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keith hacketts blog may 5th

wformationwformation
in Football

A 55-year-old appointed to a Play-Off semi-final

KHackett

FIFA are still retiring international referees at the age of 45 and, of course, England’s finest ever referee Howard Webb decided to call it a day from active refereeing at 43.

So how can PGMOL come to the decision of appointing a 55-year-old, Nigel Miller, to a Football League Play-Off semi-final second leg?

Nigel has been a great servant to the Football League, but surely the PGMOL should have been looking to appoint from the crop of younger referees in order to build their experience in handling these games.

The very fact that the second leg games may go to extra time to decide the winner puts on that additional fitness requirement, but Nigel is in charge of the League 2 second leg between Wycombe and Plymouth.

PGMOL, you need to stop navel-gazing and leaving yourself open to cronyism and criticism.

Comments

  • BaldricBaldric

    Disappointing post from an ex referee. The only criteria should be whether Nigel Miller is competent. The fitness of referees is tested, and as we all know fitness may diminish over time, but that varies with the individual. Perhaps the blanket ageism should be the subject of more criticism rather than the selection of the specific individual. Its hardly likely to be an appointment which makes Nigel Miller feel his refereeing career has reached some illustrious height.

  • ChrisChris

    Quite right. I'm sure Mr Miller is fitter than I am, despite being 20 years older. Just because Mr Hackett retired at 50 doesn't mean all referees should have to.

  • blueh_wblueh_w

    I prefer experience, Peter Bankes will be the problem over the two ties not Nigel.

  • TwinBrotherTwinBrother

    I disagree about age limits. I run exams for the University and I have Invigilators who oversee the exams (no cheating etc). Despite what people think, it is a very physical task. I had one gentleman who was in his 70’s and was still perfectly fit and competent to do the job, rather as another gentleman I had to let go because he could no longer do physically do it (and he was in his 50’s). People are different and run out of steam at different ages.

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