The EIHL and its officials

[raetiamann]

A certain Mr Hanson was, I believe, a former professional player and he wasn't the most popular or consistent referee! I do, however, agree that it would be good for former players to take on the role.

Alongside some of today's officials Hanson & even Carson were OK, bearing in mind how the game has changed. Now Nico Toeman, he was an official who was properly controversial.

[mark]

I agree that ex players can make better referees , but unless it becomes a paid career you will struggle to attract them , they are still fairly young at the end of their playing career and need to earn an income.

[Jayboy]

I agree that ex players can make better referees , but unless it becomes a paid career you will struggle to attract them , they are still fairly young at the end of their playing career and need to earn an income.

TheEIHL should be paying the referee's that is part of the current problem... A way needs to be found to fund it.. as Eric and others have said, its time the clubs and the league look at the problem from a fund point of view..

[DiscoRay]

The NCAA, ECHL and many leagues in Europe are able to make it work with part-time officials, that means we can too. The problem is back to governance with all the different bodies within the UK, funding (rather the lack of) and most of all, lack of will to do it. EIHL owners seem content to plough any extra cash made into their roster for the next year, which for the most part is fair enough. Though if you keep raising the speed and standards of players coming into the league, with the level of officials at best standing still, it's only going to make things worse.

[Jayboy]

The NCAA, ECHL and many leagues in Europe are able to make it work with part-time officials, that means we can too. The problem is back to governance with all the different bodies within the UK, funding (rather the lack of) and most of all, lack of will to do it. EIHL owners seem content to plough any extra cash made into their roster for the next year, which for the most part is fair enough. Though if you keep raising the speed and standards of players coming into the league, with the level of officials at best standing still, it's only going to make things worse.

When their nailed down to answering the question at various media related statements and public forums and Q&A sessions and the odd TV interview, they all to a man admit it is a ongoing issue that they need to solve.

The problem arises when they believe they have done it or are in the process of doing it with what we currently have, when all evidence from players, ex players, agents long standing fans and even some ex officials quite clearly point to the fact they haven't and not only have they not got a suitable solution, the ones they have adopted are in a lot of respects making it worse, if you want a much better league then you also need much better officials..

[Jarv]

The problem is just as bad if not much worse then when Kirkham was in charge. Hicks was always the most one eyed awful ref in the league while he was reffing now his utter incompetence is running the show. Even if the refs stay part time then the person in charge needs to be above reproach and totally independent.

Surely if nothing else they can bring in an ex NHL ref to head up our referring/disciplinary system.

[TealSteeler]

I had it, on word, that Hicks was apparently the reason why Andy Carson stepped down from officiating matches.

Hicks, allegedly, was picking and choosing his games (mainly in Cardiff so he didn't have to travel) and was basically telling referees like Carson that he "has" to officiate midweek or on a Sunday in places in Scotland as well as in England.

Yeah OK Mike, hmmm....

[Jayboy]

I had it, on word, that Hicks was apparently the reason why Andy Carson stepped down from officiating matches.

Hicks, allegedly, was picking and choosing his games (mainly in Cardiff so he didn't have to travel) and was basically telling referees like Carson that he "has" to officiate midweek or on a Sunday in places in Scotland as well as in England.

Yeah OK Mike, hmmm....

That's quite shocking if there is any truth to it, surely an abuse of position at the very least?

[TealSteeler]

Andy works for HSBC, and one day I was talking to a football referee in Sheffield who works there too.

The said football official knew I was a hockey fan as well, and asked me if I had heard of Andy Carson whom he works with. Told him, and then when I asked why Andy retired from the stripes: like was it correct to what I had heard. Got told nope, the Hicks story.

Never liked Hicks as an official before this and now more if it's true.

[heathk01]

If. I remember right some said they had applied to do officials course and heard nothing . That must be two year ago, possibly more?