Australia has always had a rich history of first class national, international and World Cup referees.

Names such as Eddie Lennie, Simon Micallef, Chris Bambridge, Donald Campbell, Simon Przydacz, Tony Boskovic, Richard Lorenc, Eugene Brazzale, Bill Monteverde, Doug Rennie and Tammy Ogston to name but a few.

Other names that you may not have heard of such as Barry Such, Bill Tattersall, Jim Ouliarus and Brian Tamsett, and Wayne Lennardson are just some of refereeing folk working tirelessly as coaches and instructors for little or no financial compensation to ensure that referees are identified, trained and developed from grass roots all the way to the Hyundai A-league and beyond. There are hundreds of other names across the country too numerous to name individually.

We find ourselves presented with an incredible opportunity to build on a very strong base to continue to “lift the bar” in every aspect of refereeing in Australia.

This weekend heralds a new era in the development and management of referees in Australia where we release the FFA’s three year Refereeing Strategic Plan.

Recently the FFA announced that a new referees committee was established to look at the structure of refereeing in this country. As a result a new strategic three year plan has been created.

The plan is aimed in four key areas:

• Unifying a development and management system of referees in each of the states across the country

• Nationally co-ordinating development and education programs, through a nationally implemented curriculum

• Creating a larger pool of talented officials to supply our elite competitions

• Creating further opportunities to enhance the experience of our international referees

To create the next batch of Hyundai A-League Referees, Coaches and Instructors the FFA is creating a National Talent Pool of referees.

These next generation referees, assessors and instructors will help to supply the elite competitions (A-league, W-League and AFC/ FIFA) for decades to come.

We are looking in every league, branch and member federation across the country for talented officials who with the right training development can make it to the very top.

Essentially the basis of our plan is to recruit and develop more referees and assistant referees at every level, further enhance the consistent training programs and create opportunities at the highest level to get more experience.

We are engaging as many stakeholders that we can to assist us in our quest to create a world class refereeing program, everyone from each of the member federations, AFC, FIFA and the PFA, and the signs are encouraging.

It is a simple plan but one that we at the FFA believe will succeed with a unified all inclusive approach. It is all about developing better referees in line the ever increasing professionalism and standard of football in Australia. The strategic plan is the first step in us achieving our goal.

 
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Comments (15)
 
Being an ex ref, coach, manager and club president, and now a loyal club supporter, it annoys the bejesus out of me, how the referees/assistants don't see what we see in the stands, (usually the refs are right next to the action), and either make a ridiculous ruling or let the play , play on, without any recourse. Even the great Mark Sheilds showed signs of bias, especially against the Mariners. All jokes aside, when is the FFA introducing video refereeing. At this level of soccer, we the spectators pay to see a game that is played fair. FOX sports replays referrees decisions , from up to 10 different view points. It would only take 30 seconds with modern technology to make an accurate decision that pleases the general public. The extra time can be added on like some of the fake dives that continue in the game. The supporters keep the games going. Wake up FFA, the refs need assistance.
George  |  
3 May 2012 12:35 PM
 
 
so much promised ad so little delivered. Round 21 one too remember for disgusting refereeing leading to potentially fatal for the future of young talented player. It is result of your (FFA) policy of closing blind eye on very bad or simply bias refereeing. So how many young talented player futures will be finished in A League by not reacting to thuggery on the pitch?
Lubanski  |  
27 Feb 2012 06:47 PM
 
 
The problem is that at the moment refereeing is a hobby not a job. Like any skill, it can only improve if one can be single-minded about it. If we accept that players should be full-time professionals at the highest level, then why not the 4 refs?
Bela Guttman  |  
23 Feb 2012 05:30 PM
 
 
Mark, two things. A couple of years a big deal of noise was made within referee ranks about linesman now being considered assistant refereesYet we consistently see the assistant referees doing everything they can to avoid having to make a hard decision. Even obvious handballs or fouls right in front of them - they simply will not do anything. This has not changed since the inception of the A-League. Second, on Jimmy Ouliaris. Great bloke, fit as, great trainer, great leader, etc... but the guy is past it. Makes a lot of mistakes on off-side calls and if you watch him closely (and I do), he's always half a second behind in terms of reactions and is having a lot of difficulty staying in a straight line with the last defender... Which is an easy thing to do when A-League fields are mowed in such a way that it's quite easy to keep in line. Out of all the assistants that I have seen down here in Melb, Jimmy is probably the most error-prone. Pains me to say it but it's the truth.
Jon  |  
15 Feb 2012 10:35 AM
 
 
I believe a good deal of the supposed inconsistency in refereeing is due to how early fouls are (not) handled. Some referees have a different attitude to enforcing the rules, compared to others, and prefer to "talk to" players early on. What appears to me to happen too often is that having talked to players of one side, they then give a card to a player on the other side for an offence which a few minutes earlier, they let pass. Better to hand out a card for the offence from the first whistle while being quite clear what offences at any stage of the game deserve a talking to and what require a card. Tackles from behind should get a card, and too many are being let go.
GerryJ  |  
12 Feb 2012 09:33 PM
 
