Couple relatively major CONCACAF updates. First, FIFA is in the process of doing its first 2022 WC pre-selection seminars. I'm a bit unconvinced that the full list of attendees is conclusive (a couple big names have been missing from Europe and South America), but more or less these are the candidates for 2022. UEFA/OFC/CAF/AFC had its own version and the Americas iteration is coming up in March. As of right now, the candidates (not including VARs) from CONCACAF are: BARTON (SLV) ELFATH (USA) ESCOBAR (GUA) ESCOBEDO (MEX) MARRUFO (USA) MARTINEZ (HON) MONTERO (CRC) RAMOS (MEX) This is a long process and, with VAR being a little more established, who knows how many referees (and/or "support referees") FIFA will take from CONCACAF. Also, Marrufo wasn't even on this equivalent list in early 2016 and he ended up refereeing in Russia. But I'd think Ramos and Marrufo are the two locks at the moment. Honestly, given where Elfath has been at FIFA events, I think he's probably "in" right now, too. But back-to-back tournaments with two Americans might be a heavy lift, so it could be easy to play himself out. After that? I like Barton the best. Escobar--bizarrely, to me--seems to get the best assignments. And Montero might have a leg up because he went to Russia as a support official. I'd guess Martinez and Escobedo are on the outside looking in, but I've been very, very wrong before. As an aside, not seeing Pitti's name on the list feels like the biggest surprise. Maybe also Yadel Martinez of Cuba. As far as CCL goes, for the first time in a long time, CONCACAF is now acting like a professional organizations and publicly releasing referee appointments 48 hours prior to the match. Assignments for last week and this week's R16 matches are below. Motagua (HON) : Atlanta United - ESCOBEDO (MEX) Atlanta United : Motagua - HERRERA (CRC) Communicaciones (GUA) : America (MEX) - MARRUFO (USA) America : Communicaciones - BEJARANO (CRC) Portmore United (JAM) : Cruz Azul (MEX) - RADIX (GRN) Cruz Azul : Portmore United - FISCHER (CAN) Leon (MEX) : LAFC - CORNEJO (SLV) LAFC : Leon - ESCOBAR (GUA) Alianza (SLV) : UANL (MEX) - PARCHMENT (JAM) UANL : Alianza - MARTINEZ (HON) San Carlos (CRC) : NYCFC - RAMOS (MEX) NYCFC : San Carlos - PITTI (PAN) Olimpia (HON) : Seattle Sounders - CALDERON (CRC) Seattle Sounders : Olimpia - BARTON (SLV) Saprissa (CRC) : Montreal Impact - WARD (SKN) Montreal Impact : Saprissa - GUERRERO (MEX) A few quick random thoughts... Escobar gets what is probably the marquee assignment of the round, which is consistent with how he's been treated recently by CONCACAF. One American feels really surprising, but it is what it is right now. Ward always seems to get what is perceived as a top assignment, yet then never gets pushed for major international events--feels more like a Caribbean quota thing. Marrufo missed an SFP in his match, unfortunately. Also, I saw parts of Calderon's match last week--it was not pretty in the first half. Finally, this is one of the highest-level international events left that doesn't have VAR now; I wonder if this is the last iteration where that will be the case, but maybe not given the difficulty in having VAR technology ready at the home stadia of some participants.
Prospective referees for WC 2022: http://refereeingworld.blogspot.com/2020/02/prospective-referees-for-fifa-world-cup_25.html
Yeah, there have been discussions elsewhere about this list, and I'm just not sure I buy that this is the exhaustive list--at least not for UEFA. That said, it is the list of referees attending the two relevant clinics. As I noted above, recent history shows referees can play themselves into the World Cup despite not being on the initial list (e.g., Marrufo). More on point right now, though, there are some omissions in Europe that are surprising. Mateu Lahoz isn't there, despite the fact he'd be 45 in 2022, whereas Cerro Grande is, even though he'd be 46... that just, well, doesn't make sense unless Mateu Lahoz has indicated he will retire. And 46 is still "too old" to be a FIFA in Spain, so something would have to give on that count, too. Skomina and Cakir are both absent, too. Both would be 46 for the tournament, so maybe they've also indicated they are retiring before the WC. It's possible. But I would have expected some sort of announcement. And several other 46-year olds are on the list. On a related note, Orsato being 47 for a World Cup and seemingly being put forward by FIFA and the Italian federation must really grind Rocchi's gears, who was just forced to retire and not get an additional half-season in UEFA and trip to EURO 2020. In South America, Pitana not being there is probably down to personal choice/retirement. Roldan not being there is a big omission, but probably warranted. I'm surprised, given what I've seen, that Haro of Peru didn't make the cut--I thought he was very good from what I've seen.
