Referees Want Independent Body To Assess Performance

Chairman, Lagos State Football Referees Association, Adesegun Kosoko,  at the weekend  called for the inauguration of an independent body to assess the performance of referees in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).

Kosoko told newsmen in Lagos that the development had left many stakeholders disenchanted about the game, adding that it had affected its development.

He spoke against the backdrop of the recurring accusation by football fans that referees were responsible for poor officiating of matches in the competition.

“Although the NPFL is still rated as one of the best in Africa, there is need for us to install measures that will sustain the current standard and improve on it from this 2012/2013 season.

“The dissatisfaction of stakeholders with the league should be curtailed by having an ad-hoc committee which will go round the match venues to assess the performances of referees

“As an independent body, they will have the power to call to order any erring referee and bring sanity into the game of soccer,’’ Kosoko said.

The referees boss called for regular training of referees to acquaint them with the ever-evolving rules of the game by FIFA.

“Ordinarily, there should be training for coaches and referees to be at par with FIFA standards, because many of them have not attended training for years,’’ he said.

According to him, the football coaches that complain about bad officiating only try to drum up sentiments to cover their incompetence, after losing a match.

He urged referees to be mindful of the people’s expectations from them, advising them to always make fair judgments.