A Polish referee in the Champions League final? Until recently, it would sound like a joke, but now it is not a matter of dreams and time. All thanks to Szymon Marciniak, who had excellent performances at Euro 2016.
- Do you ever rest? Do you go on holidays?
- Yes, like any normal person. Only that I try to stay active when I leave on holidays.
- Everyone thought that after a hard season and, in addition, your participation at the Euro almost to the very end, the chairman of the Referees Committee, Zbigniew Przesmycki, will give you a moment of breath. And here you are, unexpectedly, in the the first round of the Ekstraklasa.
- Frankly, I also thought that I could now go on vacation, but I understand the situation, so it was not a problem for me. The decision was made together with the President Przesmycki. We considered whether to take a break now or after the upcoming tests in UEFA on 10-12 August. We decided that I will go on vacation after the first round.
- Now a week away from the ball and then once again back on the field?
- To be precise – a week and a half. In the third round I should already be back on the pitch. My duties are not only connected with the Polish football. As I mentioned, I will be soon running the fitness tests in UEFA. There is not much time to rest, but on the other hand, I may just train as well, because if the absence is not too long, I will no longer need to go back to the appropriate level. Now, almost all the time I need to be in shape.
- Do you have enough time? Always busy, you have to live in constant stress. Few would understand it.
- It's a matter of how you think about it. There are people for whom this would be a big problem, difficult for them to deal with it. However, in my case, the pressure flows; I do not feel it. This is important because most errors when refereeing are caused just by pressure. Who has a problem with that, referees less. And it happens because, for example, the referees having a problem with the pressure during the match, after analyzing the performance on video, cannot understand how they could make such simple mistakes. This brain is the key; you need to know how to properly prepare mentally. First is to focus, then the adrenalina is working automatically and after the final whistle ypou need to think about the next game, the next challenge. Extremely important is the intensity of the match, the possibility of frequent whistling.
- I understand that you are not working with a psychologist?
- We have the sports psychologist - Mrs. Paulina Nowak - for six years. When a class is being offered to a whole group of referees, for example, a meeting devoted to concentration or relaxation, I am joining it. With respect to individual meetings, I only had one - the first and last. Just after the first sessions, the doctor said that I do not need such meetings.
- Let's get to the point. According to the experts, your performance at Euro should be defined as spectacular. What is your view?
- It is difficult to answer such a question. There are star players running around the pitch; we are only there to referee them well and do not disturb the game. On the other hand, I do not want to be falsely modest; the evaluation of our work by the UEFA Referees Committee and also by Pierluigi Collina was great. You can always do better, for example, positioning for a free kick to the left, not the right, but these are funny things, details. At the post-match analysis, I always try to look for the ideal positions and, as they say in the referees’ world, wise whistles.
- Can you give us an example?
- Sometimes such behavior is required by the situation on the pitch. For example, during a match, when you whistle three times in a row a foul for a team, then later you should feel the game and award a free kick for the other team, for balance, so that players do not get the impression that you whistle just for one team. Sometimes it is very difficult, as it was in Spain – Czech Republic, when one team was attacking and the other defending. But I'm glad that I was able to find the right balance in terms of fouls and discipline.
- Are you feeling appreciated by the UEFA Referees Committee?
- Of course. From what I learned, we - young referees who do not have much experience at major tournaments - were appointed only to referee matches in the group stage. After the first two performances, and especially the second one, the right people considered that we deserved the bonus of being able to go into the round if 16. And at this level again we emerged well enough that Collina decided to keep us in France even longer and gave us the opportunity of gaining experience. Please note that the function of the fourth official, and I had this opportunity in the quarter-finals and semi-finals, is not confined to lifting the board with the changes and show how much time is left until the end.
- Collina sent you to the minefield: you had to control the reserve bench of Italy. Was it a difficult task?
- The quarter-final Germany - Italy showed very well the role of the fourth official - it was a tough fight for 120 minutes. We all know that the Italian bench is not easy. They continue the show, with non-stop gesturing. The task was not easy, but you can see that Collina, who was watching the game from the stands, appreciated my work, because he sent me in this function also for the semi-finals. I am glad that we managed to get more than we expected out of the championship.
