I think a possible solution is for each of the teams in the league to "employ" refs.... and by that I mean that of their budget for the team, X amount is allocated into a "ref" pot. All ten teams equally contribute enough money to pay for enough refs to not only turn up to the game but also receive training. I dont think it would be too much to ask to pay the refs and I certainly dont think it would be beyond any team to demand ref payment. If they cant afford it, as well as paying their newly signed NHL players :roll: then they dont get refs, which means the game can't go ahead. Simple as :twisted: Its all about budget management and getting your priorities right. You want decent reffing? Pay for it. Even the lowest football leagues pay for their refs. Yet again, the EIHL being as unprofessional as ever. If they ever want to be taken half as seriously as football, rugby and cricket and want to have that media coverage, then the league management need to make the step from amateur to professional, and quick.
is there anything the devils can do about the refs?
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For some reason,loads of Elite League officials are based in the Cardiff area. Mike Hicks,Dean Smith,Sam Motton,Kieran O'Halloran,Nathan Ormond.They're shocking the lot of them! I mean it's like Hicksy wrote his own rulebook.And apparently Hubback was just as bad back in the day. 
I blame whoever teaches them locally.Does anyone know who that is? Are they sponsored by Specsavers like the pucks? As Hicksy is an international referee do you think that he perhaps coaches the other officials too?
I blame whoever teaches them locally.Does anyone know who that is? Are they sponsored by Specsavers like the pucks? As Hicksy is an international referee do you think that he perhaps coaches the other officials too?
Getting refs from overseas is the only way I see it improving.We did it in the past when we had the likes of Glenn Meier who for me was one of the best refs around and certainly favoured no bias either way during games.I also recall some Finnish refs who again were top notch.
I know cost is a factor etc but I'm sure the league could pay a reasonable salary and if the officials are professional and not having to combine with day jobs at least they can concentrate on being a good ref.
I'm sure the league could get a sponsor involved for cars etc and I guess you would not be looking at a high basic salary for doing say 3-4 games per week.
I know cost is a factor etc but I'm sure the league could pay a reasonable salary and if the officials are professional and not having to combine with day jobs at least they can concentrate on being a good ref.
I'm sure the league could get a sponsor involved for cars etc and I guess you would not be looking at a high basic salary for doing say 3-4 games per week.
I'd be interested to know what the typical forum user would classify as a reasonable salary for an Elite official?
What criteria they would (reasonably) expect from an official and how many would volunteer (at their own expense) to become a member of a panel of critics for officiating oversight.
assuming a weekly wage budget of £7000 per team 18 players (current roster) would draw £390 each, should this be the amount paid to an official per week regardless of game allocation?
what about on the off season?
What criteria they would (reasonably) expect from an official and how many would volunteer (at their own expense) to become a member of a panel of critics for officiating oversight.
assuming a weekly wage budget of £7000 per team 18 players (current roster) would draw £390 each, should this be the amount paid to an official per week regardless of game allocation?
what about on the off season?
I don`t usually post on the inferno I usually keep my opinions to my self but after Saturday`s match I would like to express a thought or two..... Like andydevils I was at the exit gate when the officials left the ice and witnessed what occurred.Although there were stewards around none had been instructed to be there even though it was quite obvious that something would happen.I would like to point out that one steward DID do something......He came from the cafe end of the rink made his sarcastic remarks to referee HICKS then "playfully" punched him twice to the shoulder and then skulked off back into the crowd.I know we are all allowed your own opinions but for a steward (who gets in the games for FREE ) to openly make his remarks to the referee and then "assault" him (whether it is playful or not) NO ONE can touch any of the officials for any reason. I totally agree that HICKS was out of order with his remarks and whether there were children nearby or not he still should not have made them.
Coach... I was thinking of this the other night.
I would think a reasonable amount is maybe £2-300 per game, plus travelling expenses. Perhaps a consultancy type contract? You get paid for the work you do essentially.
I think it says something when there are guys coming over here from America, Canada and Europe, finding the reffing (by all refs) so utterly absurd that they get riled, and end up screaming at the refs for making bad calls, which subsequently ends them up in the box for more time than not.... then they return to wherever they've come from, promising to proactively recommend NOT playing for a British ice hockey team!
