Leagues, in a large number of cases those people who mark the referee, especially at the more senior levels, do so with some signi cant consideration and often much experience. There are notable exceptions and most League Secretaries will know who they are its tough but that is the system we have to live with.

And so, presented with a Merit List which contains both assessors marks and club marks, what can be done to in uence club marks?

The award of a last minute penalty or the sending o of a player late in the game, for example, can in uence a referees club mark as decisions, or lack of them, arising in the latter part of the game tend to provide more of a focal point for marking.

One thing that you can be sure of is that the vast majority of clubs will judge you on how well you do your job, so trying to pander to clubs will lose you more marks than you gain. Most clubs want you to perform and apply Law correctly.

So this brings us down to - what can you do to improve your club marks? There are no easy answers but a few simple on and o the pitch measures can be useful.

Many clubs are run by a few, often very harassed people so being polite, helpful and communicative before the game does not go unnoticed. Make sure that you have contact with the club before the game, con rm appointments, be pleasant and be understanding / helpful with issues like pitch inspections, etc.

When you get to the ground, ensure you check-in with the secretary or other o cials and try to be warm in your greetings. Dont expect people to wait on you; dont make demands - I have seen referees demand free entrance, programmes and hospitality for three or four people that have come with them.

24

Club Marks: Living by the Sword?

Here are a few examples: Well he was just warned A player commits a foul and the referee speaks publically to the player, perhaps involving the captain. The referees movements and body language conveys last warning, the player commits another o ence and the referee cautions him.

Well done ref, about timeA player commits a number of niggly and minor o ences and the referee decides enough is enough. Having been seen to speak to the player earlier, the referee points to a number of areas where incidents occurred and then cautions for persistent misconduct.

He just told themGoalkeeper, defender and centre forward are tussling for position on the goal line at a corner kick. The referee takes a pro-active stance, delays the taking of the corner to speak to the players. The kick is taken and the referee awards a free kick (or penalty) indicating the same players involvement.

Respect works both ways and as a referee you must always be mindful that players may not always give you respect, but as the referee you should always strive to gain theirs and a ord them respect.

Always talk to players in a civil manner, DO NOT use commands such as come here!, and dont point, wag ngers, threaten or lose control by shouting at players or lose your temper.

Within reason, a polite whats that for ref? should merit a short but courteous answer. Dissent from players should not, however, be tolerated and if you are subject to it, you must respond and be seen to respond this may not always be to issue a caution but if you choose not to then the player and everyone else should understand your actions if it persists.

Another area of consideration is the delivery of decisions with authority good body language is essential. Keep looking up, ensure eye contact, keep signals crisp and unambiguous and, where necessary, reinforced with voice and whistle. Be positive but only very occasionally use cut grass, played ball, o the chest and no foul signals.

Finally, after the game, dont get into arguments. Use the from my angle that is what I saw or thats interesting what do you think type comment when confronted but ensure that the interrogator, if you choose to listen, says their piece without being abusive but dont necessarily agree or disagree - thats an interesting point, I see where you are coming from type of response learn to bite your lip and walk away.

And thank club o cials after the game, especially if hospitality is o ered. Most clubs dont have any money and your fees can be a signi cant nancial burden on a club.

None of this will guarantee any elevation in all your club marks but it is good practice and some form of mutual respect can help. Remember, football is not about referees.

25

Respect works both ways and as a referee

you must always be mindful that players

may not always give you respect, but

as the referee you should always strive to gain their respect

and afford them respect.

Mike Gardiner, FA licensed instructor and FA assessor coordinator - Midlands Pool, offers useful advice and guidance to deal with serious injuries on the field of play.

Will key players or personnel be required to accompany the injured player to hospital? If so, this would further deplete a teams strength.

If it is an evening game, potential for the match to nish at an unreasonable hour Teams and spectators may have travelled some distance and might like to get home before midnight. Some may also be reliant on public transport that may not run late at night.

You may be interested in but should not be swayed by who gets the points or the result following an abandonment i.e. incomplete game.