 
Yes agree with what this article is really saying - the standard of refereeing has not kept up with the quality of the football in the A-League and a plan to rescue things comes not a moment too soon. Just got back from the shockingly poorly refereed Wellington/Brisbane game. Ruined it as a spectator. No wonder the Phoenix were frustrated - we all were. Brisbane deserved the win though - great goals & tight passing - classy team.
adrian  |  
12 Feb 2012 07:14 PM
 
 
I feel that the 3 year plan, while great in principal, may just miss a critical part of the equation. Trying to entice ex players from the highest level possible to take on the role as ref, while difficult, has been neglected. The ex players cannot see a career path so why should they take up the role, while the philosophical discussion that someone who has refereed for 10 years and say is 28 years old is the same as a player who has played the game to say State level and refereed for 4 years is just as good. I understand an ex player does not guarantee a good ref and in some cases a ref that is too empathetic with the players. But after playing in the old NSL and having been refereed by most of Australia's best referees, including a young Mark Shields , I have been a referee for 4 years and would encourage any former player to take up the whistle as it has been very rewarding so far. I agree with with one of the above statements that as long as a ref passes the fitness test his "age" should be not an issue. But i feel that the political will to allow someone 39+ to run an A League middle is simply not there. As a result of this you simply push aside a huge pool of people with a wealth of playing experience that if can be converted to the requirements of refereeing the quality of our national group would raise dramatically. So while we try to referees and it is applauded that look at psychology, man management and other buzz word issues it is very difficult to teach;the feel of the game and the "feel of a tackle and the very subtle things that top level players do to stretch the laws to their advantage. This is where that other buzz word , experience kicks in. Sorry for the soap box, but i love the game from a playing level and now from a refereeing level and only want the best for it.
Phil Traianedes  |  
12 Feb 2012 02:27 PM
 
 
@ James, sorry but although Leijers tackle was awfully mistimed and rightfully deserved a yellow, Sainsbury's tackle was lunging and studs were showing. He left the ground for that tackle and he got a red. Every league in the world is running by these standards, it isn't about other tackles in the match; believe it or not last week Brebner was given a straight red for an almost identical incident and that is consistency by the referees. If players can't understand that a lunge is going to see red then they shouldn't be tackling at all.
Scott  |  
11 Feb 2012 02:16 PM
 
 
I would like to hear your opinion Mr. Shield on refereeing standard in latest game Wellington-Adelaide.
Lubanski  |  
11 Feb 2012 01:23 PM
 
 
This is all well and good, but who is going to train the trainers...?
David J Hourigan  |  
11 Feb 2012 07:56 AM
 
 
So how would you justify this plan when there is such awful inconsistency even in just one game. Take for a [very] recent example, tonight's game - Leijer tackle from behind, only gets a talking to. Sainsbury tackle from in front, straight red. Changes the whole game. Now he will (should) get the suspension overturned, but the result of the game will be long gone and unchangeable, all thanks to a refereeing error. A wider pool of referees would be great. Then Peter Green can have a good, long, long, rest
James  |  
10 Feb 2012 10:11 PM
 
 
Mark most certainly was one of the best referees this outcry has produced. The one step stride and stare worked on the toughest of players in the world. Recently I've sat at Suncorp and watched some terrible decisions, the same on the tv. It appears to me that several of the good referees that have made it to the A-League have all of a sudden taken on a look at me&type of Persona and made decisions based on what can only be described as second guessing. I will say the assistants have started to step up to the plate although they are sometimes a bit too quick with the flag and maybe interferewith the game when they don't need to. I remember the well know Brisbane referees coach TK telling the group that when assisting, if you're not 100% positive then do nothing. Time to remind some of these guys that message. My final comment on the plan and the statement above referencing targeting the best is not necessarily the entire truth. It's about who you know what you can do. As in all walks of life, networks and friendships not always capability!
Brisbane Ref  |  
10 Feb 2012 09:43 PM
 
 
one issue has not been mention - introduction of TV to help referees in not making critical mistakes.
Boniek  |  
10 Feb 2012 03:15 PM
 
 
I think all referees should be trained in martial arts and boxing. Be made to build up their physique and have haircuts that would put the fear of god into small children. That way, all of the whiney, oh how terrible was that decision, oo look I fallen, in your face players would think twice about the disgraceful behaviour they exhibit. Why we are not expecting our "professional players" to behave like pro's is beyond me. Do union or league refs get a hard time [rhetorical]. I am not a ref and would not want to be one, and until technology starts to catch up, I can not see how you are expected to do any better than you already are. Until then ignore BOSNICH and his TV pundit mates, and do the best you can under the circs.
David Caffrey  |  
9 Feb 2012 05:48 PM
 
 
As an ex ref, one of the things that has impacted on the standard of refereeing in the A-League is people being promoted through quickly based on age; the younger and fitter adage which for me has not worked. Irony is, the only decent ref was Mark himself who was pushed through as a younger ref and unfortunately, the blueprint for Mark’s success does not work for all refs. Looking at other leagues globally, most of the better refs did their time and then were promoted through the leagues. There are some very good refs in local leagues who are perceived to be too old and have not got a run. I think a lot has to be done to look at the actual psychology of the ref and look at how they make decision and the way they make decisions.
Ze Private man  |  
9 Feb 2012 02:05 PM