Law5 has published the FIFA list for 2023. For the USA: Referees In: Joe Dickerson, Victor Rivas, Alexandra Billeter, Alyssa Nichols, Samantha Martinez Out: Jair Marrufo (Note: the USA now has 7 referees on the women's panel and 6 on the men's). Assistant Referees In: Jose Da Silva, Salma Perez Ochoa, Kali Smith, Tiffiini Turpin Out: Ian Anderson VAR: In: Katja Koroleva Out: Jair Marrufo Oops, posted this before seeing the thread on the main Referee page.
The PRO website has also updated the rosters. Referees: In: Mark Allatin, Matt Conger, Filip Dujic, Michael Radchuk Out: Kevin Stott, Silviu Petrescu (Jair Marrufo is still on the list). Assistant Referees In: Walt Heatherly, Eduardo Jeff, Kevin Lock, Ben Pilgrim, Kali Smith, Stefan Tanaka-Freundt Out: Claudiu Badea, Peter Balciunas, Gjovalin Bori, Jeff Hosking, Peter Manikowski, CJ Morgante, Eric Weisbrod VAR In: David Barrie, Luis Guardia, Kevin Stott Out: Chico Grajeda
We knew about Petrescu and Stott already, but in other roles there are some really well-recognized names leaving the list. (With one exception, Bori. He just joined recently, so his early departure is maybe the saddest of all). The two most notable names to see on the list are Conger and Marrufo. I guess this mean's Conger's moving back to the States full time? Really surprised to see Marrufo coming back, he hasn't had a game in eons.
We didn't technically know about Petrescu before. His apparent retirement was not a retirement. And along those lines, I would point out that these rosters are as PRO seems them right now (it is, after all, their organization). But there are adjudication processes for anyone who has been dismissed. Those processes were still active last week; if they are still active, that information is relevant. As I said in the other thread, Conger's move was finalized a little while ago, but it was decided to not announce it publicly until now. On Marrufo, I think we have to still wait and see. He hasn't been removed or voluntarily removed himself. That does not mean he plans to work matches this year. I genuinely don't know the answer to that. But seeing his name there doesn't mean he will function as a full-time referee in 2023--it just means that, as of today, he's employed as a full-time referee.
The article on the PRO website (https://proreferees.com/2023/01/06/officiating-roster-for-2023-confirmed/) identifies 3 categories: Additions, Leaving the Field, Retired. All those listed as "Leaving the Field" are either retired or added to the VAR/AVAR lists, with one exception, Silviu Petrescu, who is neither retired nor VAR/AVAR. Can anyone explain it? Also, on the same website, under Support Staff (https://proreferees.com/roster/support-staff/), Joe Fletcher is shown as "employed by PRO Canada". What exactly is PRO Canada? Is anyone else working there?
It's pretty self-explanatory, PRO chose to use use language and not separate Petrescu so as to not directly embarrass him. He left the field permanently. He didn't retire. He didn't shift over to VAR. He doesn't work for PRO anymore. They could have drawn a map, but I think those four facts lead to the one obvious conclusion.
Was appealing, per my understanding. That page went up after all appeals were exhausted. One other individual lost their appeal but transitioned into another position. That's why "left the field" works there--all of those were voluntary departures except for one.
Was his termination decided by Webb or after his departure? The new season will start in less than two months. When is the new boss going to be announced? I heard that the final candidates are Geiger and Rizzoli. Is that correct?
Technically, it was decided before Webb's formal departure. Whether it was Webb's active decision (or even if he is/was the sole final decisonmaker in these matters) is not something I know. There are currently four finalists for the job. I know three names and am a little fuzzy on the fourth (I've heard two different things on the fourth, international, name). I don't think there is a timeline for a final decision. It's complicated by the fact that at least one (and maybe two) of the candidates couldn't take up the post immediately anyway. So even if PRO moved immediately on this, you might have an interim boss to start the season. My understanding is that Geiger is acting, even if unofficially, in the post. But I'm happy to be corrected by someone with better information in that regard.
Apparently, the third name was Seitz, who was not willing to take up the job until after the Women's World Cup.
