"Mike, you're so laid-back."

Jack to Mike. Riley calls and wants to meet him, Mike. Riley readily agreed. And this time Mike. What is Riley doing?

In a typical English covered bridge, a typical English town, is actually playing fishing?

It's a few months old.

Anyway, if not to see Mike. Riley, Jack would never have thought that there would be people who would have the leisure to play fishing this month. But look at Mike. Riley was completely immersed in it.

"Relax and relax. You say that we referees, the income is not high, and the pressure is very high. If you don't learn to release stress and don't learn to self-regulate, you're going to collapse. ”

"Yes."

Although the income of referees has increased several times with the professionalization of referees, it is still too low in the big cake of English football. Ordinary Premier League referees, in addition to the basic salary of more than 30,000 pounds, plus the income of the game and various subsidies, that is, around 60,000 pounds.

And the current Premier League stars, players with a weekly salary of more than 60,000 pounds are not one or two. Campbell, who is on a free transfer this season, has even reached 100,000 pounds a week.

But the players, even those coaches, are already paid tens of thousands of pounds a week. There are also many coaches who earn up to £2 million a year.

But the pressure is more than in many other industries.

Weekly Enforcement Tournaments. In the current high degree of technology, every move of the referee is under the magnifying glass of the lens. The slightest mistake is easily bombarded.

Such pressure is definitely not something that other industries can understand.

"How's it going, how many fish have you caught?"

"Just interest."

Mike. Riley was talking to Jack while speculating about why Jack was looking for him. Mike. Riley is popular, mainly because there is no conflict with other referees.

But his popularity does not mean that his personal relationship with other referees is very good.

It's like with Jack.

The relationship between the two is really not bad. Usually Mike. Riley will mention Jack when he should have done it. It's not because of everyone's personal relationship, but to leave a good fate.

Just Mike. What Riley didn't expect was that Jack's upward momentum was too strong.

It's only been a year and a half since I arrived in the Premier League. has become an international referee and has been selected for the World Cup candidate referee list. Even Mike. Riley, the old Premier League referee. None of them qualified as candidates for refereeing for the World Cup. And with this Henry's goal, even Angel. Villar was born to support.

It made Jack famous in the English refereeing scene at once.

It's not the same one who relied on Philip. Don and Jack. Taylor's promotion into the Premier League's junior referees.

"Mike, I'm going to bother you today because there's something I want to ask you for."

"Say."

Mike. Riley said to Jack very boldly. But the heart is beating the drum. Although Jack is a young referee who has only been in the Premier League for a year and a half, he is a real Premier League referee and international referee after all, and his own strength is not weak.

And among the Premier League referees, he has a good relationship with Webb and Halsey, who are the Premier League referees.

Mainly, of course, there is Jack behind him. There is a referee like Taylor. It should be said. Jack is currently in the Premier League refereeing arena and is more capable than many of the more senior referees.

What would such a Jack ask himself for?

But although I was worried in my heart, I couldn't see it at all on the surface.

"You know Martin. Atkinson referees, right? ”

"Atkinson referees? It's Philip. Don used to be a very serious referee, the referee who demanded that English football should strictly enforce the law? ”

Atkinson's fame is really not small.

Don't say that he is now the referee of the English League, when he was officiating the English League C, he was very famous in the refereeing world. Even many Premier League referees have heard of him.

"Yes, that's him."

"What's wrong with him?"

"When he was in League One, Philip. Mr. Tang promised him. He was going to be given some Premier League games this season, but it wasn't something that happened out of the blue, so that promise was not kept. And that's not all. It won't be easy for him to get that opportunity next season. ”

Listen to Jack, Mike. Riley already understood what Jack meant.

For Philip. Don once gave Atkinson a promise that Mike. Riley believes. Taken by Philip. Don's right to the position of chief referee that year. and Philip. Don's strong personality made it too easy for Atkinson to officiate a few Premier League games. Not to mention that it was just a few Premier League games, even if it was to make him a Premier League referee, it would not be a problem.

Now Philip. Don suddenly had an accident, which affected Atkinson's normal promotion.

Atkinson was in a hurry, so he asked Jack in front of him to talk about it. Mike. Riley's mind kept thinking about how he should deal with Jack.

Is it helping? Or don't help?

"Martin will be 32 years old next season and if he can't qualify for Premier League games, it will be very difficult to get promoted in the future. Mike, you see......"

Jack didn't finish his sentence, but Jack knew Mike. Riley must have understood what Jack meant.

Mike. Riley didn't answer directly. Instead, he was silent for a moment and said, "Jack, what is your relationship with this Martin?" ”

Atkinson is a low-level referee. Mike. Riley didn't pay attention at all. But Jack in front of him can't be ignored, judging from the current momentum of development. In the future, he will definitely be a pivotal figure in the refereeing world of English football.

Mike. Riley wants to give Jack face. That's why he asks about Jack's relationship with Atkinson.

"When I first got my qualification as an assistant referee in the football league, he was already the head referee of the football league. He helped me a lot at the time, and I owe him a favor. ”

"Huh. Favor debts are the most difficult to repay. ”

Mike. Riley nodded, mentally understanding the relationship between Jack and Atkinson. But Mike. Riley was not immediately on the move.

