Yes, as a referee you must/should always act confidently.
On the other hand, football is the only sport that tolerates verbal attacks, insults, threats and assaults on referees.
People like Klopp, who regularly attract attention with their attacks on referees, are a problem, especially for amateur referees.
How come?
Because everyone sees every week how a Klopp – sometimes as a folk hero – behaves before, during and after the games.
It’s hard to explain, especially in the district league, why your idol is allowed to behave like that and they are warned for less.
I had the opportunity to talk to a (now former) Bundesliga coach who, by the way, followed my game because of his family involvement (he was tame with me) about his punishments at the time.
Shortly before, he was “convicted” again.
He said he wasn’t proud of it, but he didn’t show any real remorse or willingness to change. “It’s just part of it.”
And I find that fatal. Why is football the only sport in which a referee constantly has to put up with criminal offenses against him?
Be it from players, officials (I refer to the incident with PSG…) or especially from spectators.
And why do you have to constantly hear “that’s part of it”?
Because it has unfortunately become normal?
No! Because this attitude symbolizes that referees are fair game.
There was a serious attempt in the Bundesliga – when Aydekin Dahoud was consistently sent off with a yellow-red card for complaining (a mandatory warning according to the rules, by the way!).
Afterwards, after the intervention of club boss Watzke and his dual role, he had to publicly apologize for a “lack of tact”.
No! Clear rules, without any leeway, simply have no “leeway for discretion”!
I think it’s such a shame that this is seen as normal in football – and doesn’t seem to bother anyone.
And so, yes, I am conflicted.
If you are constantly dealing with people like this, sometimes organizing media hunts or even receiving death threats (see incidents surrounding the Bellingham statement…) and here you act with ridiculous fines instead of setting an example, but on the other hand then to radically sanction those “victims” and then something goes terribly wrong.
And no, I don’t want to absolve the referee at fault here of any responsibility – but from my point of view that’s an absurdity because there are double standards.
And yes, I am aware of other countries, different customs. In principle, I see not only the national associations but also UEFA and FIFA as being to blame.
But I think they’re busy counting money and the next contract deals anyway…