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All Refs are Human and and have a life outside GAA

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yes all ref's are human but some too are extremely egotistical - on every pitch there is also 2 qualified referees on as lines men and 4 umpires that are by in large 4 redundant figures,,, if refs learned to ask for opinions on issues key issues they would lessen the volume of "human errors"that become the talking point of every season... Horsebox77 (Kerry) - Posts: 5491 - 16/07/2016 15:19:58 1884241 Link
Replying To Horsebox77: "yes all ref's are human but some too are extremely egotistical - on every pitch there is also 2 qualified referees on as lines men and 4 umpires that are by in large 4 redundant figures,,, if refs learned to ask for opinions on issues key issues they would lessen the volume of "human errors"that become the talking point of every season..." The umpires should make some efforts to get fitter. Could then use one umpire to be an endline linesman and be an extra set of eyes on the play there close to their endline. In an event of a shot on goal or for a point you'd expect the other umpire to get into position to see where the play is and ref foul play, goal point or wide. I don't know the rules but I've heard umpires can't be proactive if they see the rules being broken. They can only speak if the referee asks them. They should be more proactive warning players to stay out of the square, stop fouling, swearing etc. Seems a lot of refereeing allows the rules to be broken and then take disciplinary action rather than advising players not to cross a disciplinary line which would make games more freeflowing with the best players left on the pitch. GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7359 - 16/07/2016 15:43:36 1884252 Link
Load of nonsense spouted here by lads who definitely would run a mile if offered a whistle, some of the posters refer to mistakes not being acceptable, referees being egotistical, referees being arrogant, how on earth would you know such things from simply observing a referee, those qualities are surely only known by people close to them, another poster referred to referees not being on the end of personal abuse, some laugh, it's a national past time abusing GAA referees, referees train, attend seminars, perform a thankless job, get nothing for it, posters here should try to do a referees' course and then start at local level and they would soon change their tune, I've been doing it for many years, thoroughly enjoy it, great enjoyment but give us a break. kawaifive0 (Westmeath) - Posts: 112 - 16/07/2016 15:47:43 1884254 Link
Replying To kawaifive0: "Load of nonsense spouted here by lads who definitely would run a mile if offered a whistle, some of the posters refer to mistakes not being acceptable, referees being egotistical, referees being arrogant, how on earth would you know such things from simply observing a referee, those qualities are surely only known by people close to them, another poster referred to referees not being on the end of personal abuse, some laugh, it's a national past time abusing GAA referees, referees train, attend seminars, perform a thankless job, get nothing for it, posters here should try to do a referees' course and then start at local level and they would soon change their tune, I've been doing it for many years, thoroughly enjoy it, great enjoyment but give us a break." Outstanding post. The lack of understanding from the so called "experts" here is embarrassing. I'm reffing for 5 years so I'm one of the few people on here who actually knows what he's talking about. All it takes is for the idiots on this forum to go ref a couple of adult league games and they'll then re-think everything negative they said about refs for the last 20 years. I personally guarantee it. banner_boy (Clare) - Posts: 1285 - 17/07/2016 00:48:52 1884501 Link
Replying To banner_boy: "Outstanding post. The lack of understanding from the so called "experts" here is embarrassing. I'm reffing for 5 years so I'm one of the few people on here who actually knows what he's talking about. All it takes is for the idiots on this forum to go ref a couple of adult league games and they'll then re-think everything negative they said about refs for the last 20 years. I personally guarantee it." Verbal abuse or abuse through social media is not confined to just referees. Players and management get it aswell. It doesn't matter if it's an intercounty game or a local kids U10 game. How can you stamp it out? The best examples of good rapport between players and referees is in rugby. In rugby abusing a ref is quickly punished so that occurrences of players abusing refs almost never occurs. But on the flip side, referees in rugby will explain their decisions in a clear manner and will engage verbally with the player. There is a lot of respect there. This is something I find very lacking in the majority of referees I have encountered as a player in football. Too many that will engage with the players with the whistle only or dismissive hand