Documentary Kill the referee (with English subtitles)

The documentary Kill the referee is published online and English subtitles are added as well. Now we’re all at home in lockdown, this documentary is a great thing to watch.  

When it released I’ve written a newspaper story for it. I’ve updated that, because that makes it more relevant. You can also find the full clip below.

Massimo Busacca: we are not gods

Referee Massimo Busacca squatted on the ground. He takes a quiet moment for himself in preparation of the match Sweden versus Greece at the 2008 European Championship in Austria and Switzerland, his home country.

There’s a rosary on the table in the dressing room. Busacca makes the cross sign, he’s ready for it. Together with is assistants he leaves the quietness of the changing room to deliver a good performance with roaring crowds in the stadium.

This intimate moment from the movie Kill the referee (originally produced as Les Arbitres) shows the human aspects of the referees. And that’s exactly what Uefa aims with this documentary. The European soccer association and their referee committee want to show that the top referees are normal people who prepare professionally and they want to set a quality performance.

In regular sport broadcasts the players get full attention. But when a referee’s name is in the pages of the newspapers or on the tv programmes, there’s a big chance he made a mistake. Two recent examples are the mistakes by Roberto Rosetti (offside Tevez) and Jorge Larrionda (goal Lampard) in the matches for a spot in the quarter finals at this World Cup in South Africa.

Full video of Kill the referee

The video is on YouTube. Make sure you put English subtitles on via menu in YouTube player.

The film is a unique documentary, because the football fans never got such a personal insight in the life of professional referees. Producer Jean Libon got access to the dressing room, the hotels and family meetings. His camera team was even able to film the family of the referees at home, who were shown as the greatest supporters of their husband, father or son.

Professional approach towards referees

“This openness from Uefa shows their professional approach towards referees”, says Jaap Uilenberg, former international referee and at this moment member of Uefa’s referee committee. “An interview wit a referee was not done a few years ago.” He stressed that the Dutch FA is more open since a few years ago when they get such requests.

In many European countries there is criticism about the invisible wall between referees and others. Because coaches, players and supporters get no insight into the refereeing business. For example England, where Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger openly criticised the FA. In that period of the release (2010) he wants more openness about the referee appointments.

What you see these days, in 2020 and further, is that referee departments are more open. PRO referees recently did live Q&A sessions on YouTube, which resulted in these tips by Alan Kelly. And there are many more examples, luckily.

Referees are normal human beings

Kill the referee is a start to present the referees with an open approach. “Inside the referee committee we’ve extensively discussed how to handle this”, mentioned Uilenberg. “This movie shows that the referee is also a top sportsman. And a normal human being.” The documentary shows that all referees, like each soccer team and all fans, look forward to reaching the final. “For young referees the movie can be a motivation to strive to such a goal.”

Howard Webb during Euro 2008. Shot from the movie Kill the referee

Uilenberg is also acting in Kill the referee. He’s guiding, mentoring and judging Howard Webb in the match between Austria and Poland. Because of awarding a penalty kick in the last minute against Poland he gets death threats. The then Polish president Lech Kascynski, makes it more worse after that. Because that man was very negative about the referee in the worldwide media.

NB: Uefa did not blame Webb for awarding a (wrong) penalty kick. But there was a different reason to sent him home. That was because of an offside goal which was not seen by Webb’s assistant.

The effect of a referee decision

Uilenberg was very clear back in 2010. “The only thing you can do against the behavior of such people is to take care of the safety of the referee and his family back home.” He shows his aversion of people who call themselves fans, but really aren’t by threatening referees. “The boundaries are shifted according to many years ago. But when the producer can show such reactions, the movie gives a good representation of the life of modern refereeing.”

This documentary illustrates perfectly how important such a big tournament is for some fans and players. A wrong call of the referee can have enormous effects. The movie gives the man in black a human character, who actually can make mistakes. Busacca shows that in a touching way in his reaction to protesting players. “We are no gods, we make mistakes.” When his match is finished he makes the cross sign, and looks up to heaven.

Turkish referees are ready for new season

Turkish competition is now two weeks on it’s way. Before the season all referees came together for a seminar with Uefa’s instructors.

I spoke with Ahmet Çağatay Gür, a talented regional assistant referee and sales manager from Ankara about refereeing in Turkey, the country ‘where everybody is a referee’.

A short introduction in photo series.
Or text: “When I was a young, I was a footballer, I played for the best club in Turkey and also my father was a Super League footballer, for clubs such as Gençlerbirliği, Kayseri Spor, Hacettepe, Beşiktaş. I mean that my family comes from the football. But after my education life I have started refereeing.”

Photo of Uilenberg at Turkish referee seminar. Photo by TFF and via interviewed referee.

Earlier this month all Turkish Premier League refeerees, observers and mentors came together for a seminar in Sapanca for 3 days. “UEFA Referee Committee member Jaap Uilenberg, UEFA Chief of Turkey J.W. Larsen and UEFA Assistant Referee Trainer Giovanni Stevanato gave presentations with specially selected images and videos. And also EURO 2012 video’s were used on this training seminar, for the first time in Europe. Also new FIFA rules and changings have been released”, says Ahmet Çağatay Gür.

“Uilenberg said that he was very satisfied with Turkish refeerees’ performance on EURO 2012.” Main topics for the Turkish refs were interfereing with opponent, positioning at penalty area with free kick, distinction between yellow and red and how to deal with objections after a decision.

