Just a summer romance?

The US takes the World Cup to its heart, but will this dalliance last?

The US has loved soccer before, but Landon Donovan and company hope to form a longer-lasting bond.

Full story here courtesy of guardian.co.uk.

Is Viktor Hungary for USA v. GHA?

All puns intended, our referee for the USA v. GHA match on 26-JUN is Hungarian referee Viktor Kassai. (FIFA bio here)

A FIFA referee since 2003, Kassai hails from Tatabanya and has worked the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup where he served as referee for (2) matches. Kassai also served in the 2008 Summer Olympics and was the referee for the final between Nigeria and Argentina (report here), as well as serving in UEFA Euro 2008.

Kassai does have a lucky star shining on him (some would say it is the resedue of hard work - I am among them) as in 2007 he was assigned to the U-21 Eurpoean Championship Finals in the Netherlands, but had to decline, as noted above he was also asked to attend the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup.

Kassai is a travel agent by trade and in a notable moment he was criticized for sending off Lisbon's Simon Vukcevic in a Champion's League match after Vukcevic scored the equalizer. Some circles believe that Kassai is a book referee unable to bend the book when needed.

Here is what I could find regarding statistics:

So while at the helm of 47 matches, he had 140 cautions (~3 per match) and 5 send offs (~.1 per match). Again these are just numbers, but given the match breakdown, it would to me be a strong indicator militating AWAY from the opinion he is a book referee.

Note however, he is clearly not as experienced as the USA's last referee Frank De Bleeckere, but I would opine is clearly a up and coming star on the international scene.

This next match will be an interesting test of how high that star may climb.

Just one thought ... KISS

So the USA v. ALG match is in the books and the tournament moves on. (Report here) Our summa rudis,  De Bleeckere, I personally though did very well. He was clearly able to stitch together the fabric of a very exciting match. While there may have been a couple of stitches out of place, as a whole, he produced a beautiful tapestry.

How did he do that?
I have an opinion ... the KISS principle.
Which stands for: Keep It Simple Stupid.

I would opine that one way to control a match is to work on the simple fouls first. No crazy advantages, no stretching the laws in early stages of the match. Just some plain-jane, run of the mill fouls. Get yourself in a groove, get the players into a groove. You are there, they are there, everyone is getting along, no problem.

This very much goes for ARs as well. It is always great to get a couple of out of bounds and an offiside decision under your belt early to get you "into" the match, and lets players know that you are there and are with them. Now, this is not an excuse to invent something just to get attention as a referee. It has to be there, and be real. Your credibility will plummet otherwise, so don't play make-believe ever with a decision on the pitch.

Think about it like climbing a mountain. You start at the bottom, its flat, easy terrain. Everyone is just getting started and wants to stretch their legs a bit and work on setting a pace. From there you go up a level in difficultly. Things get a little harder, and maybe a little faster. You may stop at a point to catch your breath, and take a rest, not for you, but to give others a break. Eventually to succeed you will be on a gradual pace up, but only as fast as the slowest climber, because after all you must do it as a team.

Same is true in refereeing. Start slow, let players and your refereeing team acclimatize to their surroundings. Simple fouls at first and work your way up. If players are concerned or do not feel secure in what is going on, take a few steps back and evaluate. If players are frustrated and want to climb higher and play more, you should let them, as they dictate the level of play.

When you climb a mountain you don't start at the top and run down, you have to start slow and move up. Now don't be fooled, sometimes it turns into a sprint up to the top, and if the players are up to it, you should be accommodating so long as they are climbing safely. If they are not, slow them down just enough to make the point that having everyone be secure and go from there.

De Bleeckere did this during this match, he started simple, got everyone in a grove and used only enough force  necessary to control the situation. This gave him options later down the road as he need them to control the match. Note the progression used in these cases.

Whistle ==> Quiet Word ==> Public Admonishment ==> Caution ==> Stern Word ==> Send Off

He managed the players and took them up one step at a time allowing them to dictate the match, until it was too much for the rest. They then rested for a minute (with a word, or a caution), and they went from there. It is clear that things will get elevated in a match, that is the nature of sport. To do so in a step by step fashion, in a controlled fashion and starting with simple fouls may be one of the best ways to get to the top.

