Just how many refs would the EPL have left if we adopted the same refereeing standards as…. Belgium? « Untold Arsenal: Arsenal News, supporting the club, the players and the manager
Arsenal on Twitter @UntoldArsenal
Untold Arsenal on Facebook here
Victory Through Harmony
Walter Broeckx continues his series of articles on the standard of referring in the Premier League. You can read Walter’s last article (The shocking figures that show the Premier League is bent) on this site, and we have an introduction to the series examining how bent the Premier League is, on the home page.
——-
As I showed in my previous article the standard in refereeing in the EPL is poor. In fact very poor.
In Belgium there is a system in place where refs get a fixed amount of money to help them financially for their efforts of being a ref. But as the KBVB (Belgium FA) is not as rich as the FA and the EPL and so there are in fact no full time refs. Most refs have another job (mostly part time but I know personally one Jupiler league ref that is working the whole day and does his training in the evening after work) and then they get some money for their games. A nice addition to their normal (part time) wages but it will not make you rich.
So the KBVB gives a fix amount of money to a limited number of refs. The Fifa refs and the best refs in the league. But this money doesn’t come for free.
No, the refs must reach a certain quality to keep that money in the next season. To keep their money they have to get an average score over the whole season of 7/10 or as I put it in my Untold Scoring chart after each match: 70%. So refs who do their games within the laws and do what they are supposed to do will get this score and get some kind of financial bonus.
So I was wondering, and maybe you start wondering now: what would happen if this were to be applied in the EPL? How many refs would still be in the game next season. Or would still be in the EPL? Because in Belgium if you don’t get the 7/10 you will lose your position in the ref charts and will drop down to a lower level.
Now I do know that some refs get dispensation from being relegated. Because after all the ref world is a closed world. I know you and you know me and if we all keep together and if we all keep our mouth shut we will cover each other.
But let us see based on the games I have reviewed, and which are of course only Arsenal games, how much points the ref would get and how many refs would make it if the same system as in Belgium would be put in place.
So here we would have the refs that we would see back in next season in the EPL
| Ref | Total points | % |
| Oliver | 88 | 88,00 |
| Clattenburg | 305 | 76,25 |
| Mariner | 144 | 72,00 |
| Atkinson | 280 | 70,00 |
| Halsey | 139 | 69,50 |
That’s it folks. That is all what would be left. So far the best ref we had this season was ref Oliver. And for those who say: Oliver? Who? Yes this was the ref who did our home game against WBA. You know the game we lost 2-3. In a way you cannot imagine how happy I am with this outcome. I, as an Arsenal fan with my system of marketing refs, come up with a ref as the best so far this season and he did a game we lost. The only thing is we had him only once so far so I cannot tell you much more about him. This could change if he would have a bad game in the future.
But aside from my personal joy on this I would give credit to Clattenburg. He had 4 games so far and he has a very good score in total. Also Mariner is good enough as is Atkinson. Even if he had one bad game which we won.
Now if you look carefully you will have noticed that I included Halsey also even if he misses out with one point. I will take him on board as I think that missing one point is sometimes down to a bit of bad luck and I will give him the benefit of the doubt.
Let us now take on the people who have just missed and who should prove themselves worthy of being allowed in the game still.
| Ref | Total points | % |
| Atwell | 68 | 68,00 |
| Jones | 197 | 65,67 |
There are two refs which I would give another chance in this. Atwell has only one game in this so I think he can be brought back if he has another good game this season. For Jones I would recommend him to make an extra effort. He still is close to the required level but he has to work on some things.
But now let us see at the refs who were not good enough and who should lose their status if they would have been ref in Belgium
| Ref | Total points | % |
| Friend | 59 | 59,00 |
| Dowd | 233 | 58,25 |
| Dean | 159 | 53,00 |
| Probert | 104 | 52,00 |
| Foy | 96 | 48,00 |
| Mason | 47 | 47,00 |
| Walton | 44 | 44,00 |
| Webb | 86 | 43,00 |
If the rules that apply in Belgium were to be used in the EPL, these refs would be in serious trouble.
There are currently 16 refs in the Select group of referees, the top flight in referee land in England. But half of them wouldn’t be in the league next season if they had to pass the 70% marker.
In fact half of the referees in the EPL not only don’t get the needed score, they fail miserably. And at the bottom we find the world’s best ref.
This really is outrageous in fact. This is just silly. In fact it is a shame. People who are responsible for the level of the refs in the EPL should be ashamed of themselves.
And who is responsible for this sad state of affair? The body that is responsible for the refs in the England and their leading figures: Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) and their leaders: The General Manager – Mike Riley, National Group Manager – David Allison and FA Head of Senior Referees – Neale Barry. Keep those names in mind. They are responsible for the refs in the EPL.
So again the same question is: why? What are the reasons for this. And what can be done about it.
The series will continue and we will try to find answers to this. Or suggestions to the problems that cause this low score.