Roger Moroney: Would you take up the whistle?

Roger Moroney. Photo / File

The Football World Cup being staged by Putin Investments has thrown up some surprises in terms of some results but no surprises in the other "game" which emerges during these top level clashes between teams whose combined income would probably get a few struggling third world countries out of debt.

The theatrics and antics and gesticulations from players who believe they have been dealt a raw deal by the one person out there who cops infantile acts of rage from the players as well as abuse from a great swathe of spectators.

The referee.

There have been some astonishing confrontations between the ref and the players he is tasked to martial.

It could be argued that when it comes down to a world cup there is much to be gained, and much to be lost (namely money I guess) but this howl at the ref approach is rubbish.

Rubbish that has been happening for a very long time and which has never really been properly addressed or analysed for some sort of solution.

And sadly, it seems to be attracted to the round ball game more than it is to rugby.

There were a couple of eyebrow-raising decisions during the recent French clashes with the All Blacks but apart from some grumpy faces and gestures no one shouted into the direct face of the ref and had to be persuaded away by his teammates.

They got on with the game.

Gentlemen, those chaps.

However, the same can't be said for several of the participants in this Fifa extravaganza who, when upset by a decision, appear to be casting for some street-wise martial arts film.

Mind you, a lot of them are very good at the art of extreme reaction.

One slight touch to the shoulder and they can perform a cartwheel...it's just remarkable.

And then they get up and plead and howl in the face of the ref for the offender to be sent off.

Although in many cases they can't actually confront the ref as they are writhing on the deck clutching an ankle...despite the fact it was the shoulder that received the nudge.

However, the one thing in the great game is the uncertainty it can deliver...some of the results in this Fifa World Cup have been, without putting too fine a point on it, astonishing.

Spain out....there goes my fiver.

So anyway, who'd want to be a referee?

That target of sneers, scowls, derision and after-match scrutiny.

Now in the "good old days" what the ref said was what went.

You carried on.

Because in those days there were no lingering conversations with about 13 match officials attached to television screens as replay after replay after reply is shown from more cameras than there are actually players on the field.

And even then the final decision is always open to debate.

Let the whistle provide the answer...the simple answer.

It seems to have got worse over the past decade and we've all seen the reports and heard the stories of games being called off after the referee has either been shoved or abused to the point of throwing in the towel.

Recently there was a case in Auckland where a player spat into the face of a referee at a club football match and was rightly banned for two years.

In another case a referee, who had been abused three times previously this season, quit.

He'd had enough.

He won't be the last I fear as he and his dedicated kind seem to have morphed more and more into targets for unloading anger and frustration.

It makes me snigger, albeit cynically...because you can't tell me those ref abusers have never made an error in their lives?

I have only tried refereeing once and it was for a social rugby match.

I was down to play but the bloke we had lined up to officiate couldn't make it, so I (foolishly in hindsight) stepped up.

The second scrum had me blowing the whistle for an offside and then ka-boom!

I got called a couple of interesting names and one dope actually remarked that I didn't know what I was doing.

I said he was right...I was only doing it because no one else would and if I didn't there'd be no game at all.

Referees at school and club levels are like volunteers — priceless.

So then, I reckon we should have a national Celebrate the Referees Day where we actually applaud and thank them for giving their time, patience and stoicism.

And for all the sideline shouters, ask yourself a question.

Would you get out there and give it a go?

*Roger Moroney is an award-winning journalist for Hawke's Bay Today and observer of the slightly off-centre.