"I loved the first period on Tuesday with two refs. They were just focused. I'm a long-time advocate of a two-ref system. Others want to increase to four like the rest of the world. I don't. They are focused with two. They are equal. They get into the game."Gotta love him, haven't you?
Through Moran's comedic turn, though, he does bring up a good point. We all know the standard of officiating in the UK is dire, and that something needs doing to address and improve it.
Two refs is not the way. He may say that the officiating in the 1st period against Cardiff on Tuesday was the best of the season (this was after a lino thought the game was on Wednesday.............) but only having two officials on the ice makes their job that much harder. They have so much more to look out for, and are more likely to miss things - we already complain about the refs not seeing off-the-puck stuff.
We could go the other way, and go to the almost-universal system of having 4 officials on the ice. If you're not familiar, that involves having two referees and two linesmen on the ice. Less stuff will get missed, and officials will hopefully be able to keep up with the action. But if the refs are to be the current standard, then they might as well just stick a few RC-operated brooms on the ice.
The most viable option looks to be to stick with the status quo. Our current batch of barcodes are to be sent over to the US over the summer to partake in a training course of sorts, as announced by Tony Smith at the Steelers fans forum last week. This can only be a positive, as something needs to be done to improve the standard of officiating. During, and after, every single game, there are fans lamenting poor refereeing decisions - that will always happen. But its the consistency and volume of the complaining - so many people cannot be wrong. Kudos to the league for trying to raise the standard.
Its quite odd, refereeing is the one part of the game where somebody can use the argument "well if you think you're any better you have a go" and be right. We need more people to be officials, not only to deepen the available pool but to improve standards - if there are more refs, it will make the others strive to improve their work so they get the bigger games. I would implore anybody who is capable of skating to a decent degree to look into taking their officials course, and contribute to the game in a very positive manner.
My opinion on the matter? It involves money that probably isn't there to do it.
Turn the refs pro.
In an ideal world, the Elite League would have a pool of referees whose soul job is to be an Elite League referee. Pay them a full time wage, send them on training courses, pay their travelling expenses. If we are to be taken seriously, and the EIHL is to become a properly professional league, every aspect of it should be professional, including the way we treat referees.
Pipe dreams eh?
Liam
@IAmMcCausland
@TomWalkeden
@AwkwardGinge
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