Oliver came of age in Madrid cauldron, but standards of officiating have dropped

Our expert selects the men who have excelled with the whistle, and three who fell short...

This was best shown in the Champions League semi-final between Juventus and Real Madrid. Promoted to the Uefa elite panel only five months earlier, he stood up to fierce pressure from Gianluigi Buffon and sent off the goalkeeper in stoppage time of the second leg, awarding the penalty that Cristiano Ronaldo converted to win the tie.

The decision had enormous implications for both clubs, but it was the correct one. It was a defining moment in Oliver’s career.

2. Anthony Taylor

At 39, Taylor is in his prime, combining the fitness required to get in the right position with the strength of character to manage players in heated circumstances, which earns their respect.

Like each of these three standout referees, he is consistent in his application of the rules. 3. Martin Atkinson

He ages like a fine wine. At 47 he is still one of the most impressive officials in the Premier League. In fact, his pre-eminence should be a cause for concern, as it highlights the lack of depth among the next generation of officials.

Succession planning is an issue that the Professional Game Match Officials (PGMO) must address. 1. Mike Jones

I have known him for a long time and he is totally inconsistent. He falls short in a skill that perhaps most often separates the good referee from the inadequate one: being able correctly and consistently to distinguish between the careless tackle (punished with a free-kick), the reckless one (yellow card) and the reckless and excessive one (red).

The low point of Jones’s season came in the FA Cup tie between Manchester City and Cardiff, when he failed to send off Joe Bennett for his studs-up challenge on Leroy Sane. It was a massive mistake.

Jones officiated his last game yesterday ahead of his retirement, but I understand he will continue to work for the PGMO in the development of Video Assistant Referee (VAR). Quite how he is qualified for that, given his shortcomings, I do not know.

2. Roger East

Roger East is 53 and too old for the elite. He is quite mobile and still manages to get into good positions, but that does not stop him from making the wrong calls.

No better example was to let Abdoulaye Doucoure’s equaliser stand against Southampton, even though the Watford midfielder had clearly committed a handball.

In mitigation, he might have been given greater support by his assistants – in general they appear increasingly reticent to intervene in big decisions this season – but it was not out of character for East.

3. Lee Mason

Like Jones, he is simply not fit enough and often exposed as off the pace. Mason edges out Lee Probert, although he had a similarly poor season and appears not to have recovered from back problems that have plagued him.

It is because of performances such as theirs that I think the general standard of officiating has dropped this season, which should concern the PGMO. The training of officials needs to improve, there needs to be greater teamwork between referees and their assistants, and those who fall short of acceptable standards should be jettisoned.

It happens to managers who do not cut it in the Premier League. Why should it be any different for referees?

Keith Hackett is a former referee and resident expert for

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