League One Referees

I think Fordy meant to tag @EwanJM to be honest!

 

To be fair, the near-universal impression listening to the Pulse is they go on about officials too much.

I have to agree.

You touch on the issue yourself - if a referee's call is crucial to a result, it will be discussed ad nauseum in the five live studio or on BBC or Sky Sports (or wherever) at half and/or full time. Not throughout the game, and dredged up after every failed attack or during every quiet period.

If there is a blatant penalty not given, is it so hard to say "That looked stone wall to me", then save the analysis for a time when it can actually be analysed - because it was even admitted on air yesterday that there was no benefit of a replay, and STILL it got mentioned however many times.

When I'm listening to a game of football, I just want to know what's happening, I don't care about someone's opinion on an official or a decision, players yes, because they will get touched on for particularly good or bad performances, but officials and decisions, no thanks. A good commentator wouldn't keep discussing a bad foul (called or otherwise) for the duration of a match, which is why it's so jarring when decisions get repeatedly trawled over again and again. Call it, give an opinion on it, move on, commentate on the game, and let it lie.

 

Hi Jon

I can only comment on the games that I co-commentate on, as I live just outside the Pulse reach so can't often listen to games when I don't go, but that is totally not my experience and seems to be a myth that has grown over the years. I've probably co-commentated on 10-12 games this season and I can't remember any where we talked about the ref very much, other than discussing a referee's decision at the moment. If it is a really key moment like a penalty denied or a disputed sending off, it will naturally get mentioned several times over the rest of the show, but again that is typical of football media.

In this digital, ifollow age we do tend to see replays of big decisions at the end of a match, so again it can brought up as a talking point with the benefit of having reviewed it. A good example was the Bristol Rovers home game in September, which I co-commentated on. At full time someone sent us a video of the Rovers player handling it on the goal line, so it was something we then talked about on air. But even on that day we only talked about it for a few minutes. I think I used most of the post-match discussion to rant about Edin ;-)

 

Pointless contacting @EwanJM

We all know listening to the Pulse on a match day you might as well listen to dogs barking instead.

 

Ah the old ‘pulse moan about refs’ discussion. Almost as boring as the ‘why didn’t we sign a target man’ discussion! Can’t think of any other incident on Saturday that would warrant as much talk as a handball on the line like that. Personally, I feel refs could be helped out if the EFL/FA had a central centre that reviewed decisions at all games. The technology is there but comes down to cost. Clubs would have to front it and then most likely pass that on to fans. Thanks for the encouraging feedback btw, I’ll be sure to pass it on next week.

 

Thinking of Saturdays game, aside of the penalty miss did the ref have a bad game? No in my opinion.

I was sat in front of the Football Leagues Referee Assessor and he and all around us agreed also. One incident and bad luck for us. Aside of that, he had a good game and certainly can’t be blamed for us not taking all three points.

 

Do what they do in MLB, have them all sat in a central office somewhere then whenever there’s something to review somewhere they get called into action.

 

They have a similar thing in NFL but it didn’t stop the missed call in the Championship game

 

Jason Thornton every match complains about the refs. That's so boring!

Why don't you tell him to concentrate on the players and manager plus making sure he is giving an correct account of the game. Feel sorry for those that don't go to matches at times might as well just watch Soccer Saturday and see the score go up at times.

Also if you're talking to him then make sure he stops answering his own questions in an interview. Media training required!

 

Thought you listened to Radio Leeds

 

I do mostly.

When I want a laugh it's Thornton time.

 

Which is fine when a heavy schedule is 16 games over 4 time zones

 

I believe the old classic Mercedes @Fordy117 drives doesn't have a radio.

 

Also difficult when this is all that comes through on a Saturday afternoon

 

Can you not apply your Jason Thornton comments to your own posts? You know the repetitive, predictable comments being so boring bits. Look back on this thread, for example. You've made essentially the same point 3 or 4 times so far. Every time a referee thread comes along you say the same (several times). Every Bradford City manager that ever was is tactically clueless every time we lose and the 'we need better' comment is made literally hundreds of times during transfer discussions.

 

They are only massive decisions because football has been driven by the media into this life and death sport that we can't survive without.

 

It's all well and good calling a few fouls and offsides correct but if I were the assessor I'd be noting that when it came to a proper decision he had to make, he bottled it.

 

You’d only need one panel per division, maybe not even that.

 

Sorry, but I think you need to understand exactly what's involved in the process.