Last Sunday I coached a game, and I reffed a game. Both results saw clear winners, with lots of goals scored. Both matches had their moments of pride and joy for individual players, and the teams as a whole. Yet, from my point of view, not all of those moments of pride and joy were […]
Ian Plenderleith
Posted inSoccer America Confidential
Digging ourselves into a handball hole. But there's a very simple way out.
Let’s talk about handball. Yet again. Last night I went to my monthly referees’ educational briefing, and that was the meeting’s theme. Yet again. Because the more that FIFA fiddles with the rules, and the more we try to interpret the mess they’ve made, the longer the handball discussions will continue. Our instructor intended to […]
Posted inYouth Soccer Insider
Ref Watch: Who's lost control?
The following is an excerpt from Ian Plenderleith‘s book, “Reffing Hell: Stuck in the middle of a game gone wrong.” Illustrated by Tim Bradford (Halcyon Publishing) * * * * * * * * * * Four minutes to go, the score’s 2-3 in a furious and foul-ridden boys’ under-17 game, and I blow for […]
Posted inSoccer America Confidential
When 'The Club' expelled its Jewish members and 'howled with the wolves'
Howling with the wolves — FC Nürnberg and the expulsion of its Jewish club members By Bernd Siegler (Starfruit) * * * * * * * * * * In 2021, the German second division club FC Nürnberg made the kind of discovery that historians and archivists dream about at night. In a forgotten cellar, […]
Posted inSoccer America Confidential
FIFA's official film: Putting the Sheen on Qatar 2022
“Written in the Stars: The Official Film of the 2002 World Cup.” Available on FIFA+ (free registration) You went to your cousin’s wedding and you thought you’d done your bit by showing up in your best suit. Now it’s one year later and you’re sitting at Aunt Jennifer’s dinner table. Do you want to see […]
Posted inSoccer America Confidential, Story
Germany wakes up — more dribbling and touches for young players
When I referee amateur soccer games at the weekend, both men’s and youth, they follow a similar path for the first few minutes. From the kickoff, the ball will be played back to the defenders. The defenders will then pass the ball among themselves, involving maybe the goalkeeper and a central midfielder. Lovely stuff. Tiki-taka. […]
Posted inSoccer America Confidential, Story
Should a 'soft' foul in the penalty area go unpunished?
In a Bundesliga game last Saturday, Borussia Dortmund’s Emre Can committed a foul against TSG Hoffenheim’s Kevin Akpoguma on the edge of the Dortmund penalty area. The defender clipped Akpoguma’s foot from behind. Referee Martin Petersen correctly blew his whistle, and — despite Can’s obligatory protests of innocence — the two teams lined up for […]
Posted inSoccer America Confidential, Story
How the German men's national team can regain the love of its public
A few months before the pandemic I went to a European Championship qualification game between Germany and Northern Ireland in Frankfurt. Germany had already qualified for the 2020 tournament (which eventually took place in 2021), while Northern Ireland was as good as eliminated. Germany won the game 6-1 in a stadium far from being sold […]
Posted inSoccer America Confidential, Story
Everything's good. Really. Everything.
A sensitive reader last week lamented the negative tone of this column, so in the interests of balance, this week we will be reporting only positive news! FIFA President Gianni Infantino has just announced that the organization’s record revenue of $7.6 billion during the period 2019-2022 “is the result of our solid financial transparency and […]
Posted inSoccer America Confidential, Story
What is the 'spirit' of soccer? And where can I find it?
There’s a preamble in FIFA’s “Laws of the Game” that comes under the heading, ‘The philosophy and spirit of the Laws.’ When you read this section, it’s best to adopt the lofty accent of a well-heeled Englishman, possibly a condescending headmaster at an all-boys private school. That’s because the preamble is a mixture of pompous […]