gestures. Very frustrating if players believe the ref is making inconsistent decisions. I have far more respect for refs that talk to players. Of course we are all human and ref's do make mistakes. However I don't believe that this should mean that refs should not have standards to maintain. Good refs should be promoted to referee more high profile games. If, as a ref, you are not good or consistent enough then you don't get them. This post seems to have been started in the fallout of criticism of Joe McQuillan in the Mayo/ Fermanagh game. My opinion is that Joe McQuillan was inconsistent in some of his decisions throughout the game, not just with the penalty. He is a high profile ref in charge of a high profile televised game and in my opinion his performance was not up to the standard you would expect from a 'top' ref in my own opinion. lady_gaagaa (Westmeath) - Posts: 97 - 17/07/2016 10:22:18 1884547 Link
Hear hear to those posters who note that the vast majority of posters here don't understand the job of the ref as they've never done it! It has been mentioned already that slow motion and multiple views make it easy to pick on mistakes. Can I add to that the fact that camera angles (on which people base their opinions) are at a height above ground level, thus giving a much better view than refs have. Refs make mistakes, and plenty of them, but I feel that pundits who zero in on refereeing errors time after time are the worst pundits of all. They take an easy target to avoid having to do any serious analysis. It's an affliction called EOHS, Eamon O'Hara Syndrome. 1914 (Clare) - Posts: 92 - 17/07/2016 11:44:03 1884581 Link
Replying To GreenandRed: "The umpires should make some efforts to get fitter. Could then use one umpire to be an endline linesman and be an extra set of eyes on the play there close to their endline. In an event of a shot on goal or for a point you'd expect the other umpire to get into position to see where the play is and ref foul play, goal point or wide. I don't know the rules but I've heard umpires can't be proactive if they see the rules being broken. They can only speak if the referee asks them. They should be more proactive warning players to stay out of the square, stop fouling, swearing etc. Seems a lot of refereeing allows the rules to be broken and then take disciplinary action rather than advising players not to cross a disciplinary line which would make games more freeflowing with the best players left on the pitch." I don't know the rules This appears to be the only piece that makes sense. Because the rest of it is (should) already being done (with the exception of blowing for a foul). They can contact the ref for any reason at any time to let the ref know something that requires action. Torcaill (Australia) - Posts: 204 - 17/07/2016 12:54:32 1884613 Link
Replying To TheFullBack: "No lads, no just stop. Yes referees are just humans like the rest of us. They do their preparations and training just like players do. They travel to the length and breath of the country to attend workshops and review meetings to sharpen their eye and understand the game better, its a thankless job and if they didn't do it we'd have no games. That's the "well done lads your doing a fabulous job" side of it... Let's look back to the most recent wrong call. Mayo v Fermanagh last Saturday, game in the balance and Aidan O'Shea dives. Penalty! The call was 100% wrong. Fermanagh's season was taken from on the basis of a referring error. All the 100's of miles of road to and from training, the personal sacrifice, the strict lifestyle and the dream..capeesh! We come on this forum and Facebook and other social media outlets to so freely and carelessly blast player's for a poor performance, a dirty swipe, a silly tackle etc etc, in fact we rip these players to pieces. Joe Canning is a prime example. Waterford another, they had poor showing where they're system failed them and all of a sudden their public enemy number one for the type of style they use..It is beyond belief that referee's and officials alike just keep having excuses made for them. At intercounty level ALL big calls have to be 100% correct. There is no excuse." If you are waiting for all big calls(what defines a big call anyway) to be 100% correct in every game that wont happen as it just isnt realistic just like it isnt realistic for players to get 100% of their big decisions in a match correct either Fermanagh didnt lose to Mayo solely based on that AOS incident. To blame the referee is nonsense. ormondbannerman (Clare) - Posts: 13473 - 17/07/2016 19:16:32 1884903 Link
