Interview: football referee Ferat Kartal 2022-04-01

Interview with football referee Ferat Kartal

Ferat Kartal loves football! Being a football referee makes Ferat happy and has also helped him a lot since he came to Sweden in 2017, both with language and personal development. Ferat won a headset from us, in a competition last year. We checked up with him on how it works and how the whole referee journey began.

– You won a competition last year with us, where you won a headset. Have you tested it properly and how does it work?

– I use it every match. It works great and good quality, always easy to start and connect them. When you referee with a headset, the match may not be easier, but you can support each other more in the referee team and you solve situations better, faster and easier. For example, such a simple thing that vests on substitutes / replacements if I as the head referee see it, or the other assistant on the opposite side, then you take it in the headset to Assistant 1, AR1. If we do not have headsets in such a situation, we may have to pause the game, run there, talk to them and then start the match again. We help each other more easily and we take all things, both big and small, in the headset.


– What is it in the role of a referee that attracts you?

– Football has always been a part of my life and I think football teaches us a lot. You help each other, you get a lot of social exchange, equality, respect for others, you become both happy and sad and you learn to handle such situations. I watch a lot of football in my spare time. To be a referee, you are part of football, part of that family - the football family. You feel community and the days I have a match I wake up happy and ready for the match. My wife is also a referee and we often watch each other's matches. After matches, we discuss situations and go through the matches and how we can develop.


– What do you referee today Ferat?

– I started refereeing in 2018 and now this year I am classified as head referee in division 4 men and assistant referee in division 2 men. It was my wife who persuaded me to start refereeing.


– You're from Turkey. When did you come to Sweden? And have you refereed / played football in Turkey?

– I came to Sweden in 2017 and I have not referee before. However, I have been playing football for 11 years in Turkey and chose when I started studying at university not to play anymore. I have a lot of friends who are referee in Turkey that I often talk to, including a referee who has been at elite level there.


– You watch a lot of football, talk a lot of football and have played a lot of football. When you enter the role as a referee, what and which situations are the most difficult do you think?

– Oh, it's a difficult question because it is so different from match to match. You never really know in advance. That may be exactly what is difficult. When situations arise that you have never experienced or never really seen. Then you have to act quickly and inspire confidence. It's not always right, but we are also human and I think most players and teams respect that. Situations that rarely happen or that you have never experienced and situations that arise when you have absolutely not seen anything. There may be something in the way, you have the wrong angle or behind your back. You do not know, but then it is still important to act quickly. That's probably the hardest part about being a referee.


– You mentioned earlier that you wake up happy the same day you have a match and that you think the refereeing is a fun thing for you. Can you tell us more about that?

– The most important thing for me when I referee football is to always be open to learning new things, both on and off the field and to have a positive attitude. The referee team, the trip to the match, the talk in the locker room and being part of the football family. It gives me a lot in return and I develop as a person. You constantly learn new things about yourself and about other people when you referee football. I love football and a lot in my life revolves around football.


– Now you are a referee in division 4 Ferat. How do thoughts move forward, do you have any goals?

– My short time goal is the next step, step 3 in Sweden. I want to referee as far up as I can. In the future, I really want to referee the Allsvenskan, it is a goal I have long-term. But first and foremost the next step, to be a referee in division 3.


– Great goal Ferat! We believe in you and will follow you. Good luck. Any concluding words?

– Thanks so much. Yes, being a referee here in Sweden has really helped me. A lot! Both with the language and to develop as a person. It has really helped me so much. I want more people to take advantage of being a referee. I hope I can contribute in my best way to the matches, the players and the teams as referees.