Ex-player refs... would Fabregas' idea work?

Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas came out this week with an interesting claim that football referees should be ex-players.

Speaking on British television show Soccer AM, the Spanish international claimed that by doing so, games would flow better.

“Ex-players know what it’s like to be on the pitch,” he said.

Fabregas also said current referees also made wrong decisions because they did not know what it was like to play at the highest level.

“Some referees make decisions that they don’t understand because they haven’t played football before,”

The Spaniard finished by saying that ex-player referees would “understand us (the players) more”.

Fabregas’ interview was shown just before Arsenal drew nil-all with Sunderland in a game when two dubious refereeing decisions went against his side.

Both decisions involved Andrei Arshavin, one an offside call and the other an obvious penalty shout.

There were calls that Anthony Taylor’s (referee during the game) inability to keep up pace with Arshavin led to him being unable to see the push by Titus Bramble, ex-player refs might be able to make up those extra yards (might).

Either way, it is a very interesting suggestion by Fabregas, one which will most likely fall on deaf ears, but we think it’s an idea that would be extremely interesting to see in action.

As much as I would like to sit here and say that the decision in the first half cost us the game, we never really deserved it. Poor in the group stages and only good for about 15 minutes of the Round of 16 clash, Germany were far superior.

However, it could, and should, have been 2-2 at least as the teams went in for the break. But somehow, unbelievably, all three referees missed what was a clear Frank Lampard goal.

The card-happy referees have had a terrible time of it this World Cup and in my opinion, have wrecked games. This blight will only dampen their resumes.

Now, the entire up roar has begun about video technology and what not and surely it will go on for some time.

Although, whilst I feel sunk at what could have been, I am not in favour of having video technology and all this tennis like ‘challenge’ system.

This is mainly because it would ruin the ‘flow of the game’ as most have said. Not only this, but with line-ball situations that are debatable and very close, we might face massive delays as the referees and subsequent video referees try to come up with the right decision.

I would much rather prefer goal line referees. FIFA trialled them in the Europa leagues and there were problems, some of these referees missing the exact things they were put there for.

However, at least such clear cut decisions like the Lampard example wouldn’t go unnoticed and especially in such big competitions.

Talk has materialized over having a ‘goal-line sensor’ that would apparently alert the referee if the ball had crossed the line.

Seems like a bit of a joke to me really, why go through all the trouble of kitting out hundreds to thousands of goalposts with this sensor when FIFA can easily employ two more referees per game?

The decision seems simple to me.

Undoubtedly though is the question; is it worth the trouble? Well trialling it in domestic competitions is the obvious answer and it looks like a suitable option.

FIFA might think about employing the two-referee system over a few domestic leagues around the world and review the results at season’s end, rather than judging the method after one running in a European competition.

Get feedback from everyone, the players, the managers, the fans, about what they thought of the added referee’s and most importantly, if they actually made the game better. After all, if these extra referees only further complicate decision making in the game, there is no point.

Oh, and please get rid of those damn Jabulani’s FIFA!