"You are Mr. Taylor, who officiated the '74 World Cup final?"

"Yes."

John Taylor squinted at the little girl with an oriental face in front of him. Of course, it's a child, Christina Chang is only seventeen years old this year. Even if they are thirty years old in the referee world, they are all young referees, and they chatted together just a few days ago, at that time I just thought this little girl was very interesting, but I didn't expect that she actually participated in the referee exam and the paper was so different.

"Mr. Taylor, hello to you."

Christina Chang is a little incoherent anymore. After all, the one standing in front of him is recognized as the No. 1 referee in England's refereeing circles, and the only referee in England who has officiated at a World Cup final (there are three referees in England's history who have officiated at a World Cup final).

And not only did he officiate in the World Cup final, but he was also an excellent referee who awarded two penalties in the first half. There had never been a penalty in the history of a World Cup final before that, with John Taylor awarding a penalty in an unprecedented World Cup final for the first time, and it was two. He is a very strict referee in the refereeing world, but he is respected by his peers and many clubs are convinced of him.

In addition to the World Cup final, John? Taylor has also officiated in domestic cup competitions in England, such as the FA Cup final and the Champions League final. In the late 60s and early 70s, he was not only the best referee in England, but also one of the best referees in the whole of Europe and even in world football.

Such a referee is placed in England, and it is really a referee among referees. When everyone says the referee in England, John? Taylor is a leading figure in the world of refereeing in England. Ever since John? After Taylor, and especially after the blow to English football, England has not had such a good and top-level referee until now. Now the status of English referees in European football is very low, and they are considered to be relatively weak.

"Hello little Christina. You see, we just met the day before yesterday. ”

"Well, I'm honored."

Christina is really flattered right now. Don't say it's someone like Christina who has just taken the referee exam, even if it's a referee who can currently enforce the Premier League, and meets John? Taylor will be restrained. What is the current referee in the Premier League, compared to John? Taylor, for example, is a complete petty character.

I didn't expect it, I really didn't expect it. In such a formality exam, I actually met the legend of John Taylor. John Taylor, this is John Taylor.

"Christina, we have a question for you."

Wade? Parker waited until Christina had finished worshipping John Taylor and then told him why he was looking for John.

"You say."

Don't know Wade though? How good is Parker, but just to see that he is the chief examiner of this exam, and then to look at him and John? Taylor has a good relationship, and the smart Christina feels that this status is not low. Therefore, the attitude is also very low.

"This is your exam paper. I won't talk about anything else, just talk about this offside. Do you know? Of all the exam papers today, you were the only one who wrote offside. Did you know that the referee awarded the goal, and even the opponent did not raise objections. ”

"I know."

"Then I want to ask you. How did you decide that this was offside, and did you really think that this exam was just a formality, and it was okay to write casually? ”

Wade? Suddenly, Parker changed his face and became very stern. And John Taylor, who was next to him, looked at Christina with his hands behind his back and smiled, not ready to interject.

"That's offside."

Although there was a chief examiner standing in front of her, one of the greatest referees in the history of England, she did not hesitate. Because Christina was 100% confident in herself, she saw the ball very clearly at that time.

"Are you so sure?"

"Yes."

Hearing Christina's answer in the affirmative, Wade Parker looked at John Taylor next to him. John Taylor was also very interested, and took a step forward and said: "Little Christina, our position is definitely not good for the offside decision, not to mention the others. Because there's no way to tell with certainty how you're so sure it's offside. ”

John Taylor was very confused about this. It is very difficult for the referee to be offside. That's why you need the help of a linesman. And when it comes to exams, everyone's position is in the middle. This position is even more impossible to judge for offside. Even the referee didn't say it was offside, the linesman didn't spot it, and if it wasn't for the replay, John Taylor didn't find it.

"Mr. Taylor, my eyes have been thinner and more accurate than others since I was a child. At that moment of passing, the striker who received the ball was exactly half of his body protruding from the central defender. I've always had confidence in my judgment. ”

As for his ability to see in four dimensions, and even to be able to see a thing from all sides, this is a secret. This kind of secret cannot be said at will, and if you say it, you may become a guinea pig for the Academy of Sciences to study.

"Can you really be that sure?"

"Yes. I don't want to talk about anything else since I was a child, but I have absolute confidence and expertise in this area. Anything is small, I can spot. ”

John? Taylor and Wade? Parker and the two looked at each other. No one would dare to guarantee that, even if it was a working Premier League referee. Especially if the offside is a millimeter, even they have to watch the replay carefully to be able to judge. John? Taylor didn't dare to be so confident when he was at his peak.

But the little girl in front of her was able to swear such a promise, which was really unexpected. Is it ignorance and fearlessness, or is it really believing that you are right?

But he doesn't seem to be an ignorant and fearless person. Then she has absolute confidence in herself, just watching the game here, judging at that moment, he is so sure.

"Little one, can you leave me your private number?"

"Of course, it's my pleasure."

…………

It can be said that such as offside, such as penalty kicks, these problems can easily detonate conflicts on the field. If that kid just now really has such a keen observation and can judge the offside by the slightest centimeter, then the decision like fake fall and penalty kick is not a problem. If you can accurately judge these things, then you have the most important things for successful refereeing.

And after Christina left, Parker asked

"Why John, you have a crush on her and want to take her as an apprentice?"

"Yes."

John? Taylor looked up at the sky and said, "I'm sixty-four years old this year, and I've been a judge for thirty-three years. If I hadn't been accepted by my teacher back then, I guess I would still be selling meat at my father's butcher's shop. ”

John? Taylor's family is a butcher family and is in the pork business. His father's butcher's shop was right next to the Wolves club, and later John? Taylor was accepted by the famous referee in England at that time, became his disciple, and began his refereeing career. Therefore, he is very grateful to his teacher.

"So you want to take her under your door?"

"It's not popular anymore. But I want to keep looking at her and see if her judgment this time is accidental or genuine. If she really has the talent to do that, I'm willing to support her, not just for the women's team, but for the men's team. ”