It is not only the Eredivisie clubs but also the KNVB’s refereeing corps that are preparing for the first league matches of the new season. A contentious issue in these preparations is the increasing pressure and constant criticism faced by referees. ‘Who are you to lecture me?! You’ve never even held a whistle,’ says Björn Kuipers venomously, addressing his critics. The former top referee is annoyed by the simmering criticism of his fellow referees: “These days, the pressure isn’t just greater, it’s also more constant. The same goes for the criticism referees face.” One of the consequences of this was that top referee Anthony Taylor announced his retirement last summer, after 831 matches and a 20-year international career. ‘Refereeing matches at the highest level has been a tremendous privilege, but the pressure is intense and there is constant scrutiny from outside. Furthermore, it is time to take the next step,’ he said in a statement. Kuipers agrees with his English colleague. Nevertheless, he also believes that referees should be able to deal with it. ‘Dealing with pressure and emotions is part of the job. If you can’t do that, you’re not ready for the next match and you’re not a top referee,’ says Kuipers, who refereed the 2014 Champions League final and the 2021 European Championship final and is currently a Refereeing Officer at UEFA. ‘It is absolutely vital that you are able to perform under this pressure to perform,’ adds Raymond van Meenen, the KNVB’s head of refereeing affairs. On average, a referee makes between 200 and 250 decisions per match, often in a fraction of a second. ‘As long as the criticism is based on facts, referees have no problem with it,’ he notes. ‘It’s harder for referees to brush things aside when it becomes personal. For example, when a referee’s integrity or suitability is called into question, that affects them deeply,’ explains the head of referees. Moreover, according to Kuipers, it’s no longer just about ‘Studio Sport’ on Sunday evenings, a snide remark from an analyst or the chat by the coffee machine on Monday mornings. “Opinions are flying thick and fast. Every day there’s a football talk show, podcast or website that picks out a referee’s decision and blows it out of proportion. And what about social media? Anyone can have their say there,” explains Kuipers. Van Meenen sees it the same way: “The speed, scale and duration of public attention have clearly changed. These days, a single snippet is shared and blown out of proportion. Discussions then go on for days, and before long the focus shifts away from the decision itself and, all too often, onto the person involved – and that is regrettable.” In this regard, the football association keeps a close eye on its referees. Even before anyone gets into difficulty, the KNVB springs into action: “That is a structural part of the individual support we provide. We aim to offer a bespoke approach. Some referees need this support sooner than others, and together with my technical staff, observers and coaches, I am there for them every weekend.” ‘Mental fitness is the most important skill for a referee,’ says Kuipers, who has never really struggled with criticism himself. "I ‘just’ got on with my match and knew very quickly for myself whether something was right or not. But the KNVB does a good job of that. I’ve always been very grateful for everything they’ve offered me. For example, mental coaches, presentation coaches and fitness coaches were always available to me.” Mental fitness has become increasingly important within the football association. “Our support programmes are also tailored to this,” emphasises Van Meenen. “This includes instilling confidence. Sometimes, a swift new appointment is actually the strongest signal you can send to a referee.” But today’s criticism is not the biggest challenge. It’s about protecting football and the profession of refereeing, says Kuipers. “When you look at the constant pressure on refereeing, the biggest challenge is not today’s criticism, but rather ensuring that tomorrow, the day after tomorrow and the day after that, there are still people who dare to pick up the whistle.” And the former referee has one piece of advice on this: ‘Take a very tough stance against unacceptable behaviour towards match officials.’ To this end, UEFA tightened its regulations at the start of July, and last week all 55 UEFA member associations agreed to this stricter enforcement of the rules. As a result, disrespectful behaviour towards referees will be punished more swiftly next season. In any case, the Dutch refereeing corps is once again ready for a new football season, Van Meenen explains. Kuipers offers them this advice: “Let the pressure wash over you by not trying to know, see, read or hear everything.”   submitted by   /u/Roller95 [link]   [comments]