USA v. ALG Needed a referee after the match ...

World Cup 2010: Saifi 'slapped female journalist'

A female journalist has claimed Algeria footballer Rafik Saifi slapped her in the face after his side were knocked out of the World Cup.

"I was waiting for the Algerian players. When Saifi came I just moved away. I felt a hit," Asma Halimi told BBC World Service.

The journalist, who works for Algerian newspaper Competition, said she had a disagreement with Saifi a year ago.

"I will make [a] complaint with Fifa and the police," she added.

The BBC World Service's Richard Connelly witnessed the incident in the mixed zone - an area where journalists and players congregate - after the match.

"Rafik Saifi slapped the face of journalist Asma Halifi," said Connelly.

"She hit him back as a reflex.

"He then threw a bottle of sports drink which missed and had to be restrained from attacking her again."

The BBC understands the altercation comes after a year of bad feelings between the pair.

"Saifi took exception to an interview that she translated and published in her newspaper," explained Connelly.

"There was a similar incident between the two last year. She's going to complain formally to Fifa and to the police later on tonight."

Halimi says that Saifi threatened that she will come to harm in Algeria.

An Algerian federation spokesman said he had no information about the incident and so could not comment.

There was nobody immediately available from Fifa.

The Algerians had just been knocked out of the World Cup after losing to an injury-time goal by Landon Donovan of the United States.

Article courtesy of the BBC (link here).

Note that the authorities indicate that it is likely that this player will be tried in a "World Cup Court" as players are apparently not exempt from the jurisdiction of these courts. As part of the study of these courts I will include any further updates to this case, at that time.

FREEDOM !!!!!!

Some of you may remember the post of the ladies in orange dresses that FIFA detained and arrested for suspected "ambush marketing".

Well justice has been served.

After a proceeding in a "World Cup Court" the ladies were freed as apparently FIFA did not want to proceed with the action. [My personal opinion is that there was absolutely no basis for the charges, so they had no choice]

A settlement was reached during the proceedings [My personal opinion is they had to pay the court costs and not speak to the media - FIFA likely got nothing] and the ladies were on their way ... just in time for the upcoming Cameroon match.

Any bets they will try this again? I mean who is going to wear orange at a Netherlands match ... what are the chances?

Full story is here, courtesy of Mail & Guardian.

New yellow-card rule: Good for the game

Two yellow cards in two games still result in a one-game suspension, but FIFA has changed the stage at which a player's yellow-card slate is wiped clean. The new rule on accumulated yellow-card suspensions was designed to prevent stars from missing the final, but it could have an even deeper impact on the tournament. 

At past World Cups, a single yellow card received during the group stage was deleted before the knockout stage and the count began anew at the round of 16. At the 2010 World Cup, a yellow card isn’t expunged from a player's record until after the quarterfinal.

A player who receives his second yellow of the tournament in the quarterfinal will be banned from the semifinal. But players face no consequence for a single yellow card in the semifinal. FIFA wants to ensure that teams in the final are at full strength.

The example commonly cited on this issue was Michael Ballack missing 2002 World Cup final. Germany’s best player received his second yellow of the second round in the semifinals, forcing him to miss the final, a 2-0 Brazil win.

(Under the new regulations, Ballack would have missed Germany’s quarterfinal against the USA, in which he scored the winner, because he was cautioned in the final group game and round of 16 game. And Germany may not have gotten to the final. But anyhow ...)

Under the previous format, the longest stretch a player would have to go without getting cautioned twice was three games (either in the first round or knockout stage). That shouldn't be too difficult.

Now a player must go five games without two yellows to avoid a ban.

There's big positive to the new format: it could rein in thuggish defenders.

The majority of yellow cards are handed out for fouls that stifle an attacking player. We know well enough that most defenders will scythe down a threatening dribbler if the consequences aren’t dire.