Replying To lady_gaagaa: "There is no doubt referees have a tough job and I have some sympathy for them. Nobody deserves abuse, whether it is verbal at a game or on social media. But tbf I have not read any abusive comments towards Joe McQuillan on this site. I have read criticism and I believe referees should be open to criticism. In a referees defence some of the rules of this game, particularly rules around the tackle etc are left far too often open to interpretation. I know as a player that once you find out the referee in the leadup to your game, you will often hear "ok this ref is tough on ......... and doesn't like ..........". If players and spectators want consistency across all games then the rules need tightening up so there isn't much room for interpretation. The biggest problem with referees for players and supporters is when you get a ref who referees the game inconsistently even according to his own interpretation. I have met too many referees like this and they are completely unapproachable when you want to ask them what they have given the free for. This is what leads to frustration among players and supporters and then on to anger if the inconsistencies continue. I have met some good refs. They tend to be the ones that enforce the game consistently with their own interpretation and who will talk to/explain things to the players. As for Joe McQuillan on Saturday, I found him inconsistent throughout. He got conned far too often and didn't apply any of the card rules consistently. It was a televised game therefore the criticism is going to be more widespread." A referee with a different interpretation of a rule to other referees is fine as long as they are consistent in their interpretation of that rule. Its only an issue if a referee uses different interpretations of a rule in the one game which can cause doubt and confusion for players Referees can be frustrating when you ask them questions in a fair manner during games but too often in GAA anyway thats because they are used to just getting abuse and nonsense shouted at them from all angles. ormondbannerman (Clare) - Posts: 13473 - 17/07/2016 19:19:33 1884907 Link
some of the refs in the game, even at the top level, will never make competent refs even if you were to train them every week of the year. Some are too arragont to learn from their mistakes. Others are too weak to stand up to players/management or the home crowd. Others will always punish the so-called weaker counties whilst allowing players from the stronger counties get away with everything. One particular ref really annoys me by racing the length of the field to give a close in free for holding. All hell can be breaking out in front of him and he apparently can't see it but can see some holding 50 or 60 metres away. This guy is simply trying to give the impression that he is in control of the game when it is clear that he is out of his depth. neverright (Roscommon) - Posts:372 - 16/07/2016 14:49:42 So what do you propose as a better solution then? ormondbannerman (Clare) - Posts: 13473 - 17/07/2016 19:21:00 1884911 Link
It's very simple the standard and professional of footballer have greatly increased over the years but you simply cannot say that about the standard of referring. Every year there are big calls gotten wrong. In the past few weeks there have been loads. Players get blamed for fouling or diving or get torn to sheds for having a poor game by gaa commentators. Refs should be no different and simply using the bull excuses that 'oh why don't you try it' is not acceptable. This makes the issue worse as it's seen as being acceptable. kevin03 (Tyrone) - Posts: 276 - 17/07/2016 19:39:10 1884933 Link
'To blame the referee is nonsense' who do you blame for the very poor decision-the local parish priest! browncows (Meath) - Posts: 2342 - 17/07/2016 19:51:31 1884946 Link
Of Course they have a life, most of them are Gardaí!! And I never blame a referee for not seeing something that happens. It is when he says he saw something that didn't happen is what bothers me. Like Adan O' Shea being fouled and getting a penalty. How do you see something that didn't happen?? SAMMYTHEBULL (Galway) - Posts: 1646 - 17/07/2016 20:10:19 1884970 Link
Replying To SAMMYTHEBULL: "Of Course they have a life, most of them are Gardaí!! And I never blame a referee for not seeing something that happens. It is when he says he saw something that didn't happen is what bothers me. Like Adan O' Shea being fouled and getting a penalty. How do you see something that didn't happen??" Sammy Tomsmith Cavan here. Whether these GAA officials are Guards Army Bankers Teachers construction workers of just Farmers all have to make a call in a split second which may or ,may not be correct. In feel we should start a campaign to see that the hecklers are ousted from the GAA tomsmith (Cavan) - Posts: 3861 - 18/07/2016 22:19:35 1885932 Link
It's very simple the standard and professional of footballer have greatly increased over the years but you simply cannot say that about the standard of referring. Every year there are big calls gotten wrong. In the past few weeks there have been loads. Players get blamed for fouling or diving or get torn to sheds for having a poor game by gaa commentators. Refs should be no different and simply using the bull excuses that 'oh why don't you try it' is not acceptable. This makes the issue worse as it's seen as being acceptable. kevin03 (Tyrone) - Posts:81 - 17/07/2016 19:39:10How do you propose for the standard of refereeing to improve? What would you like seen done for referees to improve? And the why don't you try it is neither bull nor an excuse. What do you want to happen for refereeing to improve? ormondbannerman (Clare) - Posts: 13473 - 19/07/2016 11:21:58 1886114 Link
