Henry Winter đ€Pep Guardiola is the most important manager in the country, the most influential. He sets the standards with the quality of his coaching and strength of his mindset. So many young coaches look up to him. Guardiolaâs a mentor to some, giving them time and advice, encouraging them. He also trains and develops coltish playing talents into thoroughbreds; the England national team has certainly benefited from Guardiolaâs skill at nurturing.
Guardiolaâs undeniably improved the game in this country. So thatâs why itâs important that the Manchester City manager also helps improve refereeing standards. For Guardiola to lecture a promising young referee like Farai Hallam was beneath him.
Hallam is exactly the type of official that managers should be encouraging. He comes from a playing background, was released by Stevenage Borough, played briefly in Spain and got into officiating via the FA and a League Football Education event (an EFL/PFA partnership).
âComing from a playing background gives you such an advantage,â Hallam told the LFE when starting out. âYou know how to talk to players, youâre probably better at looking for things that some referees may not look for and your decision-making is automatically instinctive.â
He rose up through the ranks and, at 32, had an assured Premier League debut at the Etihad. He didnât give City a penalty when the ball brushed Yerson Mosqueraâs arm as he challenged Omar Marmoush. Hallam was sent to the monitor by VAR but stuck with his decision. âAfter review, the ball hits the arm of the Wolves player, which is in a natural position, so the on-field decision will remain,â he announced.
Good for Hallam. We want strong referees who donât automatically dance to VARâs tune. The "offence" was not clear-cut. It wasnât a clear and obvious error (VAR should have shown similar understanding and nerve).
As a former player, Hallam may have an inkling of how a jumping player balances and moves his arms (although this is also an issue for the Law-makers). His decision didnât deserve Guardiolaâs reaction, and accusation of attention-speaking ("now everyone will know him") which was also aimed at refsâ chief Howard Webb.
Guardiola had every right to be angry about Anthony Taylorâs failure to send off Diogo Dalot for his bad challenge on Jeremy Doku in the Manchester Derby. He can call or call out Webb. Taylor and Webb are hardened to such criticism. But Hallam is starting out.
What message does it send to kids considering taking up refereeing? That youâll have a world-renowned manager questioning you, risking a pile-on (which, fortunately, hasn't occurred). Will parents dissuade their kids from taking up refereeing?
The game has a problem with refereeing standards. It needs more Hallams not fewer. Guardiolaâs reaction may have simply been stirring a siege mentality. But it distracted from what should have been the main focus, celebrating the impact of new signings Marc Guehi and, again, Antoine Semenyo. And wishing a new ref well. #MCIWOL
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