The standards of refereeing

[Phil Mitchell]

Now the season is over and without being contentious about it; there seems to have been a lot of talk over the season about the standards or inconsistencies from the referees

Excuse my ignorance here - but do we only have 6 refs in the EIHL (please correct me if I'm wrong)

Neil Wilson
Tom Darnell
Dean Smith
Mike Hicks
Rab Cowan
Andy Carson

Though I haven't been aware that Carson has refereed that many games of late

How do the EIHL monitor and uphold the standards of the referees throughout the season from one game to the next. I know that Simon Kirkham is involved in this.

Is there a need for more referees and that the standards are maintained.

[Toneys#24]

A couple of NHL ideas i like are playing with 2 refs and 2 linos (are we now finacially ok to do this? It nearly happened a few years ago) and the refs getting mic'd up and announcing the calls to the crowd - i think it makes them more responsible for the call imo.

[Phil Mitchell]

Apr 8, 2013 21:42:22 GMT Toneys#24 said:

A couple of NHL ideas i like are playing with 2 refs and 2 linos (are we now finacially ok to do this? It nearly happened a few years ago) and the refs getting mic'd up and announcing the calls to the crowd - i think it makes them more responsible for the call imo.

Do we have sufficient referees to have as you suggest?

[rmt1982]

The 2 refs one, I don't think so, but miking up the officials is a good one.

[Toneys#24]

Apr 8, 2013 21:47:16 GMT Phil Mitchell said:

Apr 8, 2013 21:42:22 GMT Toneys#24 said:

A couple of NHL ideas i like are playing with 2 refs and 2 linos (are we now finacially ok to do this? It nearly happened a few years ago) and the refs getting mic'd up and announcing the calls to the crowd - i think it makes them more responsible for the call imo.

Do we have sufficient referees to have as you suggest?

Thats the other question - but as the saying goes 'two sets of eyes are better than one'

[Shorty]

The league are looking at improving the standard of refereeing, as they are aware that whilst the standard of play has been improving year on year, the quality of the officials has not.

They are looking more closely at video replays, mainly for goals.

They are also looking at officials in Europe, to see if there is scope to use some additional ones (and maybe) send some of ours over there to increase their experience.

[sparkymark75]

Rumour is that Rab Cowan will retire if they don't go to a 4 man system, the games too fast for them. They have to do the full 60 minutes (at least the players get a breather) and have to travel from end to end to try and keep up with the play, something they obviously struggle with.

[Phil Mitchell]

Apr 8, 2013 22:42:22 GMT sparkymark75 said:

Rumour is that Rab Cowan will retire if they don't go to a 4 man system, the games too fast for them. They have to do the full 60 minutes (at least the players get a breather) and have to travel from end to end to try and keep up with the play, something they obviously struggle with.

Are we saying that the referees need to get in better shape and become fitter if they are to manage the full 60 minutes ;D

[Doughnut]

The EIHL refs are a bit pants.

In other news: water is still wet, the sky is still blue and eggs are still eggs.

[goon37]

Apr 8, 2013 21:42:22 GMT Toneys#24 said:

A couple of NHL ideas i like are playing with 2 refs and 2 linos (are we now finacially ok to do this? It nearly happened a few years ago) and the refs getting mic'd up and announcing the calls to the crowd - i think it makes them more responsible for the call imo.

The two refs - 2 linos thing happens in the EPL occasionally (Although sometimes you get 1 ref two linos and sometimes you just get 2 stripeys. its a lottery really)
I found it didn't make too much difference to the flow of the game. Although (and it would be interesting to see if this is true or not) my general impression was more players got ejected in those games.

[mouth]

Have any of you ever tried to referee a game of ice hockey? It's all well and good criticise a referee's performance but most fans I know can't even skate. Never mock a man until you've walked a mile in his shoes etc etc. I have and I can assure you that the guys on the ice with the thankless task deserve a round of applause at the end of the game as well.

In terms of the EIHL referees being a bit slow etc I urge you to remember that the players are mostly full time professionals whereas the referees are usually an accountant or supermarket manager and just to the whistling at the weekends. At least in the NHL and such like they get media time-outs which really is a moment to be thankful for.

As for adopting the 4-man system I fear that the cost is the main current implication. Under the current system of 3-man each linesman is awarded £50 for their troubles and the referee (he with the arm bands) £100 plus their travel expenses. I am unsure who pays each component (league or club) but you can imagine the costs involved once Darnell or whoever has billed them for his hotel in Belfast or Dundee.

Three things would happen in the 4-man system was adopted:

Costs would increase, and somehow this would find it's way onto your game day ticket. The current on-ice officials wouldn't take a pay cut so it would become an additional cost.

PIM's increased by 14 minutes per game in the NHL and I imagine it would be similar here.

The standard will drop, at least in the first instance while the newly promoted guys learn the ropes. They've referee'd before (as opposed to being a linesman) but at lower levels. There really is a huge step in between even the EPL and EIHL.

All in all until the officials go full-time the standard isn't going to get any better. Problem with that is that it would cost a fortune.

Whoever made the point re the ref-mic, then expect there to be a lot of bad language from both the players and officials to find its way into your little ones ears. I can't be the only one who remembers the Simon Kirkham incident at Nottingham v Cardiff live on BBC on a Sunday afternoon.

[Alf Garnett]

The major difference between us supporters and the officials is that we nearly always see a 1 team game. How often do we say something like 'we should have been penalised for a slash there'? We don't but the officials have to see a 2 team game and be objective whilst trying to let the game flow but not being too lenient. A thankless task I'm sure. Of course there is room for improvement but if the funds aren't there and the manpower is not available then the options are limited.

[Shorty]

Apr 9, 2013 12:10:58 GMT mouth said:

Have any of you ever tried to referee a game of ice hockey? It's all well and good criticise a referee's performance but most fans I know can't even skate. Never mock a man until you've walked a mile in his shoes etc etc. .

On that basis, the vast majority on here cannot criticise a player, a coach, the bar staff pulling a pint or the stewards.

[bobness]

Apr 9, 2013 16:14:30 GMT Shorty said:

On that basis, the vast majority on here cannot criticise a player, a coach, the bar staff pulling a pint or the stewards.

Maybe they should think about that when they clamour to get Ling and Graham on a plane home early in the season.

The issue can be boiled down to this.
Pro league, amateur officials.
And I don't mean that in a disparaging way. All the officials have day jobs, as far as I can tell. None of them do it for the money. When you think that NHL refs get up to $250k a year, and the linos are on at least $77k a year (source, the interweb) then you get an idea of the size of the problem.
The league is nowhere near rich enough to employ 6 full time refs, even at let's say £25k for the season each.

How do you square that circle? Lord only knows. Money is the only answer, and unless the league can somehow get some, we'll be as we are for a while yet.

One thing I have noticed though. Not many winning team players criticise refs.

[oldman]

Apr 8, 2013 22:19:19 GMT Toneys#24 said:

Apr 8, 2013 21:47:16 GMT Phil Mitchell said:

Do we have sufficient referees to have as you suggest?

Thats the other question - but as the saying goes 'two sets of eyes are better than one'

they tried it in the challenge cup seem to remember a game might have been at Cov, atrocious two refs same mistakes less room on the ice to avoid them for the players.