Refereeing is not easy in Turkay, stresses the young Turkish assistant referee. “If I talk for Turkey, refereeing is very hard because, as you know, all people are a referee and everyday they talk about football in my country.” In his opinion the mass media mislead people pretty much. “Therefore refereeing is soo much more difficult in Turkey. Sometimes when we conduct amateur league match, we have to be more careful because they are amateur and they have noting to loose, sometimes it even can be dangerous.”

Photo by Doğa Somer and provided by interviewed referee.

But Ahmet Çağatay Gür sees also a positive think because Turkey is a football country. “All people love football, men and women. So Turkish football and refereeing have been rising last few years.” That’s what he wants to do too. “If you ask me why I am referee, I can answer this question that I love football and also my life becomes beautiful with refereeing. My goal is that I would become best assistant referee in Turkey and also I want to be appointed Champions League matches. As a referee, I would like to contribute in my best way to Turkish football.”

New and updated World Cup referee stats

More and updated stats about the World Cup referees.

Most cards this World Cup
Howard Webb: 17 yellow cards (in 3 matches)
Yuichi Nishimura: 15 yellows (including one second yellow card) and 1 red card (in 4 matches)
Khalil Al Ghamdi: 15 yellow cards and 1 red card (in just 2 matches, so his average number of cards per match is the highest during the South Africa World Cup)

Lowest average number of cards
1 by Michael Hester: 1 card in 1 match
2,66 by Ravshan Irmatov: 8 yellows in 3 matches (Saturday he’ll officiate his 4th match)
3 by Massimo Busacca: 2 yellows and 1 red in 1 match
3 by Wolfgang Stark: 9 yellows in 3 matches
3 by Viktor Kassai: 9 yellows in 3 matches
3 by Roberto Rosetti: 5 yellows and 1 red in two matches

Youngest/oldest referee (years/days)
24y 193d Juan Gardeazabal, ESP 1958
27y 62d Francisco Mateucci, URU 1930
53y 236d George Reader, ENG 1950

Most red cards
6 Arturo Brizio Carter, MEX 1994-1998
5 Joël Quiniou, FRA 1986-1994
4 Jamal Al Sharif, SYR 1986-1994
4 Felipe Ramos Rizo, MEX 2002
4 Graham Poll, ENG 2006
4 Valentin Ivanov, RUS 2006

Refereed most matches
8 Joël Quiniou, FRA 1986-1994
8 Jorge Larrionda 2006-*
7 Jan Langenus, BEL 1930-1938
7 Benjamin Griffiths, WAL 1950-1958
7 Juan Gardeazábal, ESP 1958-1966
7 Ali Bujsaim, UAE 1994-2002
7 Carlos Simon 2002-*
7 Frank De Bleeckere, BEL 2006-*
7 Benito Archundia, MEX 2006-*
6 Ivan Eklind, SWE 1934-1950
6 Arthur Ellis, ENG 1950-1958
6 Nickolaj Latychev, URS 1958-1962
6 Jamal Al Sharif, SYR 1986-1994
6 Arturo Brizio Carter, MEX 1994-1998
6 Gamal Ghandour, EGY 1998-2002
6 Roberto Rosetti, ITA 2006-*
6 Oscar Ruiz, COL 2002-*
Jorge Larrionda has officiated 4 matches during this World Cup and now holds the record with Joël Quiniou.

Carlos Simon is not sent home and got two good performances. There’s still a chance of him getting his 8th World Cup match. Frank De Bleeckere also got the chance to reach the amount of 8 matches, because he officiated 3 matches so far in SA.

During this World Cup Jorge Larrionda has officiated four matches, but he was send home after the controversial (non-)goal by Frank Lampard against Germany. Rosetti is also back home after an clear offside goal from Argentina against Mexico.

For everyone who missed the appointments of the quarter finals on my Twitter page: HOL-BRA Nishimura URU-GHA Benquerenca ARG-GER Irmatov PAR-SPA Batres.

Refereed most matches in a tournament
5 Horacio Elizondo, ARG 2006
5 Benito Archundia, MEX 2006
4 John Langenus, BEL 1930
4 Nikolai Latyshev, URS 1962
4 José Ramiz Wright, BRA 1990
4 Sandor Puhl, HUN 1994
4 Joel Quiniou, FRA 1994
4 José Torres Cadena, COL 1994
4 Franck De Bleeckere, BEL 2006
4 Lubos Michel, SVK 2006
4 Jorge Larrionda, URU 2006 and 2010
4 Roberto Rosetti, ITA 2006
4 Ravshan Irmatov, UZB 2010*
4 Hector Baldassi, ARG 2010*
4 Yuichi Nishimura, JAP 2010*

Baldassi officated three matches in the group stage and 1 match in the round of the last 16. Yuichi Nishimura refereed yesterday in the quarter final between Holland and Brazil. Ravshan Irmatov will officiate his 4th match on Saturday 3rd of June. Will he get the final?

And for everyone who missed the appointments of the quarter final stage via my Twitter account: HOL-BRA Nishimura URU-GHA Benquerenca ARG-GER Irmatov PAR-SPA Batres.

In a few days I’ll publish an interview with Jaap Uilenberg about the movie Kill the referee and next week about Dutch refereeing.

Have a good day, and if you have some good ideas for my blog, just let me know.