Hey everyone,
Quick one just to let everyone know that more Gold Coast Champions Cup 2012 photos are going online overnight to the Flickr account for your viewing pleasure. I had hoped it would be updated by now, but crashed sometime during my evening out. Funny how even though I'm not coordinating anything, I'm still updating the blog late into the evening.....
Been too tired to do much blog updating, even with only a few games per day due to high referee numbers involved. I have been doing some coaching with local GC junior referees between games, so this takes some energy as well I guess.
Always interesting to see who turns up for this type of event and how far they have travelled. Several Brisbane juniors / seniors, Cairns junior, South Australia senior and NZ of course is represented.
The quality of local refs is good to excellent given their resources and looks like their new structures have helped from what I observed in 2010. Some new first years still making those first year mistakes, but overall the tournament must be happy with the service being provided. Happy bunch too, with lots of humour and loud music playing in the early morning roll call to get everyone syched up. Had my first ride on a golf cart yesterday, almost as dangerous as refereeing a U/12 centre.
Match officials golf carts are however a geninue OH&S issue around the grounds and I'm surprised that no one has been run down yet as they wizz between, across and around grounds, usually during live matches. I even saw one drive directly onto the FOP tonight during an all in melee on U/18. I wasn't sure what he thought he would be able to do, drive over the offenders wrestling on the ground? Way to much power, way too little direction as to their roles.
After some dinner I headed back to Field 2 to watch the end of the 18's match and support the New Zealand crew on the U/21's. Unfortunately I was able to witness at close range a completely out of hand losing player in the 18's make some poor choices post game in confronting the Assistant Referee, expressing his view in some colourful language and then feeling the need to push the AR in the chest before being dragged away.
I won't say too much as I'd hope the organisation running the tournament will deal with him appropriately and pass onto the relevant authorities any necessary reports to ensure this young man learns that this conduct is totally unacceptable in Football.
U/21's was a fairly tame affair in contract, with Mark and the crew managing the game well, including a penalty within 20 seconds of kickoff, perhaps a record for this years tournament.
Left before the end to watch the opening matches of the Croatian Football Tournament, being hosted just down the road at the GC Knights ground. Big turn out for the opening night, beer tent, rides and lots of buzz amongst a crowd easily several hundred. GCCC coordinator Neil O'Connor strongly officiated the opening game, with AR's Geoff Talintyre (GCCC Coordinator) and Craig O'Neill (GC Football Referees Coach). Craig did game two and it looks to be a competitive tournament for the next few days, so GC referee's will need to be on it (and those outoftowners who are helping out)
Off to bed - last pics from today have completed as I speak and I have a game at 9am in Nerang. I'll have the afternoon off to relax and focus before running the U/21's Semi Final, rather unexpected appointment but a nice surprise regardless. Unsure what will happen on Saturday with finals and might be happy to just watch the juniors / take pics, but think I may have some Croatian FT games. We'll see....
Will try and update twitter / FB over the day.
No comments:
Post a Comment