"Jack, congratulations."

"It was a great game."

"Well done!"

"Thank you."

"Mark, long time no see."

The referee training courses in Asia and Africa are basically composed of top referees from two continents. In addition to attending classes, everyone also had some exchanges and expanded their personal connections.

Because whether it is Asia or Africa, it is said that they are all backward regions in football.

It is precisely because of the average football results on both continents that their status in international football is limited. In international football, Europe and South America still dominate. In terms of the distribution of FIFA's power, it is also the power of South America and the power of Europe that stand together.

Compared with the two of them, including Central and North America, Asia, Africa, and Oceania, I dare not say that they make soy sauce, but their influence is also limited.

Therefore, the referees in these places also have a limited status in international football. If it weren't for FIFA's need for balance, and because there are too many countries in Asia and Africa, there would otherwise be very few referees on these two continents who are qualified to officiate in major tournaments.

They know these things too.

Therefore, this kind of training course is also a very important opportunity for them. They can take this opportunity to get to know the people of the FIFA referee committee. They value this more than the class.

Jack is in charge of this training class, and he also attaches more importance to this.

Don't look at the backwardness of football in Asia and Africa, the status of international football is not high. But whoever makes them have more countries on both continents, more seats in FIFA. For example, in the election of the president of FIFA, Africa has 54 votes. Asia had 46 votes, accounting for more than half of all FIFA votes. Any senior FIFA official. It is possible to look down on the level of football in two continents, but no one dares to ignore the number of votes in two continents.

Judges who can come to this training course. They are the top referees of various countries and the treasures of national football associations. Therefore, they have a pivotal position in the football associations of various countries. Although it cannot influence the decisions of national football associations, it can have some influence.

Jack needs them too.

If you have the opportunity to serve on the FIFA referee committee in the future, the support of these referees from Asia and Africa is also very important. If the referees in these places support them, then they can also sit firmly on the FIFA referee committee. Therefore, in the past month, Jack has been playing hotly with Asian and African referees in the training class.

It's just that Jack didn't wait for the end of this training course to end and was already back in London.

Because the game on England's side is about to start. Before the season. The Premier League referees committee is to meet.

The status is completely different.

Although Jack's status has risen rapidly since he entered the Premier League. But even before this World Cup, Jack was still a young referee with a high status.

But after a trip to the World Cup, everything changed completely.

After all, Jack suddenly became the referee of the World Cup final, and his status immediately changed. In addition, as the Premier League referees who called for the wind and rain in the 90s began to retire, including Bol, who had occupied the position of the first referee in England for many years, also retired, it is more prominent that the younger generation of referees such as Jack and Webb will be more prominent. So everyone greeted Jack.

"I don't think I need to introduce myself."

Neil. Barry sat on the top, smiling and talking. Neil. Barry officially became the chairman of the English referees committee, that is, the chief referee of England.

Be in spirits.

Speaking of which, Neil. Barry was refereeing. It's pretty good, though. But he is definitely not the first referee in England, and it is even difficult for him to be in the top three in terms of ability among referees of his age.

Neil. Barry also became a Premier League referee very late, and it was not until the late nineties that he became a Premier League referee. And those referees who were his age. Many referees who even got the referee qualification later than him basically became Premier League referees in the early 90s when the Premier League was just established. Compared to them, Neil. Barry's record as a referee wasn't very high.

But in the end, it was Neil who won. Barry.

Neil. Barry became the head referee. And those referees who were with him either retired early. Or go to the refereeing bodies all over England to play some residual heat.

and Neil. Barry is completely incomparable.

After all, Neil. From the moment Barry became chief referee, he was the head of all referees in England.

"It's a new season soon. Let's sum up what happened last season. Then talk about next season. ”

It's familiar.

The Premier League referee meeting before each season is a routine. In fact, the pre-season Premier League referee meeting mainly discussed the issue of the penalty scale of the Premier League next season.

And how to understand the changes in the rules of football, etc.

At most, there are some promotions to new Premier League referees, Premier League assistant referees, and questions about the number of international referees and so on. These are the powers that belong to the referee in the Premier League.

Same routine.

Everyone will give their opinions.

