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Patrick Nelson: Irish League officials haven’t been neglected, but Irish FA will do more to help

Back us: Referee Lee Tavinder says the officials need more support

Press Eye Belfast - Northern Ireland - 2nd November 2009.
Belfast Telegraph staff Images Graham Luney

Graham Luney Twitter Email

January 27 2022 10:56 PM

Irish FA chief executive Patrick Nelson has batted away suggestions the Association has let down officials.

There’s been discussion and debate around the standard of officiating this season after some errors and strong criticism from managers.

Northern Ireland Football League chief executive Gerard Lawlor argued that the standard of officiating is a threat to the progression of the game unless referees get the backing they need.

Danske Bank Premiership referee Lee Tavinder has also called for greater investment and support to help the officials raise standards.

Concerns over performances also come at a time when the pandemic has contributed to a shortage of officials.

Nelson, who was speaking on Thursday at the launch of the Association’s ‘A Roadmap For Football — Irish FA Corporate Strategy 2022-27’, rejected the claim refs have been neglected.

“No, I don’t think we have let referees down,” said Nelson. “Referees are really key stakeholders in the game; as we all know, we can’t realistically have a game without referees.

“Since there has been football, there’s been referees. And since there has been referees, there’ve been people with viewpoints on referees and how they operate.

“We keep lines open with our referee fraternity, we’ve got a referee development team within the Association and we’ll continue to support referees.

“There’s always more we can do and the news items of the last few weeks have heightened our thinking in terms of what more we can do, and you’ll hear more about that in the near future.

“But I would refute any potential suggestion that we have let referees down.

“You can never have enough education in whatever role you are in and whatever you are trying to do.

“If you can access more education and offer more education, then it can only lead to better performance in any role.

“That will be an open door and we will be very happy to find more ways of educating more officials, both at the senior panel level and all the way down to grassroots, because every referee has to start with a parks game somewhere.”

Irish FA president Conrad Kirkwood also accepts that the Association needs to look at more ways to support officials.

“I think it’s also creating space for self-reflection as well,” he said. “Education is very important, as is development, but in any walk of life self-reflection is important, as well as giving support and education.

“There are so many people with ideas on how we can move forward and the challenge is getting everyone marching in the same direction, getting everyone working together for refereeing.

“The officials do need more support in terms of their mental health and well being. If someone is struggling with something outside football it can make their job within football more difficult.”

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