Pereira passes on wisdom

By Mark Chaplin

If you are a newcomer to the UEFA list of European referees, and you are looking for valuable advice to help you on your way, there is nothing better than to learn from someone who has 'been there and done that'.

Distinguished career
At the UEFA introductory course for new international referees in Corfu, young match officials were given an insight into how to prepare for their duties by Portugal's Vitor Melo Pereira, the former referee who retired last year, bringing the curtain down on a distinguished career by officiating at the UEFA Cup final between Feyenoord and BV Borussia Dortmund as well as at the summer's FIFA World Cup in Korea/Japan.

Considerable experience
Pereira is now putting his considerable experience at the service of European refereeing, and has recently taken up membership of the UEFA Referees' Committee. He told the young referees in Corfu to treat each appointment the same, be it a youth match or a key European club encounter. "All matches are equally important – they all deserve the same attention, concentration and respect for the teams," he said.

Teamwork from the start
A key element of Pereira's presentation was the emphasis on teamwork from the start of an assignment until after the match. Straight from the appointment, the referee, assistant referees and fourth official should nurture a healthy team attitude. "Get yourselves organised each time so that you all have the same dress code," Pereira advised. "Make sure that you look like a team."

Keeping calm
Before the game, the refereeing team should take as much opportunity to talk together, and even use motivational methods to bolster each other, such as reminding themselves of previous good performances to build confidence. "Team-building is essential – and remember to talk about the game in a calm environment," Pereira said. On the pitch, Pereira urged the newcomers to keep their cool, especially in penalty-area situations, which he described as one of the most difficult aspects of a referee's work.

Mutual trust
The refereeing team should also always pay attention to the constant threat of simulation by players attempting to win decisions in their favour. Pereira stressed that the relationship between the referee, his assistants and the fourth official had to be based on mutual trust and assistance throughout the game. "To achieve maximum performance, there has to be a permanent high level of contact between everyone," he said.

Assistants' problems
"Referees must always take into account the problems faced by assistants, who have to deal with protests from the technical area, the movement of substitutes and the noise of the crowd. And assistants must always be ready to help referees, especially when they have seen incidents out of the referee's vision, or in identifying players to be given cards."

Positive thinking
This attitude, said Pereira, would help the refereeing team to give their best. "Self-confidence, motivation and positive thinking are the keys to a good performance." On the pitch, the referee and his team should stay calm, concentrated and focused in their dealings with coaches and players. "Use your personality," he said. "Don't use bad words or excessive gestures in your approach."

Plan ahead
In the end, Pereira concluded, the job of a referee is similar to anyone involved in successful business and people management. "Planning ahead, teamwork, anticipation and organisation are all part of a successful operation," he told the new UEFA referees. “The referee is no different – all of these things will help you in your careers if you do them well – and I wish you every success in the future.”