Players are reminded to be disciplined and respect the referees during the Vodafone Fiji FACT at Ratu Cakobau Park, Nausori next week.

These were the sentiments shared by Fiji Football Association referee’s director RakeshVarman who said players need to let the referees do their job on the field.

“Every year we have cases of players trying to control the game and intimidate referees but they need to know that they are not the boss,” Varman said.

“When the players are on the field, it is the referee who is in charge and who makes the decisions.

“When player put pressure on a referee, these referees will obviously lose concentration and we cannot afford to let that happen.

“Each team needs to be disciplined and stick to their game plan and play the game and allow the referee to do his or her job.

“Players think they know everything about a game but I will tell you this, referees know more about the game them they do, that is why they are in charge.

“So I want to remind each of the teams that when they take to the field next week, stick to your game plan and maintain discipline on the field.”

There will be three referees making their Fiji FACT debut, Veer Singh, Adriu Naisiroki and Navneet Varman will be amongst the six referees who will control the game while there will be 10 assistant referees.

While most may think that referees are hand picked at random to control major tournaments, what they do not realise is that referees go through a course in order to be selected for a tournament.

Varman said the referee courses are there to test referees on their fitness, video analysis, laws of the game, how to hand certain situations before they are picked to be part of a tournament.

“What many do not see is that all our elite referees go through this course, this is how a referees are chosen,” he said.

“They are put through fitness tests, various video analysis, and they go through simulators on how to control a game and how to hand different scenarios, we focus on various things like hand balls, violent conducts and what are the necessary actions.

“All elite referee must go through that, referees train throughout the year and are constantly tested physically and mentally.

“We are definitely looking forward to the Fiji FACT next week.”

Feedback:  justine.mannan@fijisun.com.fj