UEFA Referees Committee has announced that the categories are confirmed as they are so far, no changes until the end of 2021.
UEFA Referee Committee has stated that the low number of games for most of UEFA referees has been the main reason for this choice.
The only changes are about referees who announced their retirement from the list.
Here the updated PDF:
It was decided some years ago that all major changes will be made in the summer. Now Rosetti decided to change this well-working pattern. Strange. Even more that Daniel Siebert has not been promoted after a successful EURO...
ReplyDeleteAbout Siebert, the explanation can be indeed that it is impossible to have 5 Elite referees from a country. I never saw more than 4. Then, given that committee doesn't want to demote other names, they were in troublesome situation. But that's only my speculation! For sure they will wait for Brych to leave, in order to promote Siebert, but he is already used as Elite without doubts!
DeleteWhy limit the number of personnel on the Elite List? Is it not better to have a higher number of options available to use? Maybe this way we'd actually start seeing new names and faces handling the top clashes. As it stands, we'll continue to see the same names again and again.
Delete"Wash, rinse, repeat"
I think, one should only have those referees in Elite, that have a realistic chance for e.g. a CL KO match and EURO participation. And approx. 25 referees is enough for that.
DeleteIMO, there are two possible approaches. Either the list represents the situation of the past year - then Ekberg and Siebert should be added to Elite now, and several referees need to be demoted.
Or the list shows, what is planned for the next year. In that case, Ekberg and Siebert should already have been added at the last update.
And there are probably other examples in the lower categories as well.
Keeping categories different from reality (=actual appointments) seems a strange idea.
In a way, are we getting back to a tacit "Elite Development" group like we had in the Collina days? Referees that are 'close enough' but not quite there?
DeleteOther point to consider: I believe Elite referees are paid more. No point for UEFA in beefing up the category beyond necessary numbers.
The official reason given by committee is the low number of matches for the most of referees so far this year.
ReplyDeleteIn December Rosetti should, in my opinion, change 50% of Elite.
ReplyDeleteNah, no 50%. With who? But IMO the Elite list should contain max 20 names.
DeleteAt least 4 names on the list are only in theory elite + 2 referees that are close to retirement and had very long injuries. If Rosetti can go as far as inviting 1st cat referee to EURO, then it shouldnt be a problem to demote someone and still give him a good appointment if deserved.
DeleteVery surprising! :O
ReplyDeleteIt is not true that there were not enough games, at least for some minor changes (i.e. the most obvious ones). For sure the decision about promotion or demotion is mostly made based on period longer than 1 season.
What do you think about UEFA RefCom being more flexible with categories? I mean such scenario: someone underperforms during one season and he is demoted. He performs very well next season and he is promoted again. That would bring more transparency and not keeping referees there only for past glories.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely.
DeleteBase the categories on performance.
Base the appointments on categories.
Should be the main principles in my opinion.
The retired officials are:
ReplyDeleteCategory 2 (84 referees instead of previous 86)
Sergey Lapochkin (RUS)
Mete Kalkavan (TUR)
About the latter, I remember that there was alreay confusion 6 months ago with his name originally out and then back again. Maybe he had already planned to retire and now he took final decision.
Regarding the Russian, this is the story:
https://sportstar.thehindu.com/football/europa-league/russian-referee-sergey-lapochkin-suspended-by-uefa-in-match-fixing-case/article34332536.ece
Particular that Bezborodov (born 15/01/1973 has decided to continue), he can set a new record soon, being older than Kuipers.
Wow, it is really unusual to see Vladislav Bezborodov still active internationally. IMO age limit of 45 years is quite sensible, especially for lower categories. Give a chance to some new talents!
DeleteAbout Lapochkin:
Deletehttps://www.sport-express.ru/football/rfpl/news/uefa-zavershil-kareru-lapochkina-on-diskvalificirovan-na-neskolko-let-1798305/
https://sportacentrs.com/futbols/virsliga/10062021-ka_sishanovs_bordeaux_speles_tiesnesim_pi
I'm very surprised about the fact that nothing changed in the Uefa category at this time and I really think that the reason declared by Uefa doesn't make sense since last year (2020) within the full Covid pandemic the available matches were really lower but the recategorization happened based on domestic performance and results. This is year, except Uefa U17 and Uefa U19, all the other tournaments were regularly played adding also Uefa 2020 championship, so there were enough matches to take decision. This is the case of Siebert and Ekberg who attended (Siebert with very good results) Uefa 2020 and are still in 1st; On the contrary Aytekin, Koulbakov, Kruzialk and Sidiropolous are perfoming below the expections since long time and are still in the elite.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion this clearly demonstrate that the categorization is just a theoretical and formal concept which doesn't find application on real appointments.
In addition I'm still convinced that it doesn't make sense to keep 27 names in the elite categories of some of them are really not working as elite but what is no crazy to me is to have 53 names in the 1st category keeping on the same level Siebert and Vad or Madden and Boiko (with all respect). I'm in favor of adding a intermediate category between 1st and elite (like the old "elite development") both with less names, which better describe the status of each one using for Cl and big matches both elite and the new category; and I'm also in favor of a frequent revision so that one can raise up of go down after to one or two year.
Finally i guess that among the retired there is also Xavier Estrada Fernandez
UEFA has to remove a substantial amount of its elite category referees, and create the elite development category for those officials who: are next in line for elite; those referees who come from smaller nations but due to the political situation will never be elite; those referees who did not go to the EUROS as its clear they are not Elite as even category one refs were chosen to go before them; those referees who will retire soon and who should give the opportunity to other referees (those 44+).
ReplyDeleteIMO:
Kulbakov out
Lahoz out
Aytekin out
Stieler out
Sidiropoulos out
Orsato out
Kuipers out
Collum out
Kruzliak out
Skomina out
These should be put into the new Elite Development Category together with other promising referees and the rest of the criteria I suggested above. Refs with injuries were excepted.
Change needs to happen if its drastic but there will a problem in a couple of season with many promotions and many inexperienced referees officiating in top matches! This is all in IMO (in my opinion), open to interpretation and criticism as always. ;)
I think that the reason behind such a decision is more political than related to performances and matches.
ReplyDeleteRosetti and committee probably don't want to upset some federations by demoting referees. Take Germany for example. They chose to wait for Brych's retirement before promoting Siebert (especially after his successful Euro). They could have easily demoted Aytekin or Zwayer but the didn't.
The same can be said for Greece (Sidiropoulos) and Scotland (Collum). Both are underperforming for a number of seasons now. So their demotions is absolutely logical and justified. In the first case I see an attept to support Clattenburg on his role in Greece. Especially now with the publication of the Greek Referee Categories, Clattenburg is under enormous fire here for his changes (btw Zachariadis quit today after his demotion). So UEFA didn't want to make his position even harder.
Where can I find the Official info about that?
ReplyDeleteYou can ask your national association, UEFA sent the updated refereeing categories, the files you can find in this post.
DeleteIancu Vasilica (POR) relegated in Portugal.
ReplyDeleteNew FIFA referee candidate: Gustavo Correira (29y)
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