- Let's look at your participation in the tournament by games. In Spain’s match against the Czech Republic, you were practically invisible. The only event worth noting was the tackle by Alvaro Morata on your assistant.
- Truth! After this match I got dozens of congratulations from the referees from all over Europe, Howard Webb among others, but the show was stolen by my assistant Paul Sokolnicki which, thanks to Morata, nearly acquainted with the turf. It was for this reason that we had some laughter and once we even joked during the match. After returning to the hotel, the other referees were making jokes. Frankly, after the final whistle, I glanced at the replay and it did not look good. Morata came with a dynamic sliding tackle, Paul strongly twisted the leg. If he would have been so athletic, it could have been a different outcome.
- You seemed relaxed and sometimes joking with players.
- We worked the same way as we usually do during any match in the domestic league. Changed only faces and shirts, everything else was the same for us. During the match, I had to deal a couple of times with Sergio Ramos and Tomas Rosicki. It was normal.
- Was the second match, Iceland-Austria, the hardest for you?
- Definitely. Already after the first match I knew more or less that I was going to referee the game. It was known that there are 36 matches in the group stage and we were 18 referees, so the assumption was that each referee will have two games in the group stage. When I did not get anything in the second matchday, Collina pulled me aside and said that, depending on some results, he will send me to the already mentioned, tough game. And so it happened. To prepare for it, we watched Austria and Portugal from the stands, we analyzed the game of the Austrians and we expected a very hard fight. It was difficult, but the match turned out to be my ticket to the knock-out phase.
- One of the key decisions was to award a penalty kick for a foul on David Alaba. In this particular situation were you helped by the AAR Tomasz Musial or was it your sovereign decision?
- It can be seen on video replays - the timing of the decision is immediate, Tomasz, even if he wanted to shout, he would not have time for this. When the player fell to the ground, it was after the whistle, and I was reaching for a yellow card. I had a good grasp of the situation, I saw everything very well and I did not think for a second. Being held, Alaba was unable to jump and I had to make a decision. But I do not want to take any merit away from Tomasz, who, during the Europa League semi-final shouted to me that Sevilla should be awareded a penalty kick.
- When you awarded a penalty kick to the Germans in your third game were you sure of your decision? The voices of the experts were divided.
- If you decide to award a penalty kick, you must be sure, not 70 per cent. In this situation, I had a good view of it. Anyway, please see a replay of the situation, Skrtel did not even try to argue. He immediately dropped his head; he knew that his behavior was irresponsible. But now, in retrospect, I can say that, if it happens again, I would show him a yellow card.
- Is there a special moment of the championship that stucks in your memory?
- There are a few. I will remember this tournament for a long time; it was so unpredictable that anyone can beat anyone. For example, Albania was about to advance to the next round, I was fascinated by the game. In contrast, we all remember Germany – Italy, with the 120 minutes and penalty shoot-out. Germany eventually won and the Italians have fallen into despair. I stood at the tunnel leading to the locker room and watched the broken players from Italy. The last one walked Giorgio Chiellini. He passed by me, but then turned back, threw himself in my arms and began to cry. I did not quite know at first how I should behave, but I took a neutral pose and humanly consoled him. It was a moment that I will remember for a long time, because I realized how great excitement accompanied the players on a great tournament.
- After returning from Euro - bearing in mind the positive evaluation of superiors – did you feel already part of Europe's leading referees, along with Clattenburg or Cakir?
- It is hard to compare with other referees; I can only say that I feel very good. When three years did not include any error in Europe, you have to be on top - there is no other option. The most important in the life of a referee is treaning hard on the ground. A player can miss one day a penalty kick but in a week he will have the opportunity to fix that. As a referee, you are as good as your last game. It is almost certain that soon no one will remember our good performance at Euro since, at some point, we will make errors. This is the life of a referee.
- In your case the matter is difficult, because, being the best Polish referee, everyone looks at you with respect. They regard you on a high level.
