Referees in the media (week 37)

‘Referees in the media’ will be published at the beginning of the week on the Dutch Referee Blog and provides remarkable or interesting quotes and links to articles worth reading.

“Women have so much to offer. For some reason, many believe that you have to be a man to be a good referee. This is simply not true.”

Esther Azzopardi Farrugia, Maltese referee and recently promoted to Uefa’s Women’s Elite Development list. Just interviewed her for my blog, so more of her soon on this blog.

“”They are a deterrent in the penalty area against pushing and pulling, especially from corners or free-kicks.”

Pierluigi Collina about extra assistants. Read more about this on Uefa’s website, where the former Italian top referee suggests that extra assistants will be added to the Laws of the game in July by IFAB.

“I still think about quitting.”

Amateur football referee Luc Bosmans in Belgium has lost control of himself during a match between Wuustwezel and Gooreind. He pulled of his shirt (check photo here) and left the pitch. He did leave due to supporter’s comments, not due to player’s behaviour.

Serdar Gözübüyük in Dutch magazine NUsport.

“It’s anyhow going to happen. Next week, next month or maybe the one next. It’s not going to be a party. I don’t want to make mistakes.”

Referee Serdar Gözübüyük, Dutch talented referee, is not afraid about making a big mistake. He has been interviewed in Dutch sports magazine NUsport.

Referees in the media (week 32)

‘Referees in the media’ will be published at the beginning of the week on the Dutch Referee Blog and provides remarkable or interesting quotes and links to articles worth reading.

A Dutch interviewer in newspaper ‘de Volkskrant’ about big football tournaments: “That’s where the Ronaldo’s of this world are.”

Cover photo of Volkrant’s summer appendix with Serdar Gözübüyük.

“That means nothing to me. Come on, if they go to the bathroom, they stink too.”

The reply of Serdar Gözübüyük, a very talented Dutch referee, who stresses that a certain status doesn’t change the person. He emphasises that even if you become more popular, also as a referee, you need to be yourself. You can the the full interview (in Dutch) in last weekend’s Volkskrant.

“There is a greater appeal to your sense of empathy. One minute you make a lace set, the next whistle you for a serious offense.”

Barry Huizinga is going to whistle at the Olympic football tournament and talks about the difference with regular football.

“It’s safe to say my preparations for this season have been far better than last year given I spent twelve weeks hopping around like long John Silver after ankle ligament reconstruction.”

Bobby Madden from Scotland blogs about his preparations for next season. Worth reading and he’ll publish more parts of his journey towards season start. (That’s what the words ‘part 1’ suggest.)

A referee “must be prepared to accept that he may occasionally punish a player when no simulation has occurred because such decisions are difficult to make.”

From a statement by the Professional Game Match Officials (UK). These guidelines must reduce the number of cheating incidents.

Referees in the media (week 52)

‘Referees in the media’ will be published at the beginning of the week on the Dutch Referee Blog and provides remarkable or interesting quotes and links to articles worth reading.

“He’s really looks better than the last time I’ve seen him.”

Says lawyer Sven Menke after visiting Babak Rafati, who’s recovering from an attempted suicide.

“Oh yes, of course I miss it. It’s like a player, when he finishes playing. I miss it a lot, but on the other hand, it’s good because you are still involved, still hungry and can explain better to the referees what they need to do.”

Massimo Busacca misses refereeing now he’s the head of Fifa’s refereeing department. Read full interview on Fifa.com

“I’m very happy. It’s a nice appreciation and a good motivation to continue what I’m doing.”

Serdar Gözübüyük after being promoted at the age of 26 to the Fifa list as youngest Dutch international referee ever.

“Now in #top2000: Uncertain Smile – The The. Routine preparation on matches I led as a referee. Worked as adrenaline pump.”

Former Dutch international referee tweets about a song he hears in a Dutch radio top list. Here’s the song:

New referees in Europe’s highest leagues

European qualification matches already started and some competitions will kick-off this weekend. Here are the new referees at the national top levels.

If you miss something, let me know.

Netherlands
New in the senior referee group is Serdar Gözübüyuk, who holds many Dutch refereeing records, being the youngest referee ever officiating at the highest level in the Netherlands. Assistants Charl Schaap en Hessel Steegstra moved up to the highest level as well.
Referee Ben Haverkort retired and has already started as commercial manager at FC Groningen, a club in the highest league.

Austria
New: Dominik Ouschan
End of career: Bernhard Brugger (next December)
Relegated: –
Source:
Announcement ÖFB

Belgium
No promotions announced.
Best referee: Frank De Bleeckere (Golden Whistle), Johan Verbist (Silver Whistle), Joeri Van de Velde (Bronze Whistle).

