What would happen if Richard Scudamore was in charge of the Olympics?
While this question was hanging in the air, a more important decision needed to be made.
Do I watch Arsenal against West Bromwich Albion or the Olympic cycling?
The latter won.
Indeed, if the choice had been between the Premiership game and Tobacco Monopoly FC versus the Royal Thai Army, the latter would still have won.
Although you would struggle to find any prolonged or detailed media reference to such things, the English Premiership is starting the new season with a potent mixture of uproar and mutiny in refereeing circles.
As we recently posted, witness the following statement by referee 'Albert' regarding the morale among the match officials: "What a great shame that the PGMOB are not as transparent and clear in their conduct. Over the past few seasons a number of officials have been removed from the list without it being made clear. Take a look at Andy D'Urso (a fine referee and a man of integrity) - more than can be said of the conduct of the PGMOB officers. ###############################################################################################################################################################################################################
################################################################################################################################################################################################################### We are in a poor state - no respect from players - money buying points and players - matches that do not attract (or need) spectators to survive.
#########################################################################################################################".
The PGMOB Inner Circle of the Select Group comprises ################################
############################################
More disturbingly, ##################################################################
###########################################################################
The 'live' Premiership officials at the weekend were Webb, Riley, Wiley and Dean.
These appointments were not made meritocratically as our internal ratings show these match officials to be, respectively, the 2nd, ################## worst officials in 2007/08.
There must be another reason why, for example, over two-thirds of Howard Webb's refereeing appointments ################################
Of course, the PGMOB could demonstrate that their roster is meritocratic by releasing the marks that the competing clubs give to the PGMOB match officials after each and every game.
Simple.
Such integrity would force the PGMOB officers to explain why Webb keeps getting the ######################### when he is the second worst referee in the Premiership.
Obviously, we will never be allowed access to this data as the publicising of the ratings would massively undermine #####################################
So, like the "undisclosed fee" that is defining the summer transfer markets, we have the undisclosed ratings that define the abilities of individual match officials.
This season, one of the two new officials is Stuart "Fasttrack" Attwell.
Having only officiated at 4 Championship matches prior to this season, Attwell is obviously talking to the right people.
He began with Sky's televised Forest v Reading match last week.
This weekend, he was down for the 4th Official spot both for 'Boro v Spurs and the Super Sunday climax at Old Trafford.
And, just as Attwell was thinking that all his 25 birthdays had arrived at once, he was then given Saturday night's live Sky Championship game in Bristol after the initial choice was pulled.
We have examined the man's officiating early season and we think that it is fair to say that you are going to be hearing a lot about Mr Attwell.
Over the next quarter of a century...
At the hierarchical levels of Webb and Attwell, everything is going exactly to plan. £57K per annum is the annual income of the Select Group referees, and this is before one considers ###############################################
######################
At the opposite end of the economic scale, some assistant referees receive only £145 per game - there is no parity with their European counterparts.
There are two impacts of this wage differentiation.
Assistant referees have to maintain outside jobs, and jobs where employers are willing to allow considerable time off to take account of the travelling involved in officiating.
################################################################################################################################################
The assistant referees are made to understand their relative (un)importance in the big scheme of things by one simple PGMOB gesture. At Half Time, the referees get a change of outfit for the 2nd Half; the assistant referees are expected to continue in the same kit regardless of the weather.
If the assistants want a change of shirt, they have to pay for it.
With the increasing importance of the 4th official, the assistants are aware of their declining status.
Prospect, the Union representing the match officials, are demanding a £5K retainer and significantly higher match fees for assistant referees but the PGMOB has said 'no' to the former, and is only offering incremental increases to the latter.
The offer is much lower than the officials had hoped.
Alan Leighton, the National Secretary of Prospect says: "Even if the claim was met in full, we would be talking about rewards that are considerably lower than in many other parts of Europe, when we're talking about the Premier League being the richest league in the world".
The non G14 referees are unhappy.
The assistant referees are unhappy.
The match officials' union is unhappy.
#############################
####################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################
###########################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################
#################################################
######################################################
Currently, the Premier League, under the odious Richard Scudamore, the FA and the PGMOB are marketing a Respect agenda calling for an improvement in the treatment of match officials on the pitch.
The foundations of this campaign have absolutely nothing to do with 'respect'.
They have everything to do with ###########################################
##############################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################
This is Scudamore's version of 'respect'.
Scudamore refuses to make any comment on the unrest among the PGMOB rank and file membership. His argument is that the issue of fees is an internal matter for Keith Hackett and the PGMOB officers.
Really?
The PGMOB is funded by the Premier League, the FA and the Football League.
Oh, and #######...
###########################################################
################################################
#############################################################################################################
The Respect Agenda is not the only one being peddled by Scudamore.
There is a new Premier League offensive to persuade managers, captains and match officials to be friendly to one another - it is called "Get On With The Game".
Prior to each Premiership match, these core insiders will meet in the referees changing rooms to show 'respect' to one another.
At best, this is facile.
At worst, it is something altogether more murky.
Think of that next time you have paid your hard-earned money to witness an agreed draw.
Unfortunately, the blocked out parts of the posts and all posts labelled # are available in full to subscribers only.
© Football Is Fixed/Dietrological