League and competition management decide this after the event not referees, so do not get involved in discussions or even give an opinion.Instead set a time scale. It can be di cult to be precise but if the game is to continue having considered all the issues, suspensions of 30 minutes or so with little imminent sign that the game could restart may be a good benchmark. A similar timescale may be used for oodlight failure or particularly inclement weather such as thunder and lightning. Dont forget that if the game is to restart, time should be allowed for you and the players to get warmed up again take this time into consideration too.The decision to abandon a game following a serious injury is always di cult. It is the referee that sets the time scales and decides on abandonment and communicates that decision to management.

Remember, you MUST consider all the issues noted above before deciding. Players safety is paramount while clear, concise communication is essential.

Despite all of our best e orts occasionally a player will su er a serious injury in a game. The following is a brief guideline for an appropriate response.Firstly, the safety of players is always paramount. If you suspect that an injury sustained in any game may be serious, always stop the game and get help from the physio or seek other medical assistance who should be available at all levels of football.It is important that you do not get involved in the evaluation or treatment of injuries unless you are a fully quali ed medic. Depending on the level of football, the help a orded to players by clubs will vary from a sponge man to a fully quali ed doctor. Getting involved yourself risks incurring liability especially if the help or advice you give is subsequently proven to be wrong.If the player has su ered a broken limb, all you can do is suggest that they are kept warm, not moved (fractured limbs can sever arteries and other blood vessels) and not given anything to eat or drink as this may delay subsequent treatment. At local park level get someone to call an ambulance.On senior games, removal of the player may take a little time but normally can be achieved within 5-10 minutes. There might be the need for you to take the players o the eld of play, especially if the weather is inclement. Communication is essential with the club management and a time scale set or agreed for continuation of the game.Unfortunately, most games do not have the facilities, medical expertise or experience to remove a badly injured player. As such, you will need to assess the options open to them as the ambulance or paramedics may take a while to arrive, assess the injury and deal with the player.I recommend that the captains and managers are informed that players should leave the eld of play to keep warm and that you review the situation having taken all factors and advice into consideration.Once back in the dressing room, you should look at the options and discuss with your assistants (if they have been appointed) and set a time scale.During such incidents, you should also consider:

The age group of the playersIn junior and minor games I would normally recommend abandoning the game as children can get quite upset by serious incidents.

The time it may take to have the player removed Ambulances can take 30 mins or more to arrive.

The injury may be graphic Are other players, yourself or your assistants able to continue? Some may be in shock or just dont want to continue.

If the injury is the result of a foul challenge, is there likely to be retaliation? What was the mood of players and management like just after the incident that caused the injury?

Are spectators present? They wont want to wait around for very long without the prospect of the game restarting imminently.

26

Abandoning Games due to Serious Injury

27

Getting involved yourself risks incurring liability especially if the help or advice you give is subsequently proven to be wrong.

ABANDONING GAMES DUE TOSERIOUSINJURY

Assist referees within the group if they encounter problems with tness, health, administration, availability or any other issue where the referee may bene t from advice/intervention/assistance CONFIDENTIALITY

Submit regular reports (4 times a season) on each referee to the Head of Senior Referee Development which include:

- O - eld administration and organisation

- Interaction with the coach (especially receptiveness to advice)

- Interaction with other group members

- General demeanour and personality on and o the eld

- Fitness, lifestyle and training

- Main on- eld strengths

- Main on- eld areas for development

- Overall progress since last report

- Short and medium term recommendations/targets

Module 2 took place in November (Module 3 will be in March) at Warwick University and began with the PGMOL Sport Scientists measuring the referees body composition referees must be below a maximum body fat level to remain in the programme.

This was followed by an interactive Laws of the Game test, with each referee given an individual remote to select their answers via the projector screen.

Geo Pike, FA Head of Coaching Awards, gave the seminars rst presentation on Major Considerations for Referees in the Modern Game. Geo discussed the development and evolution of the game, especially in the last 10 years, which has seen a large increase in the di erent physical components required at the top level. He also examined the priorities when o ciating as well as the development of the systems of play and the tactical considerations and in uences on the modern game.