I would think a reasonable amount is maybe £2-300 per game, plus travelling expenses. Perhaps a consultancy type contract? You get paid for the work you do essentially.
I think it says something when there are guys coming over here from America, Canada and Europe, finding the reffing (by all refs) so utterly absurd that they get riled, and end up screaming at the refs for making bad calls, which subsequently ends them up in the box for more time than not.... then they return to wherever they've come from, promising to proactively recommend NOT playing for a British ice hockey team!
Unfortunately the people you think can remedy the situation namely Andy French and Simon Kirkham are the self same people who are causing the problem. The amount of direction and discretion the referees are given is ridiculous. They want the game refereed the way they want it played and if you are not prepared to referee it that way then you will not referee in the eliteleague.
There have been a number of rule changes this year that in contrast to publishing them have been kept very quiet and this does the referees no favours. If a player is injured on a play then as far as French and Kirkham are concerned the closest player to him at the time gets thrown out. Its that ridiculous. A player could take a massive run at another and injure himself going for the hit. He might get a two for charging but the other guy will get five plus game for whatever best suits at the time. I reitereate an injury will be called as five plus game this year.
This issue was obvious to all from in the summer after the eliteleague officials camp and its just playing out as expected. If you want genuine change get independent guys in from better leagues who can make policy on rules and coach the officials in there implementation to a far higher standard.
We have nhl coaches coming over in the summers these days to help make our coaches better. How about get nhl referees over in the summer to make our officials better. Oh that old chestnut again. It costs money and bottom line is there isn't that much in uk hockey. Its a minority sport.
There have been a number of rule changes this year that in contrast to publishing them have been kept very quiet and this does the referees no favours. If a player is injured on a play then as far as French and Kirkham are concerned the closest player to him at the time gets thrown out. Its that ridiculous. A player could take a massive run at another and injure himself going for the hit. He might get a two for charging but the other guy will get five plus game for whatever best suits at the time. I reitereate an injury will be called as five plus game this year.
This issue was obvious to all from in the summer after the eliteleague officials camp and its just playing out as expected. If you want genuine change get independent guys in from better leagues who can make policy on rules and coach the officials in there implementation to a far higher standard.
We have nhl coaches coming over in the summers these days to help make our coaches better. How about get nhl referees over in the summer to make our officials better. Oh that old chestnut again. It costs money and bottom line is there isn't that much in uk hockey. Its a minority sport.
Mark, while I think your suggestion has merit, there are many grey areas. £200 expenses sounds fair enough but they would be coming in from Europe for a start ( thats what has been suggested) now I think those European leagues would object seriously to that, however, lets say they were allowed for a months trial period, picture the scenario, a European ref with two Brit linesmen ( as he wouldn'r be refereeing, one of the linos could be Hicks) the ref misses a major during the course of play, Hicks sees it and mentions it to the new ref, the offender gets thrown out, the crowd go mad, we are back to square 1!!! I don't think we could cover 5 refs over a weekend doing 10 games between them, I like your thinking though and maybe it could work!
I dont know about Mark, but I was suggesting we pay the current refs and linos actually. By paying refs and linos, it will encourage people to actually want to go into it as a career rather than a hobby and therefore encourage more "being proud of the job" and "wanting to do a good job"
Training of course costs money too, so I would suggest that either a) the training budget is split equally and supplied from each of the teams in the UK (not just EIHL - then the leagues can share refs?) or b) training is provided, made a mandatory requirement to complete training in order to practice and the ref himself has to pay for it (which doesnt sound so bad if he is actually being paid for the job).
One might think that sounds absurd... but.... we expect physiotherapists* to pay themselves through a qualification in order to practice dont we?? (etc etc *insert profession here)
Training of course costs money too, so I would suggest that either a) the training budget is split equally and supplied from each of the teams in the UK (not just EIHL - then the leagues can share refs?) or b) training is provided, made a mandatory requirement to complete training in order to practice and the ref himself has to pay for it (which doesnt sound so bad if he is actually being paid for the job).
One might think that sounds absurd... but.... we expect physiotherapists* to pay themselves through a qualification in order to practice dont we?? (etc etc *insert profession here)