Preparing young referees for their future challenges was a key component of our winter match official courses, held this year in Limassol, Cyprus, serving as preparation for the second half of the season while reflecting on refereeing topics from the opening months of the campaign. An ambitious programme aimed at accelerating the development and progress of new European international referees is bearing impressive fruit – and an important factor in its success is the vital contribution of former top referees who serve as experienced mentors to guide, advise and foster newcomers to the UEFA refereeing community as they embark on a fresh and important pathway in their budding careers.
Offering experience and wisdom
The UEFA Centre of Refereeing Excellence (CORE) International programme aims, among other things, to mentor new international referees during their first year of UEFA duty. The objective is to offer them the experience and wisdom of former match officials who have ‘been there and done it’ during their own careers. "It's a fantastic opportunity for the new UEFA officials to learn from former referees' experiences and from what they've been through," says UEFA director of refereeing Roberto Rosetti. "The mentors will offer close support during regular contact. The new referees will not be alone – they will have the possibility to share experiences, while receiving expert help in approaching difficult situations. We’re caring for young referees, preparing the next generation and also discovering the most promising officials for the future."
High-quality support and advice
One excellent example of how a new UEFA referee can expect to receive the best possible guidance will see Austrian match official Lena Hirtl mentored by Ingrid Jonsson, the Swedish referee who made history as the first woman to officiate at the final of a FIFA Women's World Cup in 1995. "Ingrid has such great experience in many aspects of refereeing, and I’m really happy to have her as a coach," says Hirtl. "I think she’ll be able to give me input and information that can help me make the next steps as a referee. It’s important that we’re honest with each other. I’m someone who welcomes criticism, because this openness is going to give me the opportunity to learn and improve." Jonsson shares her mentee's sentiments. "It’s such a great pleasure and honour to work with future talents," she says. "I think it will be very important to try and inspire Lena – I wish I could have had this help as a referee. We’ll build up a relationship based on honesty and trust, and I hope she enjoys every moment of her refereeing!"
Scottish match official Ryan Lee also welcomes the establishment of his mentoring bond with former Northern Ireland referee Leslie Irvine. "I’m delighted to have a very experienced mentor in Leslie to share ideas and discuss my refereeing – the ups and downs, and the positive moments along my journey," he said. "It’s going to be so valuable to have someone in your corner with you, that wants to support you and see you do well." For Irvine, it's important to provide counsel when things do not always go to plan. "I want to be there for Ryan through the 'good' and the 'bad' – to share in his achievements and success, but I also need to be there in moments of disappointment, because there will be those times as well in his career," he explains. "I consider it a pleasure and a privilege to be part of this great initiative."
Important spring assignments
While the young referees adapt to the demands of being a UEFA referee, their more experienced colleagues are entering the business end of the season, with important club and national-team assignments on their agenda. For some of the male referees, duty also awaits at this summer’s FIFA World Cup. Rosetti is satisfied with the way the season has gone so far. "We’re always looking for perfection but, of course, total perfection doesn’t exist," he reflects. "Nevertheless, the first part of the season has been very positive. It’s been pleasing to see this positive trend continuing after the winter break. We strive for decision-making consistency, and we’ve seen this consistency at the start of the year. Now we must continue along this path, because the next hurdles will be tough in the European club and national team competitions. We’re urging the referees to stay focused and continue the hard work they put in."
UEFA and AFC join refereeing forces
"We are committed to helping the growth of the game all around the world in every aspect of the game – and refereeing is no exception. To this end, and as part of our international development programme, UEFA Together, we have kicked off a new initiative alongside the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). We will start to exchange referees in youth tournaments, and AFC representatives have been at our winter courses to analyse and study our operational processes," Rosetti explains. "It's a bilateral project to learn from each other and improve the quality of refereeing as a result. We already have a good relationship with the South American confederation CONMEBOL. We welcome the chance to share our knowledge – it’s important for world football that we do this."
