HAVING FIVE OFFICIALS AT THE EUROS

[ECPL]

I think everyone knows I cannot see the point of having five officials at a football match. But will someone kindly provide an answer to this.

I noticed it at last nights match. So looked back over some of the matches already recorded at the Euro's 2016. If you are going to have two extra officials why oh why do they stand obstructing the views of the linesmen. In other words why are they on the same side of the goal as the linesman.

When a corner is taken from the side which has a linesman the extra official stands behind the goal line. But when the corner is on the other side of the pitch he straddles the goal line so obstructing the view of the linesman. If they want to make this work why does the extra official with a police baton not stand behind the line on the opposite side of the goal to the linesman. He can stand anywhere he likes then. I think someone pointed out that these two extra officials have seniority over the two linesmen, (I refuse to call them assistant referees). Anyone got any ideas.

[Guest]

You only have to look at the two English referees. The two with the flag (whatever you wish to call them) are Premier League flagmen and the two behind the goal are Premier League referees.

[Soccer Follower]

The fourth official?

 

[Tommy Matthews]

Great documentary on this subject on Sky a few months back where Pierluigi Collina explained the role of the AAR ( Additional Assistant Referee). He explained with audio and video using our English team of 5 officials how they all interacted and helped one another. There were explanations of why they stand where they do and what they say to each other to help make decisions. A very sceptical Graeme Souness was totally converted and whist they look utterly surplus to requirements I too am a convert. Try to see if you can watch the Sky documentary somewhere, you may change your views, I did.

[bighairydave]

I believe that they trialled them standing on the other side but the referee's said that the change in the diagonal was too difficult for them to deal with as on a week-to-week basis they were still used to only having 3 officials. The assistant referee (linesman) during a corner from the other side will be watching for the pushing and pulling I imagine while the AAR will be watching goal line for goals/corners/goal kicks.

[Tommy Matthews]

Try this, this will explain it.

http://www.skysports.com/football/news/21564/9317280/collina-masterclass-pierluigi-collina-discusses-the-art-of-refereeing

 

[baldy]

This is what we hope they would do. This would be vastly improved for the fans if these people actually made a signal so that we would know they have seen the incident clearly and have ruled on it. They don't. They appear to be dummies. In all the games I have seen live or on TV, I have only once seen a useful decision clearly indicated ( ball crossed the line for a goal).

[ECPL]

I think the perfect example of why we should do with getting rid of these free loaders was I think it was when Portugal played somebody and the ball looked to be going over the goal line and I think it was Nani who crossed it but what was the extra official doing.  He had his back completely against the player and was looking into the penalty area.  So the first thing was he was the closest man to the ball so he could see if it was in or out and secondly it was the referees responsibility to see if anything untoward was happening in the penalty area.  Sorry but it clearly showed that they are a complete and utter waste of time.  And to say the referees found it difficult beggars belief.