Among the promising aspects of the tournament during the low-scoring first 16 games of the group openers was that referees didn’t hesitate to pull yellow cards for the cynical fouls that plague the game.

As the tournament progresses and the cautions become more costly, defenders will have to rely on fair means to battle the skillful and creative players. That should give us more entertaining soccer and more goals.


Article courtesy of Soccer America Daily.

FIFA brings out the big stick

Ladies and Gentlemen, your referee for the pivotal 3rd group match between USA and Algeria, Mr. Frank De Bleeckere. A referee since 1984, and FIFA since 1998, and appointed to the 2006 World Cup. See here for his FIFA profile.

He is one of the most respected referees in Europe and has several international and international friendlies to his credit. This includes 2002 World Cup Qualification, UEFA 2004 Qualification, 2003 FIFA World Youth Championships, UEFA Euro 2004, 2006 World Cup Qualification, 2005 FIFA World Cup U-17 Championship, 2006 FIFA World Cup. UEFA Euro 2008 Qualification, UEFA Euro 2008, 2010 World Cup, and a host of international friendlies.

A complete list as well as other details can be found here.

So what kind of referee is he? Well it would seem clear that discipline is critical to him. Take the following statistics into account:

From the 2006 World Cup:

Event	Games
2006 FIFA World Cup	4	19	0	0

From European play since 2007:

Event	Games
European Play	23	95	0	6

This is an average of 4.22 cautions per match and .26 send offs per match.

Keep in mind, this is just a number. More importantly, by the respect he is given in European circles, he knows how to use the misconduct to manage the players.

What may show more is his approach to the game on Wednesday. Here is a quote from him:

“I don’t look at reputation or anything that has gone before (...) I will watch the previous games of USA and Algeria to help me understand their tactics and work on my positioning. But I will watch ‘Gladiator’ first.”

(Full article from Yahoo sports is here).

Clearly both FIFA and De Bleeckere are preparing for a Gladiator style match on Wednesday as the USA takes the grounds against Algeria. We shall see who comes to fight that day, where De Bleeckere will act as summa rudis. One shall be named victorious and awarded a palm branch, possibly even a rudis, the other, likely goes home.

England fan barred from World Cup matches

A British soccer fan who burst into the England team's World Cup changing room in Cape Town on Friday night, was on Sunday banned from attending any further matches when he appeared briefly in the Cape Town World Cup court. ...
Full story here, courtesy of Mail & Guardian.


There is more here than meets the eye though I am noticing. Take a look at the snippet above "... in the Cape Town World Cup Court." What the heck is a World Cup Court?


Well folks, there is one, or should I say, a system of them set up in South Africa to handle "World Cup offences". No, no, this is not for the players, although some of the acting on the pitch I would opine is criminal lately. This is to help curb the crime in the country during the World Cup.


I am researching this now, but has anyone heard of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa Special Measures Act 2006? Me either, but here is a link to the bill (now law from what I can tell) to it for those interested. I'll report back when I have more info dug up on this ... but on the surface, just a question:

Why is FIFA setting up a criminal trial court system in another country?

Time for a Water Break

I journeyed out to Lancaster yesterday to watch the Youth State Cup Championships. All of the final games were being played in each age group through U-19. Winners go on to Regional and hopefully National Championships.

Some good soccer was being played. Also some not so good soccer, but I am not here to report on the level of play.

About midway through each half of the games, the referees blew the whistle and instructed all the players to go to the benches for their "water break." The players dutifully complied and no one seemed bothered by the interruption, save one or two purists of the game, myself included.

FIFA has a perfectly good mechanism already in the Laws of the Game to allow for water breaks. It is called, "Player gets thirsty, player goes to the touchline to drink some water, player returns to the game." Notice in the FIFA method, the game keeps on going.

So why do the people that run Youth Soccer in this country see fit to mickey around with a perfectly good game? Don't they already have enough fingers in the pie, with the modifications allowed by FIFA? Those modifications include:
• size of the field,
• size of the ball
• size of the goals
• duration of the game
• substitutions
And oh, by the way, all of the allowed modifications are only allowable in games with players under age 16, or over age 35. Everybody else is supposed to play by the rules.

