Refs ‘not being properly trained’

ACCLAIMED former referee Ace Ncobo has leapt to the defence of match officials who are under severe attack from coaches, pundits and the football public.

Criticism of the whistlemen has been scathing at times, but Ncobo holds a different view.

‘‘You cannot solely blame the referees for the problems in the officiating of games,” says Ncobo.

‘‘They are being asked to take care of professional matches whereas they are amateurs. You cannot ask a university first-year law student to sit on a Bench of the Constitutional Court and handle vexing cases.

‘‘We’ve come a long way from the time when there was no professional league. We’ve managed to grow the PSL as a brand and, by and large, our league is run very professionally. But the referees are still amateur. Most of the officials hold day jobs. I started as an amateur and retired as an amateur.”

Bloemfontein Celtic coach Clinton Larsen and Free State Stars’ Steve Komphela are in hot water after the league took action regarding their comments last week about referees.

Larsen bemoaned poor officiating after his team lost 3-1 to Mamelodi Sundowns last Sunday.

‘‘With referees like these who needs opponents?” Komphela asked after losing 4-1 to SuperSport.

But there are fundamental problems plaguing officials.

‘‘Coaches were back in office to prepare for the new season two months ago. The officials went for assessments and fitness tests with only two weeks left before the season kicked off,” said Ncobo. ‘‘Now what kind of outcome should we expect? A lot needs to be done, but until referees turn professional we will continue to have such challenges.”

Another former PSL referee, Charl Theron, echoed Ncobo’s sentiments.

‘‘We need to create a professional structure which will hold referees to the highest standards. How can you have referees without employment contracts?” Theron asked.

‘‘Referees only train twice a year and there’s no system to hold them accountable.

“They are not being adequately developed.”