Referees learn EURO lessons

By Mark Chaplin

UEFA and its referee experts are continuing to seek perfection in their efforts to ensure that match officials are fully prepared mentally and physically for the challenge of officiating in Europe's top competitions.

Latest experiences
The latest experiences at UEFA EURO 2004™ are being evaluated with a view to achieving even better results and performances than those in Portugal, which have already been deemed as outstanding by European football's governing body.

EURO success
Werner Helsen, UEFA's referee fitness expert who works with the top referees, especially in view of major tournaments, emphasised the success of the men in black this summer at a recent UEFA seminar in Switzerland.

Excellent performances
"The referees prepared themselves well for the tournament," Helsen told the match officials at their post-EURO gathering in Nyon. "And their performances were excellent. Training and fitness is vital - but in the end, it's how the referees perform that is all-important."

Optimum facilities
The arrangements for EURO were carried out meticulously for the 40 referees, assistant referees and fourth officials, both from the logistical and training points of view. An excellent hotel near Porto provided optimum facilities for work and relaxation, and Helsen and his team drew up a comprehensive training, preparation and recovery programme before and during the tournament to keep the referees in shape.

Work and experiences
At the seminar, Helsen and the EURO referees reviewed their work and experiences at the tournament, and debated areas where even greater improvements in referee preparation could be made. The physical demands on the referees and assistants in Portugal were discussed, as were issues such as nutrition and fluid intake, or how training and preparation can be varied in scope and content to help produce a positive environment.

Interesting conclusions
A number of interesting conclusions were drawn. The use of heart-rate monitors on the match officials during training sessions and games was considered to be a relevant exercise, enabling objective assessments to be made of referees' physical effort in training and matches, as well as preventing injuries due to over-training.

Match heart rates
It was found that the average and peak heart rates in matches for some referees was higher at EURO 2004™ compared with their previous UEFA Champions League games, possibly because of the temperature or even the competition standard. The fact that referees change speed and direction more often than players during a game was also confirmed.

No injuries
"It seems we achieved the correct balance between training intensity and recovery," Helsen said. "I was pleased to hear [Markus Merk] blow the last whistle in the final, because it meant we had got through the tournament with no injuries to referees or assistants."

Proper recovery
Europe's élite referees were urged by Helsen to remember to take proper recovery periods amid their hectic Champions League and domestic schedules. "It is so important to recover mentally and physically between matches," he stressed. "Because, for example, it is not always easy to peak for major tournaments after a heavy season."

Lifting standards
Issues for the future also came under the spotlight. Is there a solution to help referees deal with 'sun blindness'? Can even more progress be made as regards the nutrition available to referees at tournament headquarters? EURO 2004™ proved a heartening experience for the élite refereeing sector in Europe - but the message is that because football is constantly changing, the referees must also strive to lift their own impressive standards.