There are lots of other examples of creative license that youth leagues are taking with the game, such as requiring referees to display yellow or red cards to coaches; or mandating that a player must substitute after receiving a yellow card.

Yeah, I know, that last one is a modification to the Substitution policy so it is ok, right? And maybe you believe a mandatory water break falls under the category of 'duration of the game' but that is a stretch. IMHO, water breaks and the like, while well intentioned, do not really add anything to the game and may just be further eroding the players' ability to think and make decisions for themselves. Maybe that is not important. You tell me.

It's a matter of perspective ...

For those of us who have followed, and follow the adventures of the star ship Enterprise, the image to the left may be familiar. It is from the second season, and is episode #33, broadcast on October 6, 1967, Mirror - Mirror. A full briefing can be found here.

This episode goes into an alternate universe Kirk, Spock, McCoy and Uhura and their mis-adventures on the ISS Enterprise (as opposed to the USS Enterprise).

I can see the eyes rolling now, both from my wife and a certain FIFA AR that has been checking this blog out recently and understands my love of Trek lore, and asking ...

What's the point?

Things can look polarized at times, really one way, and not the other. But, if you stop and change your perspective, it can open up a world of possibilities.

Here is a little bit of a disclaimer, and a little bit of a glimpse into a behind the scene look into what is going on here at Kicking-Back. Both can be handled in one bite.

From a disclaimer standpoint, I want to be clear that I am not intending to give out any sort of referee advice that is sanctioned by US Soccer or the National Office. (Your crazy if you listen to me anyway) A far better forum for technical questions is here. This is a tremendous site that is moderated by who I would consider is one of the great minds of the game in the US, Jim Allen. He has quite a staff behind him too as noted in the about page. This team of folks have helped shape the referee program at the National level for some time, and is an excellent resource for questions about the laws and their application.

This blog is not intended to be instructional in nature in any official capacity. I do wear that hat when I am asked to referee a match or provide an opinion and advice to other referees and soon-to-be referees from an assessment standpoint, and maybe (likely) an instructional one.

This fora was originally conceived (over 50 posts ago!) and continues to be a free exchange of ideas that relate to refereeing in the context of the game, and the greater game of life. While it will contain specific advice and reference about the LOTG, it will in every aspect attempt to be technically correct and consistent with the advice given to us as referees ... and more.

I do hope however it provides more than text of the laws, or interpretations that are well understood. It is my intent to make people think about how small things, seemingly meaningless details at times, can make a big, big difference in the game, and life outside of the lines. There are others when it will be a repost of some event that may be relevant to what we are discussing at that time, or just something out of the blue that seemed fun. In all cases however, it is intended to be worth the read.

In short, I'm trying to get everyone to think a little off the beaten path. Sometimes it is just in the form of a reminder, sometimes it is just the ramblings of someone who has been there ... as so many of us have. We are after all, one community with many common experiences.

In all cases take the posts with the grain of salt they are intended to have standard with them. As a great assessor once told me, "Take what you like and use it. Just throw away the rest".

Referee designations for matches 33-40

See here for the complete list, courtesy of FIFA.com.

For anyone curious about the USA v. ALG match before looking at the link, here is a hint:

... and the country this referee hails from is particularly known for its waffles.

A full analysis soon, but at a glance FIFA clearly wants to put the final results from the group C matches beyond all doubt. See the brief, but highlighted story here, courtesy of FIFA.com.

Sir ... drop the sandwich

So there I was minding my own business the other day at a match when I hear, "Sir, you can't eat here. Drop the sandwich."

I actually thought it was a joke at first. After a second though it was clear that the sandwich police were in no laughing mood as I was told again in an increasingly irritated and increasing in volume tone that I can't eat on the "synthetics" (i.e. the turf fields).

Resisting my generally smart remark self, understanding I was there in an official capacity, I complied, despite the really rude and remedial tone the field marshal took with me as he further lectured me to toss my chips and 7-Up as well. There is no justice, is there.