It's always so interesting to look back on predictions years ago. Whoever would have thought that when Elfath and Villarreal both came into MLS that Elfath would be the one to go to a World Cup and NOT Villarreal? There were many heavily involved in PRO and MLS/USSF that Villarreal would be the next US World Cup referee after the 2014 World Cup. But performance and reputation can change very quickly. Looks like the best he can hope for is a VAR spot. On a related note, with the way Orsato refereed today, I wouldn't be surprised if he gets the CL Final this year which would grind Rocchi's gears even more.
Tempers flare between NYCFC and San Carlos in @TheChampions after THIS studs-up tackle on Mackay-Steven ⚠️NY coach Ronny Deila sees a yellow for his involvement. pic.twitter.com/rYZ0O6Wxsu— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) February 27, 2020
Hey I never said I thought Pitti deserved to be on the list... just surprised he isn’t. That’s such an easy red. Unbelievable what we can see in CONCACAF sometimes.
Oh my god, they killed Kenny. pic.twitter.com/vJGy5gwBZe— Maximiliano Bretos (@MaxBretosSports) February 27, 2020 And we finally have an SFP red.
I would expect to see a little more involvement from the 4th official on a play like this right in front of the benches. And if that challenge is only a yellow, I can't imagine what the rest of that match was like.
It was always an "open list", with very few changes during the two years preceding a World Cup. Orsato... you probably saw this week in UCL why he is pre-selected, in spite of his age, at a time when Italy does not have any other strong candidates (Massa and Guida are not convincing). Mateu Lahoz... in the last 40 years, Spain did not have any World Cup referee returning at the next World Cup: 2018 Mateu Lahoz, 2014 Velasco Carballo, 2010 Undiano Mallenco, 2006 Medina Cantalejo, 2002 Lopez Nieto, 1998 Garcia Aranda, 1994 Diaz Vega, 1990 Soriano Aladren, 1986 Sanchez Arminio, 1982 Lamo Castillo, etc. According to this Spanish referee tradition, Mateu Lahoz is out from the 2022 World Cup and the candidates for the next Spanish World Cup spot are Del Cerro Grande and Gil Manzano.
I totally agree. My big issue with this one is that there are several big names missing already. It's not like Skomina or Cakir would need to work themselves back onto the list. So either they've indicated their retirement or this is a list that is missing a few names that are almost guaranteed to go. If the list is fully accurate, that means Cakir and Skomina have stood down... I guess I just expected a little more fanfare or attention for such a decision. Yes and no. He was really good in the second half, but I also don't want to overplay two big, yet easy, decisions. Of course Orsato is the top Italian referee active right now. My surprise is that the Italian federation shut down Rocchi and then has seemingly allowed Orsato special dispensation. Yes, Guida and Massa aren't good enough right now, but that's why I thought there would be issues with Italy's 2022 selection if one of them didn't step up. I suppose the federation and UEFA have just accepted reality and changed the rules for Orsato. That's one way to solve the problem, I suppose, but given what just happened with Rocchi it surprises me. I'd also note--given I've said in the past that Italy and Germany are both rather weak for the generation of referees you'd expect to be at 2022--that only seeing Zwayer on this list for Germany surprises me. There is a lot on his shoulders and I'm not sure he's up to the task. If the list evolves in Europe, Germany might be a place where it happens. This is actually a really good rundown and, though I knew all these names back to 1990, it's something I never noticed as a pattern. My question for you is whether this is a planned "tradition" or just a series of coincidences? Based on my limited knowledge, it feels like the latter. For example, in 1998, Diaz Vega could/would have easily returned if he didn't get caught up in a bribery scandal in 1997 (FIFA eventually cleared him). This was a referee who did the UCL Final and Euro 96 after WC 94. Then you have Velasco Carballo surprising everyone to earn the 2014 spot when all signs--at least externally--pointed to an Undiano Mallenco return. Do you believe or know that it was always a plan for there to be a new Spanish referee in 2014? If it is actual Spanish tradition or an unwritten rule to always cycle to a new referee, that is fascinating to learn. Back to this cycle... even if true, it still doesn't address the fact that Cerro Grande is being given special dispensation. It says a lot about planning for Spain and Italy if they've had to break their own rules to ensure they have a WC-caliber referee. Given the heat England took in some quarters for 2018 (due, really, through little fault of its own), I wonder if either country will get attention for that fact in 2022. Probably not.