- It is true. Every time I have to prove that my performance at Euro did not stem from the fact that I am as bald as Collina, or that I am friends with Webb. I have to show that after returning from Euro I have no intention of cutting off coupons in the Polish league. It is of course difficult, because even the smallest error will be pointed out to me, but that is the way of things. We must all remember, however, the basic issue. Even with a very good position and having a good understanding of the situation, the referee cannot see everything; it can simply make a mistake, because it is a human person, like everyone else.
- Is the understanding for referees getting better in the Polish league?
- Yes, and I enjoy it. We are not robots, we can make errors. It is important to then say bluntly: “Sorry, I'm sorry gentlemen, I just did not see it, someone screened me and I miss the play”. It is known that throughout the play only fans are infallible. But here I always say what I heard 12 years ago: if you are a dodger, take a whistle and will be happy to go with you on the field to see how you are doing.
- Before Euro, you said that you do not expect the finale because it is just too early. You were too young and too inexperienced. Has the Euro changed something in this regard? The Champions League final is already within your reach?
- Collina would probably not like me talking on this topic. Besides, he laughed at me every time when we had similar talks. Please note that UEFA appointing me as the fourth official in the Euro quarter-finals and semi-finals took into account the possibility that I will be ready to referee the match, if needed, at such a level. In case of a referee injury, I would have to take his place. When Collina told me the information that I will be fourth official in the quarter and semi-finals, I thanked him and I understood, at the same time, that I am ready to referee such matches as the main referee. They showed me confidence. I feel a lot of humility, but I can say that I do not feel any worse than the European leaders. I know how I refereed the Euro matches, I know how it went in the quarter-finals of the Champions League or the Europa League semi-final. The Champions League final? Why not.
- Is this your goal for the new season?
- I do not think in those terms. The specificity of this profession is that just one wrong decision can make everything go wrong and collapse. You can ride for a few matches of the group stage, then the knockout and still one bad whistle can direct all the talk about my only negative. You cannot assume anything. Last season, everyone said that I am doing great, but I am still so young...
- I hardly expected that you will be appointed to such important matches in European competitions.
- It was said that maybe I was expected to stop in the round of 16 of the Champions League. It turned out that we were well evaluated and appointed to the quarter-finals of the Champions League. And when we got the Eurpa League semi-final, even older colleagues were not fully able to understand how it happened. The point is that age is not always the most important. If you have the appropriate feeling of the profession and a good fitness, why not rely on the possibility of refereeing major events?
- That streak would not be possible without a solid team.
- You are one hundred percent correct. I get along very well with my team on the field and beyond. We understand each other without words.
- You are supposed to lead the team in general, not only in the competition.
- Making a good atmosphere, in this particular topic Tomasz Musial is unmatched, he leads the way, but Pawel Raczkowski also does not stand away in terms of jokes. That is why our team is very popular in UEFA; we are always loud and funny. During Euro we also gained the yellow jersey in another issue - to attend the gym. Older friends came to us, inquired how they should practice, what to change. Later they implemented this in their training.
- You realize that it has a real impact on the entire community of referees in Poland? After your good performances, more than 100 people completed the referee course. This is a huge number compared to previous years.
- Initially, I shied away from interviews, it was hard for me, I did not want to give too many interviews. Our chairman Przesmycki and president Boniek explained to me that my activity in the media can be a positive impulse for young people. Hence the story of what does it mean to referee, how much effort is required, thus allowing access to the camera in our locker room. I preferred to speak through my whistle on the pitch, but older and wiser people in PZPN convinced me that I should overcome the situation and help improve the image of Polish refereeing community.
- So far, you succeeded perfectly.
- In my home area, Plock, there was a shortage of referees for a long time and now we have a surplus. In every meeting with young people, such as during a lecture at the Warsaw School of Economics, I always say that not everyone has to be Lewandowski or Krychowiak to exist in a serious football. Refereeing is also an interesting way. More and more young people decided to follow my advice and this made me feel a personal satisfaction.
Source: Pitka Nozna