During the course of the match I proceeded to the other side of the "synthetic" field and behold, what did I see but kids doing what kids do in the hot sun ... eating ice cream!! It was great, they were having a blast watching the match and eating their treat ... and getting it all over the field. Ah, sweet sticky justice was mine.

Honestly I had to laugh out loud as here was a great example of one part of the field where something was enforced, and another where anything goes. Now for anyone who shares the view of the sandwich police, I understand why there is no eating on the fields, and I am familar with the principle of Ignorantia juris non excusat so I am not condoning my sandwich offence, or the marshals churlish behavior, just using it to make a point about refereeing.

That point being a referee has to be consistent across the whole field, throughout the whole match. If certain offences are not called in a particular part of the field, the players will (a) take advantage of that until it happens, and (b) lose respect for the referee as they are allowing things for some and not for others.

Have you ever seen a referee call a hand ball? Sure, lots of times right?

Now take that same situation and move it inside the defenders penalty area. Have you seen the referee make THAT call? Yes ... but less frequently I would opine.

WHY?

Do the laws of physics change in that 792 square yard space? Why are fouls harder to come by?

I'm not really sure. Maybe a referee does not want to change the outcome of a match by making a call in there understanding what the consequences might be. I can appreciate that. As I stated before, it can take courage to make a match altering decision, like send a player off, or give a PK.

You have to do it though. You will lose the respect from the players if you don't give that foul, or move it outside the box if it was close. Let me give you a hint here, if its on the line of the penalty area, it is a PK. Take a look at Law 1, page 6, for the answer.

To fail to apply the law consistently across the whole field, will lead to issues with players as they will get frustrated and show it in actions or words. They are the ones who need to believe in your decisions as they are the ones who will decide how the match is going to go that day.

Make the tough call if you need to, regardless of where they are on the field. While it may go the wrong way for some players, if it is the right decision, the players will respect you for it.

Thanks To Dads Everywhere

So on this Father's Day, I found this post particularly fitting. I have experienced, and am learning, the role a father, or such a figure can play in a young referee's life. It is clear from below that Ravshan Irmatov understand this very well.

Referee Reveals Debt to Father

It is not just the footballers of South Africa and Mexico who will be pinching themselves when they step out inside Soccer City Stadium today. For Uzbek referee Ravshan Irmatov, his selection from a strong list of candidates to officiate at the Opening Match of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ is the stuff of dreams also. ...

Full story here, courtesy of FIFA.com.

Ever want a match ball from the World Cup?

Kick-off Ball Contest

For the first time at a FIFA competition, FIFA will be giving away the actual Official Match Ball used for the kick-off of each FIFA World Cup™ match*!

What is the kick-off Ball?

A very special adidas Jabulani will make its debut at the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa. At the beginning of each match, the referee will carry the kick-off Ball to the pitch where it will be used during the match.

How can you get one?

See here for details at FIFA.com.

Time to pack his bags?

With the results of the USA v. SVN behind us, there is a burning question in my head. Are we going to see Coulibaly controlling a match again in this World Cup?

I'm not going to answer it though, or even hint at an opinion. Some of you may cry "FOUL" to this, but as I said before, I am not there, have never been in that particular spot, and did not see what he saw, or did not see. I can not in good conscious second guess a referee that was meters from the play.

Lets let history be our guide. Does anyone know a guy names Esse Baharmast? Does anyone recall what occurred in the 1998 World Cup match he presided over? Well since a picture is worth a thousand words, here is one that some may recall.

You see, a referee can go from villain to hero in a short time. For those interested, the full story is here.

So just to reiterate, I am emphatically not sharing an opinion about the decision in the 86' which pulled a USA goal out of the net. I am however going to talk about how at times assessments can be uncomfortable things. I will opine that this assessment will be uncomfortable for the entire refereeing team.

So there you are, had a big match of some type, and you are being assessed. During the match there was some type of controversy that maybe only you saw, or maybe everyone EXCEPT you saw. The match ends and you and your assistants go to the locker room among shouting fans and players.

