Football is a difficult, interesting, even exciting and controversial game. And in many ways, it is such because of one comrade, in whose arsenal there is always a clear-cut scroll and a pair of plain red and yellow cards. In Russia they used to call him a football referee, in European countries - a referee, or referee. Why is this position so attractive for people of the most ordinary professions: engineers, journalists, mathematicians?
Who are the judges?
England is considered the birthplace of the great game. But football has entered the life of modern man so tightly that it is not so important where this game came from. Today, most are interested in who takes part in it and how this or that match will end, and with it the championship, tournament. Not the least place in this regard is occupied by such an important person in the game as a football referee. It is he who monitors the progress of events developing on the field, makes fateful decisions both for players and for the whole game. He, like the players, runs around the field, but does not dream of scoring a hat-trick. He faces a number of other important tasks that he must fulfill with dignity, respect and complete dedication.
Referees are not only experts and professionals, they are real fans of their job! They do not just judge each match, they live it as a big event, on which the life of a football family depends. Yes, it is families, because it is impossible to name a united and friendly team of athletes, coaches, medical workers, and the whole football team. This is a family with its habits, traditions, rules and signs.
How to become an arbiter? Step-by-step instruction
If you are an avid football fan, if you can’t imagine life without a treasured ball at the goal of an opposing team, if you can’t even miss a friendly match, then you have a direct road to the referees of this game. Becoming them is not as difficult as it seems to many, but still have to work hard. The first step is your irresistible desire. You thoroughly weighed the pros and cons, pondered, torn and want. The second step is a fateful bell. Find the phone number of the regional football federation in your area and report your desire. Next, you should be invited to an interview, set a date and time.
You don’t waste time and are preparing for the exam. It consists of two stages. At the first stage, your theoretical background is checked: how well you understand the rules, know the football terminology, are familiar with the history of this game, its prominent figures, players, etc. In addition, you will need to show what physical form you are in. This is quite an important point, since a professional referee overcomes more than one kilometer on the field in one game. You will need to pass a few decent distances. After passing the checks you get the title of “arbiter of the third category”. Next, the fun begins - referees, football, appointments and career growth, during which you will be invited to matches of a city or district scale, depending on your successes. First on the role of a side judge, then the main one. At some stage, there will be a need to think about special education at the Institute of Physical Education and Sports or the school of judges. So you can gradually grow to an international class specialist, become a FIFA arbiter.
Recently, quite often controversial issues arise during the match, therefore, good psychological preparation is required from football referees. They should be able to find a common language with any player, fan, colleague, even the most heated one. This is also part of the work of a modern football referee.
Russian football referees
You can talk about these famous personalities for hours, discussing all together and each individually. They are very responsible, hardworking and to some extent courageous people, since the position of arbitrator requires incredible returns. And all of them are united by one thing - love for the great game.
Among the prominent football referees in our country are: Igor Zakharov, Valentin Ivanov (FIFA referee), Igor Egorov (referee of the highest category). Referees are people who not only dedicated their lives to their favorite game, they gave and give part of their soul in every match.
Now in Russia there are more and more representatives of the judicial profession in football. The rules of the game are being improved, the orders are changing, therefore several other requirements are put forward to the new generation of referees. In order not to face the dirt at the World Cup in 2018, it was decided to learn from colleagues from Europe. The training was entrusted to specialists from Italy, as they are considered the best in the world. And the fact that our country entered the UEFA Judicial Convention in the spring of this year only confirms the correctness of the chosen path.
The Golden Whistle of Football
Speaking of the great game, one cannot fail to mention the name of the unsurpassed Nikolai Gavrilovich Latyshev, the world famous soccer referee. He was a pioneer in refereeing world-class matches. His excellent work in Chile during the World Cup is still unparalleled. The arbitration was carried out flawlessly. With his participation, several decisive games were held, including the final meeting held between the teams of Brazil and Czechoslovakia.
Subsequently, the leadership and the international approach to work were appreciated by the leadership of the International Football Federation. The Russian judge was awarded a significant gift - the legendary golden scroll. During the Swedish championship, he also played brilliantly as a soccer referee for the side and main flanks. Latyshev tolerantly and fairly treated everything that happened on the field, giving no preference to anyone.
Referee Mastery
As you know, you won’t drink skill. In our case, it’s better to say - do not prod. A highly qualified referee in football is necessarily distinguished by good physical preparation, psychological stability, excellent knowledge of the rules and methods of refereeing, as well as strong-willed qualities of character, without which his position is inconceivable.
In addition to all this, the referee on the field must have a lightning reaction and the ability to make the right, fair decision in the shortest possible time. Otherwise, he risks losing not only the bread place, but also his authority in the eyes of the entire football community, ranging from fans to representatives of the top division. The quality of refereeing should suit everyone, this is one of the biggest difficulties of the arbitration profession.
Hard game is a dangerous job
“Our service is both dangerous and difficult, and at first glance it seems that it is not visible ...” - these lines perfectly describe the work of the modern referee of football matches. When serving as a judge, the main thing is not to lose the initial fuse, because the referees have to listen a lot to themselves during the refereeing of different matches, and after them too. Unfortunately, even fatal cases are already known today (youth league, match in the Netherlands).
Most likely, a person becomes a football referee by the call of his soul, the dictates of his heart, and not by coercion or inheritance. But often football connoisseurs like to shift all responsibility for the game onto his “amateur” shoulders, which leads to all kinds of trials and unfair accusations. People do not want to think that a whole team of specialists is responsible for the course of the match, not counting the athletes themselves. And the demand, respectively, must be carried out equally from all.
A great influence on the work of football referees, in their opinion, has a disciplinary code, which was introduced some time ago. His points are so severe that even seasoned and seasoned pros begin to make elementary mistakes on the field. One of the best referees in our country, Sergei Khusainov, in an interview, said that now he is entering the field, as if for the last time. Today, arbitrators are hostages to a set of strict rules that are afraid of disqualification for the slightest offense.
Place of honor in football
A referee on the field is more than a judge. This is the guardian of order, the healer of souls, the arbiter of the fate of the whole team, and not one. But first of all, he is a man who is not immune from mistakes and mistakes, like any of us. At the same time, the referees are preachers of new ideas, tactics, strategies in football.
Without their personal experience and skill, no game will be held at the proper level, so do not underestimate the profession of a football referee. And although this position is not listed in the personnel register, we think that it can be confidently added to the track record of any referee, since she has every reason to be an officially recognized profession.