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| From Player to Ref | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Jan 27 2011, 08:36 AM (279 Views) | |
| raconteur | Jan 27 2011, 08:36 AM Post #1 |
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Here is an article I found interesting, http://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/news?slug=r...feree_interview Former Chilean first division player Christian Rojas who was forced to retire as a player at age 25 because of injuries became a referee and has worked his way up the ladder in Chile where in the new season starting this week he will become a first division referee. I like this and think it will be interesting to see how he performs. The article also mentions a few other former players in South America who have gone on to become referees,
I think it would help the game if more former players became referees but it can be such a thankless profession that it probably is understandable why more have not made that choice. |
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| Sporting | Jan 27 2011, 09:42 AM Post #2 |
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In cricket, the practice of ex-players becoming umpires (the cricketing word for referees) is much more common. Mind you, you don't have to run so much in this game! |
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| Dr. Z | Jan 27 2011, 10:13 AM Post #3 |
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Interesting because in it's distant cousin baseball (another sport where the umpires, as they also are called in that sport, do not have to run much) I do not think has had many ex players become umpires. I always wondered why more former players did not become officials in football/futbol/soccer. Maybe it is because the pay is not that good and we all know referees do not get much appreciation from players, fans and the media! |
| Poniendo el pecho a las balas! | |
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| enganche | Jan 27 2011, 11:16 AM Post #4 |
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Two good theories Dr. Z for why more ex players do not become refs. Look at the professions most referees seem to have (in my very unscientific way of remembering what their "other" jobs are), many are lawyers, businessmen or teachers, three profesisons where you are used to taking abuse! Maybe that sets them up to prepare to become referees! :lol: |
| Prefiero morir de pie que vivir arrodillado | |
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| Johnbuildr | Feb 1 2011, 10:55 AM Post #5 |
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You guys are on track, from my point of view anyway. When I finally gave up coaching the then head of our state referees association tried to get me to become a ref, "for the fun of it and to stay connected to the sport". Huh? Fun? No thanks, I didn't relish the kind of fun that gets you regular ridicule, snide remarks and cat calls from the sidelines. Anyway, I probably would have gotten in trouble for challenging some "fan" who would have inevitably been riding me. It just seemed like a recipe for trouble to me. |
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Qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum | |
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| Winslow | Feb 15 2011, 02:16 PM Post #6 |
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There is also ice hockey ref Paul Stewart, the first man in recent times to have played and refereed in the NHL (FWIW, the 1930s Hall of Famer King Clancy was also a ref for awhile after he retired). Stewart had a very short playing career back around 1980, mainly as a designated puncher, but a long and distinguished one in stripes. Sort of the abuser becoming the abusee. |
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| enganche | Feb 18 2011, 08:04 PM Post #7 |
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:lol: So maybe Gennaro Gattuso should become a ref! Nobody I know in recent times talks so much to the ref as he. So if he knows so much about what is the right call, get into officiating!
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| Prefiero morir de pie que vivir arrodillado | |
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6:35 AM Jul 11