CONCACAF 2018 WCQ Appointments [Rs]

Slightly off-topic, because I don't feel the need to start a CONMEBOL thread, but the assigning for the final two days of qualifying in South America is a nightmare.

In the 10-team table, only Brazil has qualified and only Bolivia and Venezuela have been eliminated. That leaves the other 7 teams in contention for the final 3.5 spots with every result for each of those 7 teams having a bearing on the qualification hopes of the other 6. Only one of the ten matches, Brazil v Bolivia, is irrelevant and can be handled by a referee from one of those 7 countries. That leaves 9 matches that cannot or should not be handled by a referee from those 7 countries. So 9 matches for 3 federations, which 2 of those federations being the weakest links (maybe with Peru) for referees on the continent.

This wasn't a problem in 2013 because Brazil wasn't competing, and a few countries were in or out ahead of time (still, it needed 4 Brazilian referees for the 8 matches). And the problem was avoided in 2009, too, because of more teams being certainly in or out and some of those teams playing each other. Admittedly 2005 where Brazil and Argentina had qualified and Peru and Bolivia were eliminated was a little trickier--but even then, only 7 of the 10 matches mattered (and you could have use referees from 4 nations on those 7, even though CONMEBOL overloaded with Argentinian and Brazilian referees). In 2001 it also wasn't a problem, but that was back when referees moved around confederations for qualifiers somewhat regularly and a bunch of UEFA refs had been involved throughout the process, so Merk and Poll came over to do the two big deciders regardless. And 1997 used a combination of Brazilians and CONCACAF refs.

So, this is the first time CONMEBOL has found itself in a situation like this. There are two Venezuelans who have worked WCQs this cycle and two Bolivians (though only one match each). There are then four Brazilians who have worked qualifiers. Technically, you have 8 people for these 9 matches. You could double one up and get this done with what's available. But it might be ugly. Do you put a "lesser" referee on Brazil v Chile with Chile's qualification on the line--a match that needed Howard Webb in 2014? And that's just the clearest example (because it can't have a Brazilian referee). I wonder if CONMEBOL rolls with their limited squad or if they try to import some others to handle the final matches. It used to be commonplace, but perhaps a CONCACAF-CONMEBOL exchange is too crazy nowadays.

 

Prior to the 2005 WCQ campaign, referees regularly moved around confederations--particularly those that looked to be under consideration for WC duty. I actually don't know if it was a series of bilateral exchanges/invites or if it was FIFA opting to use certain referees in certain situations but, yes, both Baharmast and Hall worked in other confederations (so did Angeles). This time of movement existed for the 2002 campaign and it was widespread in 1998 and 1994 (I'm not as familiar with qualifying history prior to that, but the research wouldn't be too hard to do).

CONMEBOL used non-South American referees (aside from Brazilians) as a matter of course from matchday 11 or so onward in 1997: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1998_FIFA_World_Cup_qualification_(CONMEBOL)#Round_11

And in 2001, UEFA referees were brought in for the bigger matches toward the end: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2002_FIFA_World_Cup_qualification_(CONMEBOL)#Standings

It wasn't just CONMEBOL. AFC used non Asian referees for their big concluding matches in 1997: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1998_FIFA_World_Cup_qualification_(AFC)#Group_A

And they used nothing but UEFA referees for their final round in 1993: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1994_FIFA_World_Cup_qualification_(AFC)#Final_round

As we've discussed before, the first Hex was made up entirely of either CONCACF officials from teams outside the Hex or non-CONCACAF officials: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1998_FIFA_World_Cup_qualification_–_CONCACAF_Fourth_Round

I also know that UEFA allowed non-UEFA officials in 1992 and 1993, though not sure if it continued beyond that.

I think there is a feeling or a mantra that each confederation needs to look out and develop their own referees. So there's just a natural inclination to not look outside for help. This is a situation where it really looks like CONMEBOL needs it (in addition to what I wrote above, Ricci--Brazil's WC referee--is actually unavailable as he'll be at FIFA U17s, so the situation is even worse). So maybe there's something that can be done. But most of the best UEFA referees are going to be tied up and, as pointed out above, there's not a huge incentive for Geiger or Garcia at this point.

 

Again, don't know how much of an "exchange" it was versus sometimes just confederations asking for help (CONMEBOL/AFC/CONCACAF) or FIFA mandating that certain top referees got looked at elsewhere (Brizio Carter went to Wembley, for example).