Steve Parmenter, a former player with Southend United FC, found this session particularly interesting:

Inga Jemison, FA Referee Co-ordinator

The Football Association Development Group (FADG) was formed at the start of the 2013-14 season as part of The FAsuccession planning for referees in partnership with PGMOL. It consists of Level 2B and Level 3 referees, and currently consists of 53 members who have been identi ed as having the potential to progress to the position of National List Referees and beyond over the next 5-10 years. Each member is subject to retention every season and is assessed on given criteria both on and o the eld of play.

PGMOL Training & Development O cer, Peter Roberts, leads the four weekend FADG seminars which include a mix of on and o eld training: a range of classroom and practical activities together with keynote guest speakers. FADG Referees are assigned a coach whose role is to assist in their development

FADG EXPECTATIONS It is expected that all members of The FADG demonstrate the following commitments: Conduct themselves in a professional

manner at all times

Demonstrate a high level of commitment and a positive attitude

Analyse match performance data and discuss feedback with a coach on a regular basis

Keep an ongoing self evaluation record of matches in which they o ciate

Demonstrate a very high level of e ciency with all correspondence and communication

Undertake regular tness training sessions to meet the demands of any tness tests as well as being in prime condition for the demands of match day performances

Adopt a lifestyle that is appropriate to a referee seeking success in the professional game

Attend all seminars and group meetings organised for members of The FADG

Act as a role model for less experienced referees

ROLE OF THE COACH Discuss with each referee an individual

development plan

Watch each referee in their group at least 5/6 times each season

Receive and analyse all assessments on referees within his group

Have regular contact with referees particularly before and after key matches

28

The Football Association Development Group Disability Football Courses

A crucial point from Geo Pikes presentation was not to get too close. Its a fi ne balance of needing to be in the correct position in close proximity to sell a decision but also not invading the players space.

Tactical awareness is a great lesson for referees in that it will help your performance if you can work out early the patterns of play that the teams will adopt, will they go direct to a big centre forward or play out from the back?

If referees can work this out early it will then enable them to take relevant positions, recognise potential battles between individuals and also keep out of the way.

Grant Taylor, a Level 3 referee from Birmingham, was similarly impressed with the session saying:

Geo s presentation was thought provoking and I think enabled us as referees to do some self-analysis on what positions we are taking up around the fi eld of play and detecting the behaviours and attributes of players in todays modern game.

The seminar was ended with a presentation from FIFA Assistant Referee, Mike Mullarkey, whose career includes two World Cups, including the nal in South Africa in 2010 (the year in which he also o ciated in the UEFA Champions League nal).

Mike discussed his journey from non-league football in Exeter, through to the Premier League and his international successes.

As well as talking of his many career highlights, Mike also shared the more personal challenges he faced and strategies he employed to overcome them in order to continue his development to a world class o cial. The key message being that the individual has to look at themselves and examine their own performance to see what they can do di erently to become a better o cial.

Preparation for each and every game is vital and knowing I have prepared as professionally as I can, gives me the con dence I need to go out and perform well, he explained.

Leaving as little as possible to chance in relation to preparation ensures that the likelihood of success is greatly increased.

All agreed that the FADG is of fundamental importance for refereeing and the modern game as a whole, with the value of the programme summarised by Grant Taylor:

Being involved in the development group has really raised my performances over the past two seasons.

I am constantly adding things into my game that I pick up from speaking with other o cials and from the presentations. Its great that we can regularly meet with other referees and discuss any issues and share our experiences and learn from this.

Being involved in the development group has really raised my performances over the past two seasons.

In the autumn, two courses for referees have been run to encourage officials to be involved in disability football.

The rst was held at the Royal National College for the Blind in Hereford in late October.

The course, arranged by Roger Vaughan and Paul Leversuch, attracted eight referees from across the country.

The manager and team coach of the England blind team, Gary Knight and Jon Pugh, gave presentations on the special needs that players expect of their referees. The group experienced the di culty of playing football when they were blindfolded.

It is expected that these o cials will assist in the National League for the blind, which meets once a month at Hereford

In early November, Keith Stroud organised a seminar for referees interested in o ciating at cerebral

palsy matches. Hayley Ives and Stuart Campbell who will be taking up referee co-ordinator role