German coach’s ire red-carded by referees’ chief

KOLKATA:After Technology can only be used for help but can’t substitute skills. If you think technology can substitute human being, you will kill football. MASSIMO BUSACCA, On VAR

allowing the media more than a peep into how referees and their assistants prepare for World Cup games, Massimo Busacca, Fifa’s head of refereering, deflected criticism off referee Jair Marrufo saying there was no blatant error in Sunday’s quarter-final between Brazil and Germany. And that he was happy with the American’s performance.

“Everybody who saw the game and can judge for themselves and not listen to anyone else. If you had a blatant situation, you can say but it was not the case. Anyone can say what he wants and you have to respect that…In front of a microphone, anyone can explode,” said the 47-year-old Swiss after Germany coach Christian Wueck had said Marrufo should have shown a Brazil player the red card for hitting Jan Boller in the face.

“If we commit a mistake, for me it’s easy to admit and say we were bad. Referees are honest. They do what they see not what they think. The referee gave his 100% and we are very happy with his performance,” said Busacca.

Busacca said he has been happy with the standard of supervision and the work of assistantreferees --- “off-side decisions are a matter of centimetres here too” --- and that it has happened because referees have made sacrifices to stay fit and work on technical training to ensure they are at the right place. “Otherwise, you will be like Forrest Gump, you will run but not arrive,” he said.

He said even if referees have had prior experience of the men’s World Cup or Champions League, they have been warned about the dangers of treating teenagers with kid gloves. “Mistakes will be at your doorstep if you underestimate. There should be no change in approach (to a men’s World Cup). The game is the same.”

The match officials are using this World Cup to get ready for Russia 2018, he said. And that is why there was no Indian on the panel. “We had to take this opportunity to get ready for Russia. Also, in any Fifa competition, you have to have those who are at the top in their confederation. Unfortunately, India’s (low) rank in its confederation (Asian Football Confederation) meant there could be no one here but we did invite elite Indian referees and assistants for one week and see how we prepare,” he said.