Poor Standard of Ref's in the Eircom League.

**pete** · 25/04/2008, 1:00 PM

Originally Posted by lofty9

My pet hate is the linesmen who wait for the referee to award a corner, goal kick and whatever which way the throw ins go, only then move their flag in the direction that the ref gives. Cowards!

Agreed. Lets face it they are not going to call a throw in or corner then aside form offside nothing else to do.

**superfrank** · 25/04/2008, 1:03 PM

Originally Posted by pete

Agreed. Lets face it they are not going to call a throw in or corner then aside form offside nothing else to do.

On this case, in the Bray Bohs game, the lino flagged for a corner and the ref over-ruled him and gave a peno. Maybe some of them are afraid that they won't be listened to if they object to the ref.

**Hitman** · 25/04/2008, 1:09 PM

Originally Posted by lofty9

My pet hate is the linesmen who wait for the referee to award a corner, goal kick and whatever which way the throw ins go, only then move their flag in the direction that the ref gives. Cowards!

Tonight and over the weekend take notice of who the culprits are - these linos with no balls of their own should be named and shamed.

1. Rhona Daly?

**eamo1** · 25/04/2008, 1:16 PM

In one game Alan Kelly let a physio on to treat a player and let him treat him on the pitch there and then for a minor knock.Its fine letting a player get treated for an Eduardo type injury but this was a minor thing and amazingly the bohs player got up after a second or 2.He then was allowed play on and didnt have to go to the touchline.This was a glaringly obvious rule infringment by the ref.2 of my friends who only come to e.l games occassionaly were shocked at it.I was embarassed but not surprised.
And dont get me started on linesman decisions,especially for offsides.

**The Lilywhites** · 25/04/2008, 1:17 PM

Originally Posted by seand

Buttimer doesn't even know how many subs a team is allowed to name ffs!

We have him tomorrow

**pól-dcfc** · 25/04/2008, 2:28 PM

Originally Posted by Hitman

1. Rhona Daly?

Was just about to post that.

**A face** · 25/04/2008, 2:44 PM

Originally Posted by superfrank

I am going to print this off and frame it. Finally, a Cork fan who realises there is no such thing as a Dublin bias.

He was only on about refs though, thats only one part of the Dublin bias

**ramsfan** · 25/04/2008, 5:04 PM

Originally Posted by BobtheDrog

we need a completely independent body to monitor their performances using the footage which rte now have, with a situation where the refs can be suspended for poor performances.

this develops what i was trying to say , bob the drog hits it right on the head where we all work there is reviews and performance assessments so why not for referees , if you dont do the job properly then you pay, they will say this is all ready in place with refs inspectors but how in the world does this work when you have pat kelly assessing his two sons do you think he is going to reprimand his own flesh and blood

**The Ref** · 25/04/2008, 5:26 PM

Originally Posted by superfrank

On this case, in the Bray Bohs game, the lino flagged for a corner and the ref over-ruled him and gave a peno. Maybe some of them are afraid that they won't be listened to if they object to the ref.

Maybe this is the way linesmen and referees communicate a penalty decision

**BobtheDrog** · 25/04/2008, 5:26 PM

thats why its so important for it to be independent, theres no way to improve the standard of refereeing otherwise as long as you have a situation like you do with the kellys then its pointless for the current body to exist.

it would also be great to see a group for identifying incidents that refs might mis and acting as an appeals board, we now have cameras at all premier division grounds so you have to feel that we're now in a better position to do this

**eamo1** · 25/04/2008, 9:50 PM

Is that his name,Tourmey?He goes straight to the top of the list for poor Ref performances this season,was brutal in terryland tonight.I didnt get a match prog so dont know his name.If a ref in a premiership game makes a mistake he gets demoted for a few weeks to reffing league 1 games.maybe a stint in the leinster senior league for Kelly,Tourmey etc would cure them

**Sheridan** · 25/04/2008, 10:19 PM

Tomney is his name, and he's a...don't get me started. It's way, way beyond the usual incompetence in his case. Small man complex if you ask me.

**gufct** · 25/04/2008, 10:24 PM

and of course his father is a former referee and Refs inspector. Nepotism is alive and well in the refs society.

**skitz3** · 25/04/2008, 10:43 PM

Bad referees are the bane of Irish football, at every level and every age. If Alan Kelly is the best ref in the LOI then Heather Mills is a selfless, caring woman, who just wants the best for her daughter.

**oldyouth** · 26/04/2008, 10:53 AM

Originally Posted by pete

They are amateur/volunteer referees & they make mistakes. I am sure they don't do it deliberately. For my money it is the linesmen that are the problem - a lot of them let the referee make decisions when the ball is out of play...

Spot on Pete. These games are difficult enough for part-time refs and they get no help whatsoever from the lino. It would be totally incorrect to refer to them as Assistants 'cos most of the time, they leave the ref alone to make the big decisions. It's as if they are fitted with a time delay switch that means they can only move their flag after a referee has blown up for something.

I'm sure many a word is exchanged in their dressing room after a game.

**Youths4Ever** · 26/04/2008, 3:01 PM

I do feel for ref's it is a tough thank less job that then do. Something however that does annoy me is the inconsistence that appear from the ref during a game.

At the Wexford Youths v Longford game last night two Wexford players got booked for back chat and rightly so I believe any player who gives back chat should be booked. My got on my nerves was several Longford players also gave back chat and some players on more than one occasion gave back chat and were not booked.

Maybe what was said was worse but what do you have to say to be booked by ref and not say back chat is back chat.

**Comic Book Guy** · 26/04/2008, 4:49 PM

Originally Posted by skitz3

Bad referees are the bane of Irish football, at every level and every age. If Alan Kelly is the best ref in the LOI then Heather Mills is a selfless, caring woman, who just wants the best for her daughter.

very good

**Flawless** · 26/04/2008, 10:24 PM

I think Neil Doyle is the biggest excuse for a referee ever, its rediculous how he is allowed to take charge of games!, i wouldnt have him reffing in schoolboys football!

**shelsfan1** · 27/04/2008, 1:28 PM

i don't wanna say there is an anti shelbourne bias in the first division but some of the decisions have been ridiculous last season and this. on friday alan keely was actually givin a yellow card for clearing the ball in to touch for a throw in. i just feel embaressed when i see refs like this.

**rambler14** · 27/04/2008, 4:04 PM

Originally Posted by Sheridan

Tomney is his name, and he's a...don't get me started. It's way, way beyond the usual incompetence in his case. Small man complex if you ask me.

We had him on the opening day vs Harps and he was terrible. He refereed our next game vs Galway and he was worse (he awarded offside from a throw) and we had him again vs St. Pats and he was again poor.
He is without a doubt the worst referee in the league.

We had Neil Doyle the other night vs UCD and he was pretty poor. He seems to pick a side before the match and favours them for the rest of the match.

The best referee from what i've seen this season is Anthony Buttimer. Contraversial I know, but he seems to be the one referee who explains his decisons. He reffed when we played City and I must say he did a fantastic job.