You know an assessor is coming ... it was a tough match ... you don't want to get criticized about it. What do you do?

1. Be calm. Assessors (believe it or not) are there to help, not to berate you. Engage in a dialog to understand where the assessor is coming from, and where you as referee, are coming from.

2. Be honest. If you blew it, say you blew it. If you did't, say you didn't. If you don't know, say you don't know. Nothing will get you into hotter water faster than saying something that is obviously not true to an assessor. Some may buy the BS ... the best will know better.

3. Ask - What would you have done? You might just get a blank look indicating they have no idea. Other braver assessors may say they don't know. The best will have a thought for you to ponder, as a single correct solution rarely presents itself in this game.

4. Say - Thank you. Assessors, as I said before are there to help, not just hang around. You can disagree with the assessment, think they got it all wrong in all aspects, and that they were a blind, clueless, ex-referee trying to relive their career through you. That might be true, every word ... but they took the time to try and help. Appreciate that fact if nothing else.

5. Think about it. There are times when a point in an assessment will not make sense until much later in life. Review those older assessment and rethink about that situation and how you would solve it the next time. It may just happen again.

6. Be your worst assessor. I became an assessor at a young age to try to think like an assessor and understand what they were after. I would perform my own self-assessment and try to come up with the questions they would ask. Sometimes I got it right, sometimes I got it wrong, but in all cases I was thinking about the match, and how I could make my performance better next time.

Remember, learning about this game is an evolution, not a destination. Nothing impresses this assessor more than honest introspection and a desire to get better next time out regardless of the previous result. I suspect this is the same for most assessors out there today.

I've heard of players acting ... but fans?

North Korean Soccer Fans Are Actually Chinese "Volunteers"

North Korea's World Cup debut elicited touching stories about the ragtag group of soccer fans "hand-picked" by the Communist regime to support their squad in South Africa. Turns out they were hand-picked for their skill at not being Korean. ...

Please see the full story here at deadspin.com. 

Soccer comes to Roundball

The NBA Finals are over, and sadly, the good guys lost. This one was decided before the game even began, when Kendrick Perkins went down in game 6 with a season-ending knee injury. But beyond that, the referees had a large say in how this whole series was played. Right from the opening tip in Game 1, the officiating was as much a part of the story as was the play. I cannot recall a basketball series where refereeing took center stage like that.

One local Boston sports radio show even had regular updates and analysis about the refereeing, as provided by former NBA ref and gambler-turned-prison bride Tim Donaghy. While I will refrain from making any personal judgments about the low-life piece of dirt that jeopardized the integrity of officials in all sports, the mere fact that a referee is making daily analysis about other referees during the morning drive time is significant. Clearly something is going on, and refereeing is the story.

Which reminds me of another sport I like. Soccer refereeing has always been subject to scrutiny, and we are used to being the center of attention. Soccer referees seem to have a greater influence on the pace and tempo of the game than do officials in other sports, at least in the minds of the coaches and spectators. I almost feel sorry for some people who apparently go to the park just to spend two hours screaming at the referees. They are missing a good game!

So how long will it be before the World Cup brings in a referee for occasional analysis, instead of an endless parade of former players? I certainly like the thoughtful contributions of Jurgen Klinnsman, John Harkes and the rest of lot, but they clearly know next to nothing about what is in the referees' minds and can offer little about why something happens, other their own [player's] opinion about the validity of the call.

Certainly by now there are enough soccer referees who are out of work due to circumstances beyond their control, that would make very good analysts for a major event like the World Cup. They could be in-studio and only consulted when needed, such as in the 33rd minute of the Greece V Nigeria match yesterday when Kaita was given a straight red card. That decision changed the fortunes of the team and the entire group. What was going through the referee's mind at that critical moment? ESPN viewers will never know.

I wonder what Lu Jun is doing these days, and how is his English?

Who is JAFO?

As many of you have seen, there is a contributor listed named JAFO. A couple of readers have asked who that is. JAFO is someone who occasionally may contribute to the posts but wishes to remain anonymous. 