Of course, Jack is not in a hurry.

"Jack, you have to know that Atkinson's referee is very bad. It's not easy to qualify as a referee in the Premier League. ”

Mike. It took Riley a long time before he said this.

Jack could only laugh and cry.

Jack rode the Rocket, breaking so many records in the English refereeing world, so there are many people who are jealous. But Jack's popularity is not so bad. But look at Atkinson, who is almost a character that everyone shouts about in the English refereeing world.

This popularity is mixed.

"I know. Mike. I also think it's very difficult to be a referee in the Premier League. But is it possible to try to get him able to officiate a couple of Premier League games next season? ”

"Just officiating a few Premier League games? Jack, have you ever looked for Neil. Barry referee? ”

"I've found it. He said he would mention it in due course. ”

Mike. Riley nodded. Instantly understood what Jack meant. Neil. Barry was willing to mention it for Jack's sake, but couldn't do much for it.

Anyway, it's to sell Jack a face. Neil. A referee of Barry's level. Willing to let him mention this matter itself gave Jack enough face.

"Jack, Neil is much better than I am. This is the biggest candidate for the next chief referee. ”

"I know."

The current England chief referee is a temporary replacement for Philip. Don's Keith. Hackett. But a lot of people think Keith. Hackett will relinquish that position after completing one term as chief referee. Because he's older, too.

And at the moment it is most likely to succeed Keith. There are only two people in Hackett, one is Neil. Barry, the other one is Paul. Dugin.

They are all veteran referees from 74 years of English football, with deep experience and good performance. The chief referee was originally chosen from among the referees. The two of them are the most likely.

But Paul. Dugin's temper is too stinky.

Even Philip. When Don was there. He used not to give Philip. Don face. Of course Philip. What is Don, Paul. Dugin leans on the old and sells the old and does not give it to Philip. Don Face, Philip. Tang also didn't give him face.

So these years Paul. Dugin has rarely had the opportunity to officiate in the Premier League. But relying on his qualifications, he is still mixed in the Premier League refereeing world, and no one can ignore it.

But his character also has a big disadvantage, that is, his temper is too stinky, and many neutral referees do not want him to be the chief referee. You are still only a Premier League referee, you despise ordinary referees so much, if you become the chief referee in the future, then how arrogant it will be then.

So now a lot of people have a consensus. Paul. Dugin: No.

So said Keith. After Hackett left, it was Neil. When Barry retires, he will probably be able to become the head referee.

"But. Mike. Neil. The Barry referee needs to be stable now, and it is estimated that he will not be involved in this matter, and he cannot be able to support the Atkinson referee. Martin was disliked by a lot of Premier League referees and I didn't have a relationship with them. I think it's hard for them to give me that face, but I'm sure everyone will give you face. I'm not asking for anything else, whether Martin can be in charge of a couple of Premier League games next season. When the time comes, everyone will let Martin go, don't embarrass him. ”

There are currently nineteen referees in the Premier League, and Jack is not familiar with much. Especially the few Premier League referees who have just risen up, Jack doesn't have a good relationship with them.

Because everyone has come to the Premier League in the past few years. But Jack was completely on the fly. Not only did he become an international referee, but he also entered the World Cup referee shortlist. It can be said that it is with those ordinary Premier League referees. There is already a huge gap.

This makes everyone very uncomfortable. Jack certainly didn't blame, because it's human nature.

So Jack believes. If you go out of the way, it will have the opposite effect.

"Yes, Jack. I'm just looking at your face for the sake of this. ”

Mike. Although Riley's words made Jack admit his feelings, he was more telling the truth. Mike. Riley did not like Atkinson. In Jack's view, Atkinson is a good referee with ideals and beliefs. Jack admired Atkinson.

But in Mike. In Riley's eyes, Atkinson belongs to those types of sensationalism.

In order to attract everyone's attention, I deliberately expressed some unconventional opinions. It can be said that it was very successful and attracted Philip. Don's gaze. Then he went from being an obscure referee in the lower leagues to becoming a referee in League One in four or five years. If Philip. Don is not gone, and he has a chance to become a Premier League referee next season. This promotion speed is already very fast.

This is Mike. Riley's view.

But this kind of direct evaluation of a referee thing, Mike. Riley wouldn't do it. Who knows what exactly Jack and Atkinson's relationship is? This kind of thing is just thinking about it.

Like Mike. A cautious person like Riley wouldn't talk casually. It is because of this character that Mike. Riley is very popular among the referees in the Premier League.

"Thank you, Mike."

As long as Mike. Riley is willing to step up, so the other neutral referees will give more or less face. Then there is no problem with this matter. Jack is so grateful to Mike. Riley.

"It's meant to help each other."

Mike. Riley waved his hand. It's not too difficult. Because as long as Mike. Riley opened his mouth, just to give Atkinson a candidate for the title of Premier League referee, and there was no big problem.

With something like this to give Jack a favor, Mike. Riley thinks it's a good thing.

"Thank you anyway." (To be continued)