UEFA Referees

UEFA Referee Education Programmes

David Elleray – UEFA Referees’ Committee

David Elleray •

Former FIFA and English PL referee; school teacher for 32 years

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In England • • • • • •

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Chairman of Referee Committee President of Referees Association Chairman of Independent Schools FA Vice Chairman of Football Regulatory Authority Football Development Committee Chairman – Association of Elite Sports Officials (AESO)

For UEFA • Referees Committee • Talent and Mentors sub-committee • Head of UEFA Centre of Refereeing Excellence

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FIFA - Technical Refereeing expert IFAB - member International Football Association Board (responsible for Laws of the Game for the whole world)

FIFA and UEFA •

FIFA is the world football governing body

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Each continent has its own football governing body: • • • • • •

Africa – CAF Asia – AFC South America – CONMEBOL Central and North America – CONCACAF Pacific – Oceania Europe - UEFA

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Each country has own governing body – ‘national association’ (NA)

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UEFA has 53 NA members All international referees and assistant referees are ‘licensed’ each year as FIFA referees or assistant referees

UEFA Referee Education UEFA’s education programme has 2 main parts: • Education of FIFA match officials • Education of match officials by National Associations through the UEFA Referee Convention UEFA’s education programme controlled by Referees Committee and sub Committees: • Talent and Mentors • Centre of Refereeing Excellence (CORE) • Observers • Referee Convention • Women • Futsal

Education of FIFA officials UEFA’s education programme of its FIFA officials has many parts: • • • • • • • •

Referee courses including Women + Futsal Referees Talent and Mentor programme Centre of Refereeing Excellence (CORE) Observers Education Referee Convention Incidents from UEFA matches (FAME) Publications, directives and guidelines Fitness programme and fitness monitoring

Referee courses

UEFA has courses for specific groups of referees : • Elite referees (Summer and Winter) • New FIFA referees • Referees and Assistants in Talent programme • Women referees • Futsal referees • Referees and assistants selected for UEFA tournaments: EURO finals, u21, u19, u17 finals (Men and Women)

Referee courses

UEFA courses involved all/some of the following: • • • • • • • • •

Plenary sessions – presentations Group discussions Analysis of match incidents Fitness training and testing Psychological preparation Lifestyle advice Input from coaches, players etc… Integrity and media guidelines Administrative matters

Talent and Mentor programme UEFA’s education programme includes identifying and developing Talented, younger referees and assistants: • 10 Referees with one assistant from their country • 2 Elite referees from top countries (ENG, FRA, GER, ITA, ESP.) • Experienced Mentors The programme involves: • Annual 3 day course

Talent and Mentor programme UEFA’s education programme includes identifying and developing Talented, younger referees and assistants: • 10 Referees with one assistant from their country • 2 Elite referees from top countries (ENG, FRA, GER, ITA, ESP.) • Experienced Mentors The programme involves: • Annual 3 day course • Mentors watching their Talents in UEFA and domestic matches • Talents sending match DVDs to Mentors • Discussion of matches and Observer reports • Simultaneously watching TV match and analysis • Invitation to domestic course of Mentor’s NA

Centre of Refereeing Excellence (CORE) UEFA runs a programme to prepare potential FIFA officials : • Every UEFA country can send a trio (referee + 2 assistants) to CORE every year • Officials usually below 32 years of age • Usually officiating in top division (or 2nd division of big countries) • Officials have the potential to become FIFA officials within a few years • Must have a good basic level of English • Focus also on coach education and development

Centre of Refereeing Excellence (CORE) Course organisation and structure : • • • • • • • •

Courses are based a UEFA HQ in Nyon, near Geneva Introductory course – 10 days Consolidation course - 8 days 8 x referee trios (24 officials) per course 2 x Course Leaders 4 x referee coaches (from different countries) 2 x assistant referee coaches 2 x fitness coaches

Centre of Refereeing Excellence (CORE)

Introductory Course (Learning): • • • • • •

6 main presentations by Course Leaders Video test on match situations Fitness training and preparation Medical and flexibility examinations English assessment Practical (on field) exercises (filmed)

Centre of Refereeing Excellence (CORE)

Introductory Course (Learning): • • • • • • • • •

6 main presentations by Course Leaders Video test on match situations Fitness training and preparation Medical and flexibility examinations English assessment Practical (on field) exercises (filmed) Refereeing matches in Swiss and French leagues All matches filmed (2 cameras) for analysis Self-assessment and target setting

Centre of Refereeing Excellence (CORE)

Period between Introductory and Consolidation courses: • • • • •

Work on learning from Introductory course Fitness training Monthly report on targets to coaches Send coach 2 DVDs of match with interesting situations English lessons (Skype)

Centre of Refereeing Excellence (CORE)