She's one of the four names, yes. And Geiger is obviously one of them--I don't think that surprises anyone. There is some confusion over whether or not Rizzoli is the international candidate. I've heard two different things. There is a fourth internal PRO name that is technically in the mix, but I don't think he is a real candidate to win the job. My gut says Seitz is the likely answer here with Geiger playing the interim role. But that is just a gut--no indication from anyone in the know about that.
Eminently qualified and would likely be more celebrated in the press than not, which is always nice when it comes to refereeing. Sounds good to me.
One more AR name is coming off the roster shortly, but with good reason. No PRO GM named yet, despite expectations that it would come over the weekend at PRO camp.
While I have zero basis or support for this opinion, if I’m guessing the hire is external. Had it been internal, it seems like everything would have been lined up to announce over the weekend. Based on some of the other comments on here, I have an idea who it will be, but will keep that to myself simply because it’s a barely educated guess…..
While it does seem like that is true, I also wouldn't dismiss the simple idea/fact that hiring processes are messy when boards are involved and such. I think it's truly possible a decision simply hasn't been made and the decision-makers are operating on their own timeline (or with a complete lack of one).
New PRO kits for the next two years with a very UEFA/Macron vibe. Black is the dark color and fourth shirt. https://proreferees.com/2023/02/02/pro-and-capelli-sport-launch-new-uniform/ https://www.instagram.com/p/CoLEv8Lp8pj/?igshid=ZDFmNTE4Nzc=
MLS for years has tried to roll black referee uniforms and it has never worked for two reasons. MLS, as a league, is so bland from a uniform perspective as the teams all look the same. Take a screenshot of any random MLS game and remove the score bug and you wouldn't be able to tell what team is playing. It's white versus almost always some shade of black or dark. The second reason is a ton of MLS games are played at night. So even if you don't have one team wearing something dark, you still won't see many games with the crew wearing black due to the game being at night. It seems like TV doesn't want the referees in black at night as there just isn't that big of a contrast.
I’ve always felt like in the US (whether for grassroots or professional), black is consistently the last resort option. We obviously get hot and humid in a lot of places. As you mentioned, a lot of MLS teams wear some sort of very dark kit (navy, black, dark green, etc.). You don’t see a lot of teams like the Red Bulls where they have a white kit and a red kit. Overall, I like the new MLS kits. The colors are bright and look sharp. These also look sharper and more fitted, especially the long sleeved ones. I’m a bit surprised that Capelli still hasn’t put their four cubes logo on the shoulders like ECSR has on its kits, but PRO or MLS may have said Capelli couldn’t do that.
🤝// #PRO is pleased to announce that they have appointed Mark Geiger as their new General Manager, effective immediately >> https://t.co/hrzUuLjz2u. pic.twitter.com/PYwEgU3VsY— PRO (@PROreferees) February 3, 2023 It's Geiger.
Just saw that Mark Geiger is the new GM for PRO. I assume there's nothing earth-shaking in that announcement? 🤝// #PRO is pleased to announce that they have appointed Mark Geiger as their new General Manager, effective immediately >> https://t.co/hrzUuLjz2u. pic.twitter.com/PYwEgU3VsY— PRO (@PROreferees) February 3, 2023
Not from my perspective, nor to most of the people in the US referee community (I would imagine). I think he's going to do a great job, personally. That said, I think @MassachusettsRef mentioned that they might look heavily from outside the organization like they did when they hired Walton and then Webb, not the least for PR reasons, as he hasn't been off of the field for that long and for better or for worse his reputation with the average MLS fan is... what it is (you can just look at Twitter's garbage to see for yourself). And, maybe that was the direction they were initially thinking... pick someone a little less "radioactive" (which I write with a firm eye roll ) to the average MLS fan. But, if they could overlook that, there were a lot of reasons to choose Mr. Geiger, not the least of which was continuity and that he's basically been doing the job on an interim basis for a few months. Plus, if he wasn't translating from the field to management, they would have known it by now... instead, he is being brought to FIFA events to work with the referee/VMOs group. He has also built relationships with MLS, so if MLS's front office didn't like him, I doubt he would have been offered the post. Seitz could also have been a great choice, but as noted above, the timing didn't add up with a women's world cup this summer.
Hearing that Seitz may also be in play for a role with PRO after the WWC this summer in addition to the Geiger hire.