Replying To kevin03: "It's very simple the standard and professional of footballer have greatly increased over the years but you simply cannot say that about the standard of referring. Every year there are big calls gotten wrong. In the past few weeks there have been loads. Players get blamed for fouling or diving or get torn to sheds for having a poor game by gaa commentators. Refs should be no different and simply using the bull excuses that 'oh why don't you try it' is not acceptable. This makes the issue worse as it's seen as being acceptable." The standard may not be improving but the players are making the job much harder. Someone put a link on another thread here of Mick Lyons taking a punch to his jaw, he simply gave it a rub as he walked back to his position and the referee came over and sent off the Cork man, not a single player crowded around or complained. This just would never happen in the modern game as players dive, crowd the referee and just try and create as much trouble as possible, look at the nonsense in Longford Saturday. I have no sympathy for any team who suffer a poor refereeing call when in all probability they have spent 70 minutes trying to con him. Soma (UK) - Posts: 2630 - 19/07/2016 12:05:13 1886150 Link
Those saying that reffing standards have not improved kindly back things up with facts. Lazy keyboard warriors. Go back and see the changes from some of the matches in the past and look at the courses they have to do now plus the tests!!! Things have improved greatly. Look at the cock ups by refs in professional sports in like rugby that has even TMO, American Football and soccer. Sport is sport there will also be the ref to blame. By bed bugbear is the gob&é-(s asking for consistency between refs when they very people asking couldn't even agree on what is a definition of consistency. witnof (Dublin) - Posts: 1604 - 19/07/2016 14:18:32 1886324 Link
Replying To witnof: "Those saying that reffing standards have not improved kindly back things up with facts. Lazy keyboard warriors. Go back and see the changes from some of the matches in the past and look at the courses they have to do now plus the tests!!! Things have improved greatly. Look at the cock ups by refs in professional sports in like rugby that has even TMO, American Football and soccer. Sport is sport there will also be the ref to blame. By bed bugbear is the gob&é-(s asking for consistency between refs when they very people asking couldn't even agree on what is a definition of consistency." Tomsmith from Cavan here I do agree that some team managers spend days before game looking at what a Referee will tolerate and what his pet hates are. When to foul and when not to foul. Any Ref worth his salt will know that the fellow up shaking his hand and wishing him well before the game is likely to be the first fellow in the book. Would the publication of Referees assessments from the Croke Park Officials help to clarify matters in County games. I am to understand that all County games have assessors who write a big report on the Referee after the game has ended.It is very detailed from how he was dressed to the time of each half to all matters of rule application. Should we look to see these reports tomsmith (Cavan) - Posts: 3861 - 19/07/2016 21:07:57 1886657 Link
I do agree that some team managers spend days before game looking at what a Referee will tolerate and what his pet hates are. When to foul and when not to foul. Any Ref worth his salt will know that the fellow up shaking his hand and wishing him well before the game is likely to be the first fellow in the book. Would the publication of Referees assessments from the Croke Park Officials help to clarify matters in County games. I am to understand that all County games have assessors who write a big report on the Referee after the game has ended.It is very detailed from how he was dressed to the time of each half to all matters of rule application. Should we look to see these reports tomsmith (Cavan) - Posts:2655 - 19/07/2016 21:07:57In no way should a referees assessment be published. The public have no right to see it. I wouldn't be sure about all county games but a lot would have a referee officially assessed What would be gained from people seeing such reports and ps no need to say 'tomsmith here' if you reply to this. ormondbannerman (Clare) - Posts: 13473 - 19/07/2016 21:37:46 1886680 Link
In no way should a referees assessment be published. The public have no right to see it. I wouldn't be sure about all county games but a lot would have a referee officially assessed What would be gained from people seeing such reports and ps no need to say 'tomsmith here' if you reply to this. ormondbannerman (Clare) - Posts:11463 - 19/07/2016 21:37:46 For those down ranking this post why is it a good thing for ref assessments to be published? What do people benefit from it? ormondbannerman (Clare) - Posts: 13473 - 20/07/2016 22:08:54 1887303 Link