'Wait and see' in ref's decisions

Over the years, referees have been known for taking quick decisions, in fact even spectators discussing a particular incident commented that the referee had to take a split second decision.

So why is it that now we have FIFA and UEFA introducing what is called 'wait and see' approach into decision making?

This phrase was first banded about a couple of years ago when assistant referees were instructed to make sure that a player who was in an offside position should not necessarily be punished unless he actually went for a ball or in someway distracting the goalkeeper from his duties.

Naturally this is a simple way of putting it but it means that the assistant referee must adopt a wait and see attitude not to stop play unnecessarily. This will also ensure that no team is put at a disadvantage.

Now something which might be relatively new is an instruction given to the top referees and assistant referees in their recent meeting in Nyon Switzerland where members of the UEFA Referees Committee advised officials to use the wait and see procedure when it comes to awarding advantage.

The advice given to referees had originally stated that they must allow around five seconds to see if the advantage materialises and if it does not, then the referee must stop play, bring the ball back and give a free-kick for the original infringement.

Were all referees following this advice? Obviously not, as UEFA have had to remind their officials about it and asked them to wait and see if the advantage they have given was in fact beneficial to the team who had suffered an offence.

If they saw that had not happened then they must call play back to the original position where the offence took place.

All referees must remember that the word 'advantage' is meant to benefit a team which has been sinned against and not to punish it. Punishment is meant for those who break the law and not for those who uphold it.

Communication

The system of four-way communication between match officials which was introduced last season will continue this year.

UEFA have found that decision making has assumed a greater sense of rapidity, teamwork has become more effective and words of encouragement from one official to another also helps to keep tension down.

The vast majority of referees who have used this system seem to like it and hope that it will be introduced in their leagues but before spending hundreds of pounds on such a system each Football Association must study its feasibility and suitability.

Locally, the MFA Referees Board is actively scrutinising the situation and is closely following the studies being undertaken by UEFA before taking a decision on when to introduce the system in our Premier League.