It’s a tough job being a Premier League referee – but one former refs chief says there are four of them who are simply not up to it.
Keith Hackett was a referee for more than 30 years before he took over the running of the Professional Game Match Officials Board – the body that provides officials for all matches in the Premier League, Football League and FA competitions.
And now he has rated every top flight ref – and not all come out of it with a glowing report card.
While Craig Pawson gets a measly 4/10 rating for being like a “rabbit in the headlights”, four of the others are so bad, according to Hackett, that they don’t even get a mark and instead just get the damning line “Needs to be cut from PL duty”.
So who are the not-so-awesome foursome?
First up is Mike Jones who Hackett says is “Too soft and inconsistent to be a referee at this level”.
Jonathan Moss is next and is apparently “Like a bull in a china shop – rushes into decisions”.
According to Hackett, Lee Mason is “Full of nerves and never looks calm. The players struggle to put their faith in how he is officiating”.
And lastly, Rodger East is “Just not up to it at this stage. Needs to drop down a level”.
Roger
So there you have it.
And what about the top of the tree? Hackett rates Mark Clattenburg as the best of the whistle-men, giving him an impressive 9/10.
He writes: “Clattenburg is clearly the best referee we have in this country. He’s world class at what he does and performs at a very high level week in, week out. We know comfortably that he can do that anywhere around the world.”
Mark Clattenburg, you wolly!!! 😂 pic.twitter.com/xJeIFW0Dbv
— Paddy Steacy (@PaddySteacy10) August 3, 2016
You can read his full ratings at the Telegraph.