But, yeah, it seems like a good idea and I wish they brought it back. Geiger is probably going to the World Cup having done 3 qualifiers this cycle, 2 of which were in the early stages. I think it would prepare him and his crew a lot more if he got to do a few additional matches in other confederations. Similarly, CONCACAF could certainly benefit from replicating the 1997 system for, let's say, the final four matchdays. Seems like there's a win-win for teams and referees, so long as you're only moving around the very best.

 

I think this is right. Not sure why it had to be that way, since everyone except UEFA and CAF faces this problem to an extent, given their qualifying systems, but the timing coincides with the changes.

I wonder if there is pressure, though. Does Argentina want two Brazilian referees in the situation they are facing, which is what they'd very possibly get right now? Or do they trust a UEFA referee more? Is Chile fine with a "lesser" referee from Venezuela or Bolivia? I don't know the answer to these questions. But I wouldn't presume that discussions aren't at least being had about this.

I'm sure Mark Clattenburg would pick up the phone.

I kid! And you make a good point. I think the only referees CONMEBOL would want would be someone like Kuipers, Brych, Atkinson or Rocchi--a big name from a big country. Maybe they'd take a Kassai, Skomina or Cakir due to pedigree. The only non-UEFA referee they'd probably want is Garcia and he's needed in CONCACAF. So unless UEFA had referees to spare for their final two matchdays, there aren't really any good options. This is the sort of thing that needed to be planned for, as it clearly used to be prior to the 2002 WC.

 

My Spanish is good enough to understand there is now certainly a debate brewing (at least for the Argentina-Peru match), but not quite good enough to discern if we're at the point of "serious internal pressure":

Contamos un poco del duelo político para designar el árbitro del Argentina vs Perú. pic.twitter.com/pw4XC86vmV

— ArbitroInternacional (@ArbitroInteBlog) September 13, 2017

ArbitroInternational's entire feed has some good stuff on all this, though being bilingual or very patient with Google's translator is a prerequisite for learning anything.

 

Back to CONCACAF...

Matchday 9
United States : Panama - GARCIA (MEX)
Mexico : Trinidad & Tobago - TBA
Costa Rica : Honduras - RAMOS (MEX)

Matchday 10
Honduras : Mexico - AGUILAR (SLV)
Panama : Costa Rica - LOPEZ (GUA)
Trinidad & Tobago : United States - GUERRA (GUA)*

So matchday 9 is completely expected. Really the only two logical options and since Ramos has already seen the US twice, Garcia in Orlando was almost a guarantee.

But matchday 10? I'm going off of what MLSsoccer.com is reporting, but I'm taking it with a huge grain of salt right now until I get independent confirmation. You have two seasoned CONCACAF veterans on the Honduras and Panama matches and then... who exactly on the US match? I realize on paper this is usually one of the less marquee assignments, but it's an away match that the US will likely need to qualify for the World Cup. And it is being reported that it goes to a referee who, as best as I can tell, has not done a World Cup qualifier at all this cycle--nevermind a Hex match. And there are three referees from his country who have had WCQs. So it makes no sense. MLSsoccer.com report says he has a Guatemalan at AR1, a Salvadoran at AR2, and Guerrero of Mexico as his 4th. Maybe they just wrongly inverted Guerra and Guerrero, and Guerrero actually has the whistle? Because, well, if this is right, it's the most baffling assignment I've seen in a long time from CONCACAF.

 

As for CONMEBOL, right now only Matchday 17 is out and it's four Brazilians, including one--Daronco--who gets his first WCQ, which will be Venezuela v Uruguay. Good thing Brazil has a full complement of 10 FIFA ARs. Argentina crew has the irrelevant Bolivia v Brazil match.

The Matchday 18 assignments are going to be very interesting...

EDIT: just caught my mistake. Ricci's crew, which is supposed to be in India for the U17 WC, is actually on the Chile v Ecuador qualifier. So either they have a waiver to arrive late in India or they've been taken off that tournament to allow CONMEBOL to assign them here.

 

I know Hall can't make the assignment, but you got to believe he could stop one and it's mind-blowing to me that he would allow this to happen.

And I also know the FIFA Referees Committee is largely a rubber-stamp on this, but they can reject the assignments and I have been told it's happened in the past. Got to wonder what the point of having two Americans on that committee is if this can slip through. Maybe Guerra's great--I have no idea. But potentially the most consequential away match for the USMNT in 30 years is not the time to experiment.

Then again, maybe the reporting is wrong...

 

Yes! Good catch. Fixed.

 

Guerra is really happening. Mind-blowing.

WARD (SKN) is on the Mexico home match, which isn't a shock. Throwaway Hex game for a Caribbean referee--standard operating procedure.