Defending football's future

Safe and enjoyable
At the eighth UEFA talents and mentors seminar at UEFA's headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, the men and women referees were urged to make football safe for players and enjoyable for the spectators. "The clear message is that UEFA expects referees to protect players and the image of the game," said UEFA Referees Committee member David Elleray. "Respect for the referee is highly important. Football is going through great challenges at the moment, and we need you to help make the game safe for the players, and to create a game which the public enjoy watching."

Expert guidance
Under the UEFA talents and mentors programme, up-and-coming match officials are given expert guidance by experienced former European referees, and Elleray reminded the officials of UEFA's recent instructions to referees on how to deal with various on-field situations. "We want you to be strong with challenges with the feet and arms where players' safety is threatened," he said. "We want you to deal with simulation, which is a big problem. We want you to help eliminate confrontation from football, and punish those players who get involved when two other players have had a disagreement. Protect your assistants as well as protecting your own authority."

Mentors' role
The importance of the mentors' role was also highlighted. The mentors remain in constant contact with their referees by email or phone, and by either visiting them or inviting them to the mentors' respective countries. Their discussions focus on on-field performances as well as on matters such as diet, general conduct and improving communication in English, which is now the common language of refereeing at UEFA level.

Great responsibility
"There is a great responsibility in being a referee's mentor," UEFA vice-president and Referees Committee chairman Ángel María Villar Llona told the mentors. "You must have exceptional and outstanding qualities; be aware of this responsibility. The future of European refereeing depends on you. Do everything to ensure that these young talents will one day be able to referee in the final round of a [UEFA] European Championship or [FIFA] World Cup."

Tactical preparation
Experienced German coach Erich Rutemöller, a member of the UEFA Jira Panel, gave an insight into referees' tactical preparation for matches. It is felt that referees now have to develop tactical knowledge as part of their skills, to help them understand the game. In addition, greater contact between referees and coaches will also help coaches understand a referee's approach.

Fitness essential
Fitness for a top referee is now of paramount importance, and Werner Helsen, UEFA's referee fitness expert, gave the young referees several examples of the training regimes of leading match officials, as well as showing them the physical preparation needed to handle the biggest club and national team games. "Football is faster and more athletic than ever before. Refereeing has to follow," said Helsen.

The refereeing talents attending the seminar are: 
William Collum (Scotland), Gardar Örn Hinriksson (Iceland), Albert Toussaint (Luxembourg), Lee Evans (Wales), Alexey Kulbakov (Belarus), Alexei Nikolaev (Russia), István Vad (Hungary), Dejan Filipović (Serbia), Sascha Kever (Switzerland), Peter Rasmussen (Denmark), Babak Guliyev (Azerbaijan), Hannes Kaasik (Estonia), Cüneyt Çakir (Turkey), Aleksandar Stavrev (F.Y.R. Macedonia), Marcin Borski (Poland), Robert Schérgenhofer (Austria).

Women's programme: Florence Guillemin (France), Kirsi Savolainen (Finland), Teodora Albon (Romania), Esther Staubli (Switzerland).

Elite talent group: Martin Atkinson (England), Felix Brych (Germany), Nicola Rizzoli (Italy).