Cost of match officials

[monutdfc]

But this is referees we're talking about, not real people!!!

Anyway, enough of the speculation, below are the actual figures from the 2007 season. I don't know if they were increased for this season or not. For league games the league itself used to cover the expenses. For cup games the clubs have to pay the expenses which explains the high figures already given:

Premier Division ref: €160
Premier Division other officials: €120 each

First Division ref: €130
First Division other officials: €95 each

U21 ref: €85
U21 other officials: €50

Expenses:
Loss of earnings: half day €60, full day €120
Meal allowance: > 50 miles €20, > 100 miles €35
Overnight accommodation: €60
Mileage rate: €0.72
Cross Dublin city travel: €20
Pitch inspection: €40

Do they pay income tax on any of this?

If they all share a car they each get the mileage (not that I totally object to this, as a sometime environmentalist I like to see car-pooling).

[DubRef]

Before we all get carried away with another wave of referee bashing a few facts should be considered.

1. Mick Wallace should not have made the referees fees public. There is an agreed framework for Mr Wallace to follow if he has a grievance with this. As its general practice for clubs not to release the earnings of their players then the same respect should be accorded to referees.

2. All fees and expenses are set and agreed at the start of the season. All clubs are made aware of this agreement. Expense claims etc are subject to audit and approval by the FAI before they are paid to referees. In the FAI Cup/friendlies all fees and expenses are paid on the night.

3. Fans are generally not aware of the time and commitment involved in refereeing in the Eircom League. Increased requirements in the areas of fitness, diet, time off work, family commitments etc are not taken into consideration when discussing referee's fees. Aside from the day of the match, referees are training 4/5 days a week and are performing on a semi-professional basis. There are several fitness tests during the season to ensure all officials meet UEFA fitness standards.

4. In comparison to leagues of a similar size in Europe (not the big 5), the match fees paid to Eircom League referee's are significantly lower.

5. Refereeing is a pressurised job that not many are willing to take on. Add to that the levels of physical and verbal abuse that referee's are likely to encounter and one could argue that the fees are very modest indeed. When one considers the amount EL clubs are paying their players these days, referee's can hardly be blamed for bleeding clubs dry.

6. Referees are an easy target and its too easy to constantly criticise decisions and say they are not fit. Football is a game of opinions and the referee is likely to be a controversial participant when a critical decision is to be made. Human error is part of football (by both players and officials!), its always been part of the game and more than likely will be for a some time to come. Referee's do their utmost to ensure mistakes are not made.

So lay off the guys in black and give them a break. Ok, so some decisions infuriate you now and again but lets keep a balanced perspective...they're not responsible for all the worlds problems!!

[Rovers Maniac]

I have no sympathy for refs, do your job and nothing will be said to you. If you are not capable of doing your job you will get abuse so i would say leave it then.

[John83]

Would you like it if some published how your wages were worked out on a public forum?

Not really, but neither would I have a problem with someone publishing the typical cost of a plumber.

Dubref makes some good points. Maybe Wexford Youths are a bit different given their amateur status, but most clubs around have more pressing financial worries than the cost of referees. Finally, I'd like to point out that the referee is likely costing less than the electricity to run the floodlights during the game.

[monutdfc]

Before we all get carried away with another wave of referee bashing a few facts should be considered.

...

...

So lay off the guys in black and give them a break. Ok, so some decisions infuriate you now and again but lets keep a balanced perspective...they're not responsible for all the worlds problems!!

good post!

[monutdfc]

Finally, I'd like to point out that the referee is likely costing less than the electricity to run the floodlights during the game.

yes, but often we have seen referees requiring the floodlights to be switched on even though the light is more than adequate!

[Sheridan]

1. Mick Wallace should not have made the referees fees public.

I agree

3. Fans are generally not aware of the time and commitment involved in refereeing in the Eircom League.

They're all too acutely aware of the absolute balls they make of a lot of people's (paid and unpaid) hard work, though.

4. In comparison to leagues of a similar size in Europe (not the big 5), the match fees paid to Eircom League referee's are significantly lower.

So is the standard of refereeing, as European games prove every season.

When one considers the amount EL clubs are paying their players these days, referee's can hardly be blamed for bleeding clubs dry.

Clubs make a conscious and informed decision to pay players as they choose based on the player's perceived ability. They have to fork out for chancers like Tomney regardless of what crimes they perpetrate against the game.

6. Referees are an easy target and its too easy to constantly criticise decisions and say they are not fit.

I agree. It's far too easy to say that about Irish referees, and that's the problem.

[Battery Rover]

I believe that the fees for refs are a commercial agreement between FAI and Club and should not be put out to the public like any agreement of that kind.

Someone can correct me on that if its wrong.

[oldyouth]

Before we all get carried away with another wave of referee bashing a few facts should be considered.

1. Mick Wallace should not have made the referees fees public. There is an agreed framework for Mr Wallace to follow if he has a grievance with this. As its general practice for clubs not to release the earnings of their players then the same respect should be accorded to referees.