Absolutely fascinating insight into Spanish referee history at the World Cup. I never noticed or caught that. I'm leaning towards it being a pure coincidence as well rather than some "tradition/plan." In 2006, it was supposed to be Mejuto Gonzalez, but one of his ARs failed the fitness test and instead of replacing his AR, they just replaced the whole crew and brought in Medina Cantalejo. I still don't know why they did that. In 2010, Mallenco became the next big thing and already was the best referee in Spain by a distance. He was pretty much doing every other Clasico since 2007. He went to South Africa and gave a bunch of cards and got a knockout game maybe more due to the fact he was Spanish rather than performance. By Euro 2012 UEFA and Collina decided to go in another direction and went with Velasco Carballo. His rise was one that I always found bizarre. Since he's from the Madrid area, he was never eligible to referee any of the Real Madrid matches and thus couldn't referee the two biggest games in the country, Real Madrid vs. Barcelona and Real Madrid vs. Atletico. How can you promote a referee to the top of the international game who can't even referee the biggest games in his own country? Carballo went to two Euros and a World Cup and ranged from awful to mediocre/average in all three of them. Lahoz went to Russia and I thought he did really well, but didn't receive a knockout appointment.
I actually attended FIFA AR Corey Rockwell's training seminar a few weeks ago. He mentioned for Russia 2018, all crew members had to pass fitness or none of them could go.
Unless your name was Joel Aguilar. FIFA has now found ways to get around the rule if it wants. In 2006, the rule was brand new. And they stuck to their guns.
CONCACAF refereeing never ceases to amaze me. Watching Leon vs. LAFC and basic and easy cautions missed. Leon player gets his ankles just shattered on and instead of playing a great advantage to Leon. The referee just stops play and gives a "no more." To add insult the injury, the player who had his ankle smashed, has to leave the pitch temporarily due to no caution being given. They don't get the advantage, they don't get the caution and they have to play a man down temporarily. All that is being taught at all levels of refereeing is to dispense fair and equitable justice/punishment. This was the complete opposite of it Brian Hall somehow sends guys home from camps and seminars if they don't run the fitness test fast enough, yet he encourages or allows this nonsense.
Escobar is the new Aguilar. It's almost uncanny. He's more confident than Aguilar was at this point in his career, but almost everything else matches up. He's poor, relatively speaking, yet he's being treated like he's the best thing since sliced bread in CONCACAF. I guess the good news is he's already 33. So we only have to worry about him making a mess of Gold Cup and Hex matches for ~12 years or so.
I was just about to post something about the same match. Mark-Anthony Kaye must be the luckiest man in the world to not be sent off after that challenge. Late, studs into the top of the foot, and he's already sitting on a yellow. Actually, the announcers made a great observation a little bit later. If you watch the replay again, you will notice that the referee has already turned upfield to follow play, and does not really see the challenge. He obviously knows that something happened, but not sure what. The whistle for the foul was late because of this. Again, like I stated in a previous post, this would have been a great time for the 4th official to become more involved.
Wait...he was already sitting on a caution? I was watching the game at a bar with no sound on, so I didn't hear the commentary. Yes he was! That explains everything. Just incredible! It's a second caution set up on a complete platter for you. If you don't want to send him off than at least play the advantage and you can kind of hide behind the lack of caution due to playing the advantage.
Was he the same referee that did the Mexico vs. US Gold Cup Final this summer? He was shocking in that game.
He was. There was another big match that I thought he was weak on--I believe it was earlier in the Gold Cup.
FWIW, I went to a CONCACAF instructional seminar several years ago and was dismayed at the quality of the instruction. This is not a surprising consequence. PH
I just don't get the logic behind some of these "chosen ones". Escobar is the latest version of this. Irmatov was the classic example of it. I don't claim to be an expert assessor or anything, but I'm not sure I ever watched an Irmatov match and walked away thinking, "Yep, he was on point that game". Escobar absolutely crashed and burned in the Gold Cup final (He was terrible across the board, not just saying this because the US lost that game - his first big mistake was not even carding the orange card challenge by Jozy in the opening few minutes of that game) and if I remember correctly had a disaster in a recent international tournament (U17 World Cup??). I just don't get what it is the experts see in some of these referees. Regarding the Kaye challenge, that is why one of my key instructions to my ARs and fourth is "Trailing AR watches behind my back". I always try to count a beat or two before turning away to follow the ball, but when I turn my back I want my trailing AR to catch anything I miss.
Intangible factors! I once heard that one referee got selected to the WC finals because he lived in the same neighborhood as an influential member of the FIFA executive committee! PH
Post 14 from @Mikael_Referee about the Nigeria-Netherlands game. https://www.bigsoccer.com/threads/2019-fifa-u17-world-cup-referees.2105885/
The relevant seminar for WC prospective referees in Doha has been postponed due to the covid-19 outbreak.