The Ref Team System

[usatowin]

2nd and final one, at least for tonight.

For the first time, refs did everything as a team and were graded/kept/sent home as a team. Discuss the advantages/disadvantages and if it should be kept/dumped/changed for 2010.

[misltek]

I think there should be more flexibility when it comes to language and federation of origin. I also don't think that referees should be chained to AR crews and such; a mistake by one is suffered by all.

I think the team concept works, but let's expand this concept to language and geographic terms of a federation. Not a country.

[usatowin]

I think the team concept works, but let's expand this concept to language and geographic terms of a federation. Not a country.

Just a quick note, I'll put my thoughts later on, there were mixed country teams and they were meant to be mixed teams from the start.

[misltek]

Ah, then I stand corrected :)

[NHRef]

One thing I would like to see possibly changed is that if one member of the team, in EARLY testing fails, that one person is replaced, IF there is a suitable replacement that has worked with that team. It's a harsh penalty for two refs to go home cause #3 bombed out on a fitness test, but it is motivation to be in shape.

[usatowin]

I think the obvious benefits to the team concept are enough to keep it, but we can't have this throwing out 2 top officials because a 3rd fails. Get potential team memebers working together early, say for CONCACAF 3 from Canada, 6 from USA, 6 from Mexico, and the best of the rest. Each tournament you get different guys from that group working together for each game, making sure they all speak English or Spanish. The actual teams form later in the process and come from who's been the best individually and together. The cuts become the 4ths and 5ths in the last few games and in the WC. Any failures could be covered by calling them up and replacing them with the next on the list. If it's in the actual WC, just trade 4ths/5ths like they do now.