Imagine my shock at finding this latest post on MLSSoccer.com.
Apparently, it’s “Referee Week” at the league’s official website and for the next few days we’re going to get gems like officiating quizzes and a “You Make the Call” series with Paul Tamberino. The overlaying goal appears to be pulling back the curtain on the league referees and showing us who these men are. Apologies if I don’t give a shit.
Instead of dealing with the disaster that is the crop of USSF officials assigned to work MLS matches, we’re getting a week’s worth of league generated propaganda that’s supposed to make us sympathetic for the tough job these guys are asked to do. We realize it’s a tough job, but pointless fluff pieces about what nice people they are isn’t going to change the fact that these referees are directly effecting the outcome of league matches with their mistakes and poor decision making. Making up quizzes that outline extremely difficult decisions doesn’t make up for the fact that their trained officials are getting them wrong on a consistent basis.
Is this the best MLS can offer? Teams and fans get shafted by the whistle blowers and MLS expects us all to just sit down and take it? I’m sure the players and staff at Real Salt Lake will really enjoy this propaganda after Chris Penso made a mockery of their match with Vancouver last week. Don Garber has traveled across the country this season telling fans that the situation is being worked on, that changes are coming. Is this their master plan? Bullshit propaganda on a website?
None of this crap is doing anything to fix the problem MLS has. Instead, they are doing what most leagues, corporations and governments always do…cover up the problem. I really don’t know what’s worse, the fact they are using propaganda or that they expect us to drink their kool-aid and pretend that nothing is wrong.
Nice try MLS. Please try again.
The timing of this is ridiculous. Not even a week after Penso’s clusterfuck pk calls in the RSL/Vancouver game.
Ever referee’d a game? Thought not.
How would you fix the “problem”?
Are are you content to just piss and moan about how terrible the referees are?
Yeah, that’s what I thought.
I have refereed. It’s extremely difficult, but that doesn’t excuse a consistently horrible performance. As for fixing the problem, MLS should employ their own referees, making it financially worthwhile for these guys to focus on the job and do the extensive training required to be a good referee. They should do extensive review and analysis of referee performances, hold them accountable for mistakes poor decision making and force them to answer the medias questions about controversial decisions. Treat the referees better financially and provide them better feedback, combine that with accountability like any other job and you’d likely see a marked improvement.
“that doesn’t excuse a consistently horrible performance.”
In your opinion. We referee to the LoTG and directives we are given. We get one view, at full speed in the middle of the action. No stop & slow motion replays from multiple angles.
“As for fixing the problem, MLS should employ their own referees, making it financially worthwhile for these guys to focus on the job and do the extensive training required to be a good referee.”
What training exactly? And where do these referees come from?
“They should do extensive review and analysis of referee performances”
This already happens.
“hold them accountable for mistakes poor decision making”
This too.
“force them to answer the medias questions about controversial decisions.”
How will this help? Refer back to point re: one view of the action, etc….
“Treat the referees better financially”
Money won’t help. The best referees in the country are already working the top games. There are a bunch of guys waiting in the wings hoping for better pay.
“provide them better feedback”
We are already getting the best feedback available.
“combine that with accountability like any other job and you’d likely see a marked improvement.”
Not likely. No other job in the world is scrutinized as much as a soccer referee.
This should’ve read:
“There AREN’T a bunch of guys waiting in the wings hoping for better pay.”
Mmmm, actually in most industries or professions when you provide incentives (either financial or otherwise) with training & development, professional review and recruiting you tend to see the overall level of quality improve. It rarely happens overnight, but it does happen. Perhaps part of the issue is the quality baseline is so low that from a fan’s perspective “improvement” might mean “not too crap” rather than “flat out crap”. But the main gist of Ginge’s response seems to be that first we need to recognize there is an issue with the level of officiating (there is), and then try to address it (we’re told its being done but then again, haven’t we heard that before?). Refs do have one of the worst, most unappreciated jobs around but there are ways to improve the situation.
Also, while I understand USSF as being a “service provider” in supplying officials for the US leagues, what incentive do they have to improve officiating?
I think transparency (even if orchestrated) is a good first step. “Fixing” the refs won’t happen overnight, but looking into the process at least helps me understand WHAT needs to be fixed.