Seeing that everyone was talking about many issues, Jack coughed lightly and said, "Neil, then I'll say a few words too." ”

"Of course."

At present, Bol is devastated by three yellow cards in the World Cup, and Conor Gallagher is about to retire. Two of England's best referees from the late nineties to the early twenty-first century are retiring, and their influence is fading.

Webber and Jack have slowly become the most powerful referees in England.

The voice of the two people has greatly increased.

"I think we are still too conservative in training echelon referees."

"How?"

Neil. Barry was stunned.

The English Referees Committee attaches great importance to the development of young referees. When they were still in the fifth and sixth divisions, they started to pay attention. Then we start to focus on the training, so that they can get enough training in the lower leagues, and then they will come and feel the atmosphere of the Premier League. When you get used to the Premier League, you will become a Premier League referee.

Such a training method also makes the Premier League not lack of successor referees.

There are still a bunch of Championship referees waiting for the Premier League to come out and make them Premier League referees.

"I think the boundaries between referees and assistant referees are too clear in our refereeing community. I think we should break that. Let the referees of the lower leagues be able to act as assistant referees in the Premier League, League Cup and FA Cup. You can give them a taste of the atmosphere of the game in advance. Similarly, our assistant referees in the Premier League, as referees, should actively enforce the lower leagues. This will give us more choices. ”

Hearing Jack's words, many people present were surprised.

And Bennett looked at Jack in surprise. The Premier League referees here have all climbed from the referees of the lower leagues to the position of the referees of the Premier League. Only Bennett is different.

Bennett started as an assistant referee in the lower leagues to become an assistant referee in the Football League, then to an assistant referee in the Premier League, and finally to an international assistant referee. Then he started to make up lessons, started to be a referee, and slowly became a referee in the Premier League.

It is precisely because of this background that Bennett is discriminated against among the referees of the Premier League.

Now hearing what Jack said, he suddenly felt that Jack was not as hateful as before. Previously Jack was a supporter of Neil. Barry, pro-Pol's. And Bennett is Paul. Dugin and Gallagher are related to each other, so the relationship is not very good.

A World Cup final enforcement not only made Jack different in the eyes of others. Even Jack's own thinking began to change. If before Jack was just thinking about how he could get good grades, now Jack is thinking a little more.

Jack thinks a little too much.

The increase in the level of referees in England has further highlighted the demeanor of Jack, England's No. 1 referee. No matter what Jack wants to do in the future, the overall level of English referees can improve to give Jack a greater boost.

The dividing line between the referee and the assistant referee should be broken down so that the inherent tradition should be broken. Jack began to think about it a lot.

"Jack, you ......"

Neil. Barry didn't think Jack was talking about this.

Hence Neil. Barry paused, unable to express his position directly. After all, the referee is the referee, and the assistant referee is the assistant referee. This has always been an inherent belief in the English refereeing community.

Now Jack's statement is obviously trying to disrupt this.

"Neil, I'm just giving my opinion. Everyone can discuss. I think the more options we have, the better the chances of a good referee. If we choose a Premier League referee from among the referees, the range is still too narrow. And the referees of the lower leagues, when they are very young, can go to the higher leagues and feel the atmosphere of the game, and I think it is also good for their growth. ”

"Okay."

Bennett didn't suppress his excitement and finally shouted hello.

Among the Premier League referees, Bennett has always been discriminated against, and he has always been very depressed. Jack's proposal made Bennett too happy. A referee like him, who was born as an assistant referee, is inherently inferior to these referees. Although Bennett's strength is very strong, those Premier League referees, and even Championship referees, look down on themselves as an assistant referee.

So Bennett cares about this very much.

"That's a good idea."

Webb nodded.

But he was quick to say, "But it needs to be planned." Young referees should be given that chance, and statistics should be made on who wants to go to the lower leagues. The interests of Premier League referees cannot be harmed. ”

Webb is also an English referee.

The overall improvement of English referees is a huge benefit to representatives of Premier League referees such as Jack and Webb. So Webb nodded in agreement with Jack.

But this needs to be planned slowly.

"Good. We'll talk about that at the next meeting. Before the next meeting, you can think about it a little more. (To be continued......)