Consolidation Course (assessing) : • Analysis of domestic match situations • Medical and flexibility re-examination • Practical (on field) exercises (filmed) • Refereeing matches in Swiss and French leagues

Centre of Refereeing Excellence (CORE)

Consolidation Course (assessing) : • Analysis of domestic match situations • Medical and flexibility re-examination • Practical (on field) exercises (filmed) • Refereeing matches in Swiss and French leagues • Fitness training and test • English assessment test At the end of the course each participants receives either: UEFA Diploma or UEFA Certificate of Attendance

Observers Education UEFA’s education programme relies on Observers • • • • • •

Present at all UEFA matches Neutral nationality from clubs and referee team Spend all time with referee team Detailed de-brief after the match using DVD Detailed report (and mark) to UEFA within 36 hours Referee accesses report via FAME

• UEFA Observes are graded on quality of their reports etc.. • Regular courses (involving match analysis) to ensure high standards

Incidents from UEFA matches on FAME

UEFA makes its opinion on key match decisions clear using FAME: • • • •

Key match incidents uploaded Opinion of Referees’ Committee made clear Referees expected to check FAME regularly If very important new information on FAME then referees alerted by e mail

Publications, directives and guidelines UEFA communicates its regulations, guidelines, protocols etc.. In a number of ways: • Annual Handbook • Guidelines via e mail and FAME • Protocols by e mail and FAME UEFA is not allowed to give interpretations of the Laws of the Game – this is only permitted by FIFA and the International Football Association Board (IFAB)

Fitness programme and fitness monitoring

UEFA uses a number of fitness experts and coaches who: • • • • • • •

Put fitness programmes on FAME E mail individual fitness programmes Receive and analyse polar heart rate data Advise Referee Committee on fitness test levels Oversee fitness training and testing Give advice on injury prevention and treatment Give advice on lifestyle – eating, drinking ……

Education through UEFA Referee Convention UEFA’s Referees Convention aims to improve refereeing throughout its 53 countries. It has a number of parts: • establish a refereeing organisation in each national football association not controlled or influenced by other bodies such as the government, leagues or clubs; • guarantee a unified level of education of match officials and refereeing specialists by delivering a comprehensive education programme from grassroots to professional football; • continuously improve the status and quality of the match officials and refereeing specialists; • define the legal and professional status of match officials in the different member associations

Education through UEFA Referee Convention Education should be uniform across the national association and operate on a ‘top-down’ basis. Initial education This should consist of a standard, nationwide introductory course of at least 15 hours led by qualified referee instructors. Topics should include the Laws of the Game, match administrative tasks and a fitness test. Observed match practice New recruits should be observed in at least one match before receiving their refereeing licence.

Education through UEFA Referee Convention Education programme Refresher courses should be held annually with content set nationally and led by qualified referee instructors. In addition, there should be higher-level courses for promoted referees.

Course content National associations should keep a record of the content for all their referee courses at the various levels. All course content should be provided by one source: the national refereeing organisation. Instructors National associations should maintain a database of local, regional and national instructors, qualified to instruct at their level and be used regularly. After an initial course, instructors should attend annual refresher courses by the national refereeing organisation.

Education through UEFA Referee Convention To ensure that the elite match officials meet regularly and are managed by dedicated professionals. Basic requirements Referee manager One refereeing specialist should be employed in a full-time position to manage the appointments, administration and organisation of the elite match officials. Support scheme The elite match officials should have the support of a referee instructor (with links to UEFA), a physical trainer / sports scientist, tactical coach, mental coach and an expert in nutrition.

Education through UEFA Referee Convention Meeting frequency The frequency of meetings will be determined by the refereeing budget; elite referees should meet at least every 2 months; elite assistant referees at least 4 times a year. Elite referee observers should attend meetings with referees at least twice a year. Meeting content Meetings should cover: learning from experience (video analysis of matches), discussion groups and fitness (test or training). Tactical awareness (theory and practical), mental preparation and media training. Nutrition should also be included . Uniformity Education should be uniform across all national associations and be ‘top-down’ based on UEFA guidelines and instructions.

Education through UEFA Referee Convention Convention membership National Associations apply for membership and they are then ‘audited’. If all areas are satisfied membership is recommended to UEFA Referee Committee and then to UEFA Executive

Finance Once a National Associations is accepted they receive a ‘signing on’ payment and then an annual payment of 100,000 Euro. This is additional money (not to replace existing schemes) Inspections UEFA’s panel of experts visit and inspect National Associations to ensure that the terms of the Convention are being kept

Summary UEFA’s comprehensive education programme has 2 main parts: Education of match officials through the National Associations through the UEFA Referee Convention Education of FIFA match officials • Referee courses • Talents and Mentors • CORE • Observers Education • Incidents from UEFA matches (FAME) • Publications, directives and guidelines • Fitness programme and fitness monitoring