As pointed out in last week’s discussion, next month’s World Cup will not only be handled by the best FIFA referees, but they will also enforce the laws of the game to the best of their abilities. For sure, most of the world’s best footballers will be on stage representing their various countries.
Football will, therefore, be at its best. But at the same time, emotions and, perhaps tempers may rise high. That is when the professional competence and ability of the match officials would be put to test. That is when referees will prove that they will be part of the game and that they are in their matches to assist play.
FIFA has indicated that in selecting referees for the world tournament, it took into account among other considerations the PERSONALITY of the referees. Personality of referees does not only involve the natural appearance of a referee, but it also involves his value system, his character and generally his comportment.But perhaps the greatest and most important consideration is what is known in refereeing language as game management and control.
This involves the individual referee’s quality in football understanding by being able to read the game. It is a fact that most foreign referees have added coaching courses and experience to enhance their refereeing ability and knowledge. Such referees are therefore able to read and follow the strategies, formations and game plans of the teams that they handle.
The knowledge also assists such referees to run their diagonals better and follow play more easily by anticipating the movement of a group of players and the team during a particular phase of the game.
These are the calibre of referees that our Black Stars players, just as other national teams, will meet during their various matches. And it would do our players and indeed our fans a lot of good if they leave the referees alone to do their jobs.
Referees are approved and honoured dictators. They have been given the authority, power and duty to interpret and implement the laws of the game.
They, however, do not show any form of carelessness or recklessness in carrying out their duties. Their whistles and signals are powerful although they are guided by the seventeen FIFA laws of the game.
We should all appreciate the fact that referees including the forthcoming world cup referees are humans and may therefore make mistakes, but their mistakes which come as decisions should be accepted.
Referees do recognise their mistakes, sometimes long after they have made them, but their decisions during matches almost always stayed unchanged.
We can all remember ‘The hand of God’ goal scored by the famous Maradona of Argentina during their world cup game against England; that goal stood and counted. There was also the ‘hand ball offence’ by France’s Thierry Henry which helped France to qualify ahead of Ireland in a World cup elimination game.
On the local scene, a goal was accepted and awarded to now relegated Tema Youth team against Kpando Heart of Lions two seasons ago, when the ball did not pass in between the two goal posts. And that was the only goal of the match. It was in an away-from-home match by Tema Youth.
The good lesson is that Heart of Lions only protested briefly on the field of play to the referee and accepted the result of the match. The referee only realised his mistake afterwards. Indeed referees, although the laws are there, have become glorified and honourable dictators.
The 23 players for our national team will be experienced and talented foreign players. They have had encounters with many foreign referees. We all expect them to comport themselves well, even though there may be occasions during their impending matches that there would not be comfort and pleasure.
The forthcoming Brazil 2014 is going to be very crucial and critical to Ghana. We have performed creditably well in our past two successful world cup appearances. We have been hailed by our fellow Africans and even those outside Africa.
Our FIFA ranking has been constantly pleasing. Unfortunately, for this upcoming tournament, we have been placed in a group that looks like the proverbial ‘group of death’.
But this is good, for it provides us with the challenge and opportunity to prove that our past performances and achievements were real and well-deserved.
We are in a tough group, and the GFA President, Kwesi Nyantakyi, once commented that if we say we are good we must compete with and play against the best. We will therefore be having very tough matches especially against the United States of America.
The Americans themselves are openly saying that they regard our opening match against them as their final. What they mean is they consider the match as a cup final.
That is their assessment, but I think we Ghanaians will regard it as usual as the final time that they (the Americans) will be playing us before they emplane back home with one goal and no point in the tournament. But the fact is the match will be hard and tough. That is when the referees will also be called upon to show their competence and class.
That will be when our players will be challenged. And that will be when the needed respect for referees’ decisions will be welcomed. Our players should have confidence not only in themselves but also in the referees’ authority and ability.
Indications are that the final list of the twenty-five referees and the fifty assistant referees will be made public today or tomorrow, that is some ten days before the beginning of the tournament.
Thereafter, the necessary appointments would be made. And we should expect one of the most leading referees to be in charge of our match against the Americans.
That referee will also be aware of the nature of the game that would be lying ahead of him. He will be challenged to prove his professional competence, knowing very well that a good performance will surely retain him on the list of referees who would be officiating after the preliminary matches.
Indeed all our matches during the preliminary stages will be tough and challenging. This calls for extra efforts on the part of our players not only to play well, but also to behave well and appropriately.
The world will be watching us, and we should prove that we are the Black Stars of Africa. Thirty-two different national teams will be involved in the Brazil 2014 tournament, but the trophy is only one and therefore only one national team will win. The tournament has always had many objectives and purposes.
We will be going to the games with the aim of bringing the cup to Africa and Ghana. After all, but for Mr Suarez, we could have won in South Africa. We didn’t win but Ghana is still part of the globe and even improved into a ‘middle income’ country.
The world cup provides and promotes friendship among nations. It improves relationships among nations. It improves the football economy of participating countries and those who earn a living through football.
But above all, the world cup tournament provides global entertainment and enjoyment. The friendly arguments and support have already started.
We are glad that our Black Stars will be part of it. It is our hope that it would not take too long for our referees to be part of it. GO BLACK STARS GO!!!!!!
