DEVELOPMENT OF OFFICIALS AND THE NEEDS OF A REFEREE COACH
DEVELOPMENT OF OFFICIALS AND THE NEEDS OF A REFEREE COACH
PART 1By: Constantinos (Dino) Soupliotis
Former FIFA Referee & FIFA Referee Instructor
Web Page: http://www.dinosoupliotis.com Email:
[email protected] December 1980 as a FIFA Referee, and
October 2001 as a FIFA Referee Instructor, after serving the Game
for 55 consecutive years as a player, referee, referee
administrator & member of referee committees and panels on the
Regional, Provincial, National, & International levels.
For many years now as a FIFA Referee Instructor, I have been
conducting Referee Coaching courses internationally. Course
participants consisted of existing qualified Instructors &
Assessors. I believe that it is my obligation -for me- to share my
experience and knowledge with everyone involved in refereeing
matters; locally and around the world. However, as an information
matter this document it is simply a part of my efforts to assist
the refereeing development at any refereeing level worldwide.Before
continuing further, I will describe the basic development methods
almost all Nations around the world are using to develop their
officials.
**********************************************************BASIC
METHODS OF REFEREES DEVELOPMENT UP TO PRESENT DAY:
1. By using Referee Instructors-Lecturers
2. By using Referee Assessors
REFEREE INSTRUCTORS - LECTURERS:
In a classroom they instruct, analyze, and interpret the Laws of
the Game by using refereeing lecturing material through
transparency films, PowerPoint presentations, videos etc.
On the field of play they perform some fitness exercise (few
instructors do so). On the field of play they demonstrate how the
flag should be used by assistant referees and show some
communication methods (few instructors do so). On the field of play
they demonstrate some ways of applying the Laws of the Game (very
few instructors do this). Unfortunately, the results are extremely
poor and this is due to the fact that the strict majority of the
Referee Instructors-Lecturers do not perform the required on-field
training. Even when some on field training is done, there is no
uniformity and continuation of those personal efforts performed by
some individuals, since it is done by their own personally
initiative.
REFEREE ASSESSORS:
On the field of play, Assessors are assigned to assess the
officials during a game and after the end of the match; the
Assessors give their advice for improvement to the officials
concerned. The Assessors submit their assessment report to the
authorities concerned.
COORDINATION OF INSTRUCTING AND ASSESSING MATTERS:
All matters concerning lecturing material and assessment matters
are taken in consideration by the Referees Committee concerned.
************************************************************************************THE
REFEREE COACH
01Our Game has the simplest Laws of any competitive game in the
world.
02Our Instructors & Assessors definitely know those very
simple Laws very well.
Important note: On this point I would like to make it very clear
that; the main development of our officials must be carried on the
field of play and not in a classroom. For example, the course time
should be divided as follows: 40% in the classroom and 60% on the
field of play.03 We should not continue conducting courses and
talking about the Laws of the Game again and again; which means we
are preparing our officials perfectly theoretically speaking, but
not practically on the field of play; as per the needs of the
Game.
04 We should continue to periodically organize Referee
Instructor and Assessor courses simply because it would be a
requirement for someone who wishes to become a Referee Coach. Also,
we will need the Referee Instructors and Assessors to take care of
the development program of the new officials at their first steps;
before a Referee Coach would take care of them.
05Todays Game needs the officials to be prepared according the
Games needs -which are almost similar of those of the players
needs. The officials should be part of the game and its
environment.
06The Referee Coach is supposed to be a retired competitive
football player; this is an absolute must.
07The Referee Coach is supposed to have very good experience in
football coaching;
08The Referee Coach is supposed to be able to analyze, inform
and train the officials of the What, When, Why and How used by
football coaches to prepare and train their players - if we really
want the referees to understand what is going on the field of play
and by whom.
09The Referee Coach is supposed to know all football playing
systems and tactics;
10In order for a Referee Coach to be aware of all
matters-techniques concerning playing systems, players tactics,
gamesmanship actions, simulations etc. as well as to be able to
analyze, inform and train his officials of the What, When, Why and
How of these systems and tactics, he should attend Football Coaches
Course. Not only that, but he should follow-up and study all kinds
of information, documents and books concerning coaching.
11 The Referee Coach should teach his referees methods so they
will understand in a split second, any and all movements of any
player on the field of play and especially their intentions i.e. to
mislead the referee or an opponent etc.
12The Referee Coach is supposed to be a qualified Referee
Instructor and a Referee Assessor; but that is not enough, he
should also have the highest level of knowledge of the Laws of the
Game, as well as the capability to interpret the Laws of the Game
in an extremely efficient manner;13The Football Associations
(National, Provincial & Regional) should have their own
Referees Coaches.
14The Association concerned should assign each Referee Coach 3
to 6 officials.
15The Referee Coaches should: Under the supervision of the
responsible for the Referee Coaches Program (National, Provincial
or Regional) meet or communicate monthly with them in order to
exchange their views, problems, progress etc. concerning the
officials with whom they are assigned to work and then make the
necessary adjustments.
16The Referee Coach, regardless that he should carry his work
mostly on the field of play, should also make sure that the
officials are aware of all matters concerning the spirit and the
meaning of Laws of the game as well as Law amendments, memorandums,
additional instructions etc.
17Prior of their matches, the Referee Coaches should prepare the
team of officials, physically and psychologically, regardless if he
himself is their official Assessor or not. This is a must, simply
because it is impossible for the Referee Coach to be in two
different fields of play at the same time if he has more than one
team of officials to look after.
18The Referee Coach should analyze the performance of the
officials for whose development he is responsible for - as
follows:
If it is possible after the end of the game, or as soon as
possible thereafter, to have a friendly and detailed discussion
with the officials of each match concerning all matters which
occurred or not at this particular match. It is extremely important
that the Referee Coach be aware of the opinion and acknowledgement
of his officials for whatever they did on or off the field of play,
incorrect or not.
Analyze assessment reports conducted by other Referee Coaches.
Analyze reports submitted by football organizations, football
clubs, and media critics concerning officiating etc.
View videotaped matches where the officials under his guidance
are working.
19The Referee Coach is supposed to select all game incidents
where his officials need to improve. Then by using all those
selected incidents the Referee Coach should edit them (using a
computer video editing system) in order to create new videotaped
game incidents summarizing all problems that the official had
during the particular game. Also, the officials correct decisions
and actions taken during the play and its stops should be
emphasized.
20The Referee Coach should meet separately with each official
concerned in order to analyze his performance on the field of play
and to identify the areas that the official should improve; by
using the above mentioned new videotaped game incidents-information
in order to support his advice for improvement, etc.
21The Referee Coach should assess all officials belongs to him
on a continuous basis.
22 Each Referee Coach should receive copies of assessments that
were performed by any other Referee Coach and which concern the
officials belonging to him.
I would like to make it clear to everyone that I realize that it
is impossible for everyone who reads the above to fully understand
what I really mean about Referee Coaches.
It is obvious that it would require many more pages to explain
what I mean with the above; a fact not possible with the present
notes.
Best regards, Constantinos (Dino) Soupliotis
Former FIFA Referee & FIFA Referee InstructorPAGE Page
1January 2005
