"Mr. Villar, is this appropriate?"

All other leagues have a winter break, but England doesn't have a winter break. Heading into January, there aren't many Premier League games. But in addition to the Premier League, the FA Cup is also placed at this time.

So the games are okay, I can't say very few, but again, there aren't many.

But Jack was used to it. After all, there is no winter break in English football.

Everyone was resting, but Jack received a call from Villar. Villar did not meet Jack in his office this time, but on the Spanish beach.

A high-level like Villar knows how to enjoy it very much.

When I work, I really work hard. But when he has a break, he will find a good place to take a vacation. The place where I met Jack this time was the world-famous Spanish Beach.

Villar will enjoy it, and Jack is no exception.

When they all arrived at this place, Jack would of course arrange a time to play. However, Jack still has to meet Villar before, because Villar has something to do with Jack.

"Nothing out of place. As you know, this contest was very controversial. And the competition is intensive. There are three referees in European football, but many referees have already told me that they don't want to participate. I thought about it, and you're a perfect fit. What do you think? ”

Away from the office, Villar lay there, talking to Jack.

Jack, of course, leaned back in his chair and listened to Villar. Jack shrugged and said, "Of course I don't have a problem with myself. But I'm afraid I don't have the qualifications. Isn't there just three referees needed in Europe? May I? ”

Villar and Jack are talking about the summer game.

A match in the Confederations Cup.

Speaking of the Confederations Cup, he also has a piece of history. The Confederations Cup, formerly known as the Intercontinental Cup, was initiated in 1991 by the Asian, African, South American and North American Caribbean Football Confederations. It was held twice in 1992 and 1995. All were held in Saudi Arabia.

Because Saudi Arabia has money, the championship prize money was already almost two million dollars in '95.

Soon FIFA also paid attention to this Intercontinental Cup football tournament. Although this cup was originally organized by FIFA. But at first, FIFA didn't pay attention to this competition at all, and it was basically organized by the major football federations themselves.

But as his influence grew. FIFA began to pay attention to this match. And at this time, the relationship between FIFA and European football was very poor, in order to suppress the European Cup, but also to add a new competition to FIFA in addition to the World Cup, so this Intercontinental Cup football tournament was co-opted and became the current Confederations Cup.

In 1997, the first Confederations Cup was held, and the venue was still in Saudi Arabia.

The second was in 1999 and the third in 2001.

However, the first three Confederations Cup were all defeats. Because the world's major teams are very resistant to the Confederations Cup, many world superstars are also resistant to this competition. Just like in 1999, the Confederations Cup was rescheduled twice due to various pressures. Moreover, the world champion France announced that it would not participate in this Confederations Cup, and Brazil and Germany did not send their strongest teams.

The same was true of the 2001 Confederations Cup held by South Korea and Japan. As they were eliminated from the World Cup qualifiers, Brazil only sent a youth army composed mostly of domestic players, while France also lacked stars such as Zidane, Thuram and Barthes.

The level of attention is low.

Many people criticized FIFA, and even UEFA went shirtless, criticizing FIFA for being disorderly. Because the Confederations Cup is held every two years, the competition is too frequent. And the Confederations Cup is short and the competition is too intensive. In terms of cup competitions, the intensity of the competition is not even comparable to the World Cup and the European Cup.

But FIFA is already iron-hearted.

Blatter must push forward with this cup strongly. It is to create a second cornucopia of FIFA. So much so that many people think that the Confederations Cup is the "Blatter Cup".

Because there are not many teams participating, but only eight teams. It's only sixteen games in total, and there aren't many referees needed. This time, the allocation of referees in the Confederations Cup is that three referees are needed in Europe, one in Asia, one in Africa, one in North and Central America and the Caribbean, one in Oceania, and two in South America, for a total of nine referees.

The Confederations Cup is a major tournament organized by FIFA. It should have been that many referees were willing to enforce the law.

But the reality is different.

Especially in European football. There are only three referees, and the real wolf has more meat and less meat. The important thing is that the status of the Confederations Cup is too low, and many of Europe's top referees have little interest in him.

The ratings of the Confederations Cup should not be compared with the World Cup and the European Cup. Even compared to the Champions League, it's all scum. Even the ratings of the strong dialogues of many leagues and the knockout rounds of the League Cup have exploded in the Confederations Cup.

So the Confederations Cup is not attractive to those football powerhouses. It is also not attractive to the top referees in European football.