Again speaking from my legal training, the right to speak anonymously has been upheld again and again by the US Supreme Court (SCOTUS). One example for those who want to fall asleep is Talley v. California 362 U.S. 60 (1960) which stands for the proposition that "... identification and fear of reprisal might deter perfectly peaceful discussions of public matters of importance."

I believe we can operate within this fora in this manner without undermining its effectiveness. I am more willing to hide the identity of some contributors who do so in good faith and for legitimate reasons that not have these folks contribute at all, as their posts are valuable and provide a perspective I can not.

A historical example is Benjamin Franklin, his pseudonym Silence Dogood was a staple in James Franklin's paper the New England Courant. This middle aged widow character looked at the world through a particularly "cracked" lens and allowed Ben to protect himself from any public scrutiny that may result. Same here at Kicking-Back.

The name JAFO is actually an acronym.  If you really want to know what JAFO stands for, check out the 80's film called Blue Thunder.

Now one person who is not masking their identity is me, your humble host. I believe it is critical to have one "face" to show that we mean business and stand behind what is written here. As I have offered before, and I do so again now, if there are ideas for future entries, or a topic you want to spin up, please feel free to contact me here, or post directly to the blog entries, and we can make that happen.

Assume the position

I have been impressed with the quality and fitness of the referees in the World Cup through the first 16 matches.  I may not be able to say the same for last night's referee in the Spain v Switzerland match.  English Referee Howard Webb was constantly in the way of the play, unless of course he was nowhere near it.So how does a casual (or even astute) observer tell when watching on TV that the referee positioning is sub-par?   It is easy.  Here are some tell-tale signs of bad positioning, all of which occurred in that game:

• When the player with the ball can reach out and touch the referee, or has to dribble around him.
• When the ball hits the referee, or the referee has to take quick action to jump over the ball or duck to avoid getting hit.
• When there is a long counter attack and the referee is not even in the TV picture because he is struggling to keep up.
• When the referee is positioned between the ball carrier and one of his teammates.
  

That last one may be a little harder to observe, but if you just take ten minutes and look for it you will see a pattern emerge.  Look for this to happen in the middle third of the field.  Does the player with the ball have options to pass to both flanks, or is the referee taking one of those options away?  A smart referee will adjust his position to make sure there is a defender in between himself and the ball carrier.  Webb didn't, and it took away Spain's crisp passing ability, which is one of Spain's best weapons.

USA's Round 2. Who's Making the Calls?

FIFA announced the referees for USA's 2nd match the other day. 
Here they are:



Referee
COULIBALY Koman (MLI)

Assistant Referee 1
ACHIK Redouane (MAR)

Assistant Referee 2
CANDIDO Inacio (ANG)

Fourth Official
MOHD SALLEH Subkhiddin (MAS)

Reserve Assistant Referee
GEK PHENG Jeffrey (SIN)


So we have a Malian referee, assistants from Morocco and Angola, the 4th official from Malaysia, and a Singaporean Reserve Assistant Referee.


Here is a very real question ... What language are they going to speak to each other with?


Here is a follow up to ponder ... Does it matter? Forget fancy headsets, what about eye contact?


COULIBALY'S "official" stats from FIFA are here, and a brief dossier from Wikipedia is here. He is the most experienced of all Malian referees (source).


So, let's look at that experience.


He has apparently worked the USA v. Tajikstan match in the 2007 U-17 World Cup (source), Colombia vs Turkey quarterfinal,and the Colombia v. Spain 3rd place match.


On 31-JAN-2010 he was the referee for the African Cup of Nations where Egypt beat Ghana 1 - 0. See the match report here.


Arguably this is not a complete picture, and there seem to be a bunch of holes that would need to be filled for a complete analysis. It does suffice to say however that the sparseness of the record is a point of note. A referee with a paper trail is far more of a known and may put some folks at ease to see what they are in for, good or bad.


One does not have to be experienced at a particular level to do well in all cases at that level necessarily, and I look forward to a good performance from COULIBALY.


I am sure both teams are as well.