Summary of the year 2021

I thought I would sum up my year, 2021. In addition to refereeing football, I work with web statistics and search engine optimization at Linnaeus University. I often lean my decisions at work against statistics, test and see if it works or not. Therefore, I thought I would compile my year as a referee in some statistics and achieved goals. Before the year, I had two goals with this year. 1: To make my debut as head referee in div.4 men. 2: To become more regular/ordinary in div.4 men for 2022.

This is my first year as a classified head referee in men div.5 and div.4. I expected to make my competition debut in div.4 and that was the case. I got two matches in that division of which two observations. Those of you who do not know how the grading works on observations, I will get back to another day. But in short, a rating of 8.2 is a ok rating for a match and a rating above 8.4 is more than ok. I can dedicate a blog post to just that in the future. All my matches this year with observations have ended at 8.2 in rating. Approved in other words. Some remarks on movement patterns, something missed briefly but no match-determining situations that I missed and always a plus on physics which is one of the most important parts. So far so good.

Now comes a thing that I have been thinking about since the 20th of August 2021. This was my debut in a competition context div.4. And damn what I've been thinking about this. I have had a very good dialogue with my coach throughout the year. Positive feedback for him! However, in this match and in the report, one thing is missing that may have decided my entire 2022. I will not be allowed to be a regular in div.4 men next year. Goal number 2 missed. Crap. I'm frustrated for next year and I will not referee mostly men div.5. Not a chance. That's where my thoughts are right now. I want more and think I deserve more and have proven that I deserve more. If no one sees it, so be it. Then maybe I will be one of those who contribute to even more lack of referees.

The situation then? Basically, it's a game understanding situation. I have played football all my life and have a very good understanding of the game. There are many other points I need to hone as a referee, but my understanding of the game is good and can always be better of course. The away team has a corner where a striker nods the ball towards goal, a defender clearly saves the ball with his hand. The defense makes a clear goalkeeper save on the goal line. Clear penalty and a red card, I told myself for a second. I have a good position. At the same time, I see that the ball goes to a lone attacking player inside the penalty area. He can easily roll the ball into goal. He does it, he scores. For me, the ball is clearly inside the goal because the same defensive player who took it with his hand is inside the goal and also takes this ball but with his foot. Both the defender and the ball are above the goal line. That is a goal. Clear goal.

There is a bit of a commotion where I whistle for goal and point to the center circle. It creates even more tumult. I'm having a chat with my AD and he can not decide if the ball is inside or not. Which I understand, because there are a lot of people at the goal line. I explain what I think, I give an advantage where the ball goes in goal. We're talking seconds here. And if there is no goal, it is a penalty and a red card. Now we I will choose a goal and scale down one level on the punishment stair and give a yellow card to the defender that takes the ball with his hand. In the situation maybe it gets messy for a while. Players shouting, trying to get through to me. I explain to the captains what I have seen and what I intend to make for the decision. Goal. The ball is over the line.

Here comes the hard part then. My coach does not agree at all, after the match. Not at all. Totally wrong decision he thinks and I should have taken a penalty and a red card. Had the ball the time to go in goal before if I used the whistle? Yes 1The match ended 0-1 and talk about match decisive decision. I have discussed this situation with referees higher up, other coaches and yes… as I describe it above, I can say that I made the right decision. There and then. Could it have been handled differently at the moment? Perhaps! But the decision about goal, advantage and yellow card I still feel is completely right.

My coach calls me after the match and says that he does not intend to include that situation in the report at all, he does not lower my rating and removes it from the report. Eh OK, I say a little bit confused. Which I regret. So much! I stand by my decision. It was right. Imagine for a second you were in a match, in minute 89 and a situation like that appears. The ball goes into the goal, but you take a penalty instead. The penalty is missed. Disaster! Now I got the grade 8.2 and if my coach had taken that situation as a match-deciding decision, that grade would have been raised slightly. What do I know? 8.3 or at least 8.4. Then I would also have been able to compete with other referees reports for this year. And maybe… maybe been regular in div. 4 next year.

Am I bitter? Yes! Like hell! How do I do then? Sleeping on the thing and letting it go and coming back stronger? Yes, probably. Maybe now that I've got it out of me a little. Will I go back and play football in div.4 instead and stop being a referee? Yes maybe.

I don’t know. Shouldn’t a coach, coach be more. Help me more?

Here you see two other similar situations at international level. Decide for yourself, but if it is a chance for goal – I will always wait a few extra seconds.

• Juventus - Roma October 2021. Watch 1 minute into the clip approximately. Here the referee blow the whistle just before the ball goes into goal. Could he have waited with the signal and taken a goal instead? Yes! Missed penalty and only yellow card in addition.

Here is also an article on that match / decision: Article Juventus - Roma

• Aberdeen - Maribor. Here the referee blow the whistle just before the ball goes into goal. Could he have waited with the signal and taken a goal instead? Yes! Missed penalty and only yellow card in addition.

Enough about that. I simply did not reach my goals for 2021.

I became curious about my year in even more statistics. I took a look in the Garmin app under the running tab. It has become a couple of meters in 2021. Still many days left of December, have time to replenish a few more.

• Total distance: 985.7 km
• Average daily: 2.7 km
• Weekly average: 19 km

Over and out for this year. See you again in January, whether I'm on the field as a referee or not.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!