And many international referees who want to enforce the Confederations Cup matches, FIFA does not look down on them. This creates a rather awkward situation. But this one doesn't include Jack.

Jack has no resistance to the Confederations Cup. Able to enforce the Confederations Cup. Jack was still more happy. It's just that Jack doubts that he has enough qualifications to officiate this game.

Even if the top referees in European football can't look down on the Confederations Cup, there are too many international referees in European football. There are definitely not one or two international referees who are more qualified and well-connected than Jack. Jack's qualifications are too low, and he really doesn't dare to expect extravagance.

"It doesn't matter if you're qualified or anything. You also know that the first three realms of the Confederations Cup was defeated, and everyone's face was not good-looking. The top referees don't like the Confederations Cup, but I can't just find a referee to make do. Wouldn't that be a shame for the Confederations Cup. How's that, there's no problem taking up your summer time, right? ”

There is another reason why some top referees are reluctant to enforce the law, in addition to looking down on the Confederations Cup. That is, the Confederations Cup will take away their hard-earned rest.

The work of referees is stressful.

It can be said that in football, the pressure on referees is no worse than that of managers. Under such pressure, many referees cherish those breaks very much. They don't want to put any more pressure on a game like the Confederations Cup.

"Of course. I don't have anything to do anyway. I'm a full-time referee. ”

"That's right."

Villar sat up, then nodded and said, "You're a full-time referee." In fact, according to the current referee income, referees should be professional, and they should be full-time referees. In this way, the level of referees can be improved. ”

"Does FIFA have a policy on this?"

Jack was a little surprised.

In the current world football, there are really few full-time referees. Even in European football, apart from the current English football, other important leagues are not refereeing professional.

Like Serie A, their referee committee is actually an organization similar to the referees' union. There is no work contract between them and the referee. Only the refereeing committee in England is a corporate form and a contract is signed with the referee before each season.

Therefore, once FIFA and European football introduce new regulations, especially the regulations on the professionalization of referees, then the entire European football referee industry will undergo huge changes.

"There is no such thing. However, in recent years, the income of referees has increased rapidly. You've also seen the World Cup in South Korea and Japan. Therefore, some people currently believe that full-time referees should be reused for major events such as the World Cup and the European Cup. But it's not something that can be changed in a while. ”

"Oh."

Jack understood.

The South Korea-Japan World Cup has had a great impact on FIFA. It's really because there are too many misjudgments in the South Korea and Japan World Cups, and basically European teams are injured in the South Korea and Japan World Cups.

European football, which is currently the center of world football.

The football powerhouse in European football is not only a football powerhouse. They are all very influential countries in the world. It belongs to the rich, the right to speak, the strength and the influence.

After they were wronged, the pressure on FIFA was very high. Together, these national institutions put more pressure on FIFA than UEFA puts pressure on FIFA. Because FIFA is also thinking about what to do with the next World Cup. The next World Cup will be in Germany, and here it will be a big figure like Beckenbauer.

Someone like him would never allow problems at the World Cup in Germany. Therefore, in the selection of referees, it is also necessary to keep improving.

"You just need to know about it. Around March, FIFA publishes the list of referees for the Confederations Cup. ”

"Thank you, Mr. Villar."

Many of Europe's top referees don't look down on the Confederations Cup, but Jack yearns for it. In any case, when FIFA promoted, it also bragged that the Confederations Cup was a cup that could be compared with the World Cup and the European Cup.

Although this is bragging, it is also the most important match under FIFA outside of the World Cup.

"Nothing. And one more. The League Cup is almost over, and you can continue to enforce the law. ”

"Will I still be able to officiate in the League Cup knockout round?"

"Yes. But again, I can only give you some normal matches. But your kid's game of law enforcement, no matter how ordinary it is, can still appear in the news. ”

Saying this, Villar couldn't help but smile. Jack is really a topic referee, and what seems to be a simple game will have big news in Jack's hands.

It's also a skill.

Of course, if it was because of the controversy caused by the referee, then Jack would have been killed by someone else. The problem is that Jack's law enforcement is completely fine, and the controversy that arose was also due to other factors. One controversial game after another, in the end, made Jack popular.

"As long as you can enforce the game."

"That's good. Well, I didn't mean I brought my girlfriend with me. Want to stay here for a few days? ”

"Yes." (To be continued......)