Croatia
New: Marin Vidulin, Marin Horvat, Nikola Beatović and Hrvoje Knez
Relegated: Davor Grizelj and Jurica Mihalj
New AR’s: Djuro Jaković, Goran Loparac, Josip Orišković and Ivica Radošević
Retired AR’s: Damir Volf and Vlado Crnolatac

England
New: Jon Moss and Neil Swarbrick
Relegated: none
New AR’s: Gary Beswick, Simon Bennett, Darren Bond, Charles Breakspear, Sian Massey, Richard West
Relegated AR: Paul Thompson
AR’s stopped because of promotion as center: Andy Madley and Dean Mohareb
Source: Rate The Ref Community

France
New: Benoît Bastien, Sebastien Desiage, Benoît Millot.
Relegated: Damien Ledentu,
End of career: Stephané Bre, Bruno Coué,
Source: Announcement FFF

Germany
New: –
Relegated: Marc Seemann from Essen got to a lower level after a long period of injuries.

New AR’s: –
Relegated AR: Torsten Bauer
Retired AR: Carsten Kadach
Men’s referee of the year: Manuel Gräfe
Women’s referee of the year: Bibiana Steinhaus

Greece
Relegated: Apostolos Amparkiolis, Marios Lampropoulos
Quit: Vasileios Pamporidis, Dimitrios Kalopoulos (both FIFA referees), Georgios Stathopoulos, Nathanail Charalampidis, Michalis Tsiniaris, Stavros Mandalos.
New: Spyridon Selimos, Georgios kominis, Gerasimos Ntitsos, Georgios Daskalopoulos, Ioannis Delfakis, Dimitrios kyrkos (also on highest level from 2007 to 2010), Dimitrios Styliaras (also on highest level form 2004 to 2006).

Relegated AR: Ioannis Toumpakaris
Quit AR: Christos Baltas, Spyridon Tryfonas (FIFA A. referees), Theodoros Kotsiros
New AR: Hasan Koula, Stelios Tsolakis, Panagiotis Stathopoulos
Source: Panagiotis Koutakos from refereepress.blogspot.com
Italy
New: Daniele Doveri and Marco Guida
Relegated: Nicola Pierpaoli and Emidio Morganti
New AR’s: Giuseppe De Pinto, Alessandro Giallatini, Claudio La Rocca, Fabiano Preti, Giancarlo Rubino and Gianluca Vuoto
Relegated AR’s: Rosario Angrisani, Gianantonio Pugiotto, Stefano Ayroldi, Paolo Calcagno, Sandro Rossomando and Stefano Papi
Source: many Italian media

Norway
Promotions are in December, because they don’t have a summer break.
New: Anders Johansen and Trond Ivar Døvle
New AR’s: Jan Erik Engan, Ole Johan Lillebuen and Anders Velo

Portugal
New: Nuno Miguel Serrano Almeida, Jorge Joaquim Martins Barros Tavares and Rui Tiago Castelão Patrício
Relegated: Diogo Pereira dos Santos, Elmano Carlos Fernandes Santos, Luís Martins Catita da Silva

Scotland
New: Greg Aitken, Euan Anderson, Barry Cook and Paul Robertson
Relegated: –

Spain
New: Pedro Jesús Pérez Montero and Carlos del Cerro Grande
Relegated: Rafael Ramirez Dominguez and Antonio Rubinho Perez
Best referee: Carlos Velasco Carballo (1st), Alberto Navarro Undiano Mallenco (2nd) and Fernando Teixeira Vitienes (3rd).
New AR’s: Martín García, Barranco Trejo, Zancada Lobato, Huerga Cermeño.
Statement RFEF (pdf)

Switzerland
New: in 2011 (since January) in Axpo Swiss League: Damien Carrel, Ludovic Gremaud, Adrien Jaccottet, Stephan Klossner.
Quit: Massimo Busacca (this summer)

Wales
New: Nick Pratt and Paul Fisher
Moved: Mike Jones (Eng)
Resigned: Matt Bridges
Relegated: Darren Adie and Paul Thomas
Source: confirmed by e-mail

Gözübüyuk breaks all Dutch referee records

The Dutch Soccer Association has today announced which referees will be promoted after this season. Serdar Gözübüyuk will be the only new referee on the senior list, the highest level in the Netherlands. He got a contract for three years.

The 25-year old referee is the first with foreign roots who promotes from the junior list. He was on the second level since 2009 and will replace Ben Haverkort, who had to quit the top list. Gözübüyuk holds two youngest referee records: he made his professional debut on the 10th of March in 2008 at the age of 23 and his first match on the highest level was 2nd May 2010 at the age of 24.

Other promotions
Dennis Higler and Rogier Honig were promoted from the Referee Masterclass Group (3rd level) to the Junior Group. Assistants Charl Schaap en Hessel Steegstra step up to the Senior Group. Joost Mulder and Joost van Zuilen to the Junior AR Group.