2. All fees and expenses are set and agreed at the start of the season. All clubs are made aware of this agreement. Expense claims etc are subject to audit and approval by the FAI before they are paid to referees. In the FAI Cup/friendlies all fees and expenses are paid on the night.

3. Fans are generally not aware of the time and commitment involved in refereeing in the Eircom League. Increased requirements in the areas of fitness, diet, time off work, family commitments etc are not taken into consideration when discussing referee's fees. Aside from the day of the match, referees are training 4/5 days a week and are performing on a semi-professional basis. There are several fitness tests during the season to ensure all officials meet UEFA fitness standards.

4. In comparison to leagues of a similar size in Europe (not the big 5), the match fees paid to Eircom League referee's are significantly lower.

5. Refereeing is a pressurised job that not many are willing to take on. Add to that the levels of physical and verbal abuse that referee's are likely to encounter and one could argue that the fees are very modest indeed. When one considers the amount EL clubs are paying their players these days, referee's can hardly be blamed for bleeding clubs dry.

6. Referees are an easy target and its too easy to constantly criticise decisions and say they are not fit. Football is a game of opinions and the referee is likely to be a controversial participant when a critical decision is to be made. Human error is part of football (by both players and officials!), its always been part of the game and more than likely will be for a some time to come. Referee's do their utmost to ensure mistakes are not made.

So lay off the guys in black and give them a break. Ok, so some decisions infuriate you now and again but lets keep a balanced perspective...they're not responsible for all the worlds problems!!

Would you ever cop on?

Firstly can I ask you about your username ' DubRef' and ask if your opinion comes from a neutral position?

Why should this information not be made public? If it involves the everyday cost of running our league, then supporters should know where their entrance fee is being spent.

Read the first post by me here, I am not referring to the quality of refereees

[misterk]

4. In comparison to leagues of a similar size in Europe (not the big 5), the match fees paid to Eircom League referee's are significantly lower.

So is the standard of refereeing, as European games prove every season.
.

After watching Bohs 2 home European games, I wouldn't agree with that sentiment. See Heary's red card as evidence. Maybe the less experienced refs are assigned to the Intertoto admittedly.

[micls]

After watching Bohs 2 home European games, I wouldn't agree with that sentiment. See Heary's red card as evidence. Maybe the less experienced refs are assigned to the Intertoto admittedly.

Having seen our euro game, Im with you.

[CuanaD]

I'm with DubRef on this one

[osarusan]

Firstly can I ask you about your username ' DubRef' and ask if your opinion comes from a neutral position?

Can I ask you about your username and ask if your opinion comes from a neutral position?

Read the first post by me here, I am not referring to the quality of refereees

Yes you did.

I won't even get into value for money, given the general standard, but that is a huge cost for smaller clubs

Why should this information not be made public? If it involves the everyday cost of running our league, then supporters should know where their entrance fee is being spent?

Do you want it to be public how much every player, the backroom staff, the electricity, the ballboys.................how much all of them make? How much does it cost to produce your programme? Some of the information regarding the expenses of the club is also private information regarding individuals, and should be respected as such.

[Stato]

Do they pay income tax on any of this?

It's up to each ref to declare his earnings to the Revenue each year and pay any tax due. Given that the Revenue have been keeping a very close eye on the clubs in recent times I've no doubt that the refs are paying tax on it.

If they all share a car they each get the mileage (not that I totally object to this, as a sometime environmentalist I like to see car-pooling).

As far as I'm aware this is checked and, say you've four officials travelling in one car from Cork to Galway, only the driver gets the mileage.

[Stato]

Just a couple of points I'd like to add:

1. Mick Wallace should not have made the referees fees public. There is an agreed framework for Mr Wallace to follow if he has a grievance with this.

2. All fees and expenses are set and agreed at the start of the season. All clubs are made aware of this agreement.

The fees and expenses are not agreed with the clubs, they are agreed by the referees representatives and the FAI and are imposed on the clubs, the clubs have no say in their level whatsoever. As a result Mick Wallace has no framework that he can follow to air his grievance.

3. There are several fitness tests during the season to ensure all officials meet UEFA fitness standards.

I'd love to know how that Armenian ref who reffed the Olimps v Pats match manages to pass these tests!

5. Refereeing is a pressurised job that not many are willing to take on. Add to that the levels of physical and verbal abuse that referee's are likely to encounter and one could argue that the fees are very modest indeed.

But referees know this is part of the job before they even take up refereeing. The abuse can be even greater at lower levels where the referees fees are smaller. I don't believe it's a job someone takes up for the money.

When one considers the amount EL clubs are paying their players these days, referee's can hardly be blamed for bleeding clubs dry.

Between league, cup, friendlies, A league and U20 games it's possible that a club could pay anywhere from €15K to €20K a year on referees' fees. For clubs towards the lower end of the table that could represent the gate receipts from two or three home fixtures so it's not an insignificant amount, hence Mick Wallace's gripe.

[Dodge]

I'd love to know how that Armenian ref who reffed the Olimps v Pats match manages to pass these tests!

Just because he was huge doesn't mean he wasn't fit. He easily kept the pace of the game and, IMO, was one of the better refs I've seen this year