Three former Coventry City players have taken the first steps to a change of career within the game – training to become referees.
Used to taking stick from fans when things don’t go to plan on the pitch, the abuse directed at match officials can be on another level when controversy reigns, but the trio of ex-Sky Blues appear ready to face that challenge.
Peter Vincenti, Carl Baker and Chris Birchall are described as ‘trailblazers’ for taking up the whistle after a professional career in the game, joining a fast-track scheme that could take the all the way to the Premier League.
At Warwick University last month, 16 current and past players began a sped-up journey thanks to a collaboration between players union the PFA and elite refereeing body PGMOL, plus funding from the Premier League. The first cohort on a three-year programme have begun their training.
And while they may not be household names, the group have more than 5,000 appearances between them across various levels of the professional and semi-professional English football pyramid.
One of those fledgling referees is Peter Vincenti who had a 14-year professional career that took him to eight different clubs, including a difficult spell at Coventry in the 2017/18 League Two campaign, playing 29 times and scoring three goals. He went on to join Macclesfield Town, which included a loan stint at non-league Hereford before ending his career in the Jersey Football Combination with amateur side St Peter. Now 38, he is optimistic, but realistic, for what lies ahead.
“These 16 people have experience and knowledge that is slightly different to what is already in place,” he said, speaking to the BBC.
“I don’t think anyone is thinking ‘we are ex-players, we are going to officiate in a World Cup final’. Other people might, but we can’t control that.”
Get the latest Coventry City headlines sent straight to your phone
Get the latest Coventry City news sent straight to your phone by joining our Sky Blues WhatsApp group. It’s a free service. You just need WhatsApp on your phones to participate. To join, just click here, select ‘Join Community’ and you’re in. If you later decide to leave our community, you can do so by clicking on the name at the top of your screen and clicking ‘Exit Group’. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. If you are curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
There were around 130 expressions of interest when the PFA contacted its members about becoming a referee. Chris Birchall, a former team-mate of David Beckham’s at MLS side LA Galaxy is already a qualified referee, so he could be one of the first to take charge of a game – and that could happen within weeks.
The 40-year-old, who had a three year spell with City in the Championship at City between 2006-09, making 33 appearances and scoring two goals, has already started to watch games differently in preparation for what lies ahead. “It’s about not rushing decisions and letting the game flow,” he said. “Anthony Taylor is one of the best.
“I took my time to analyse the Man Utd v Liverpool game. You see him making the right decisions, getting in the right positions, being very confident in his decisions, it is pleasing to watch.
“The fitness side is fine. It is more positioning, where to go, where to move and trying to anticipate something happening.”
The group will have their progress monitored and – if they show ability – fast-tracked. It will still start with appointments at grass roots level but the feedback and coaching will be more extensive.
As for the abuse and criticism of referees, which is a constant at every level, along with debate around player and manager behaviour, the players hope their experience will hold them in good stead.
In the introductions at the start of the course, one of the 16 admitted to getting a suspension for five bookings, all of which were for dissent.
Yet Vincenti doesn’t feel it will be as big a problem as some might think.
“We have already experienced that in our playing careers,” said the former attacking midfielder, who received a fair bit of stick from Coventry fans when things didn’t quite got to plan for him at the club. “You have situations as a player where your form dips and people are on your back.
“You know it [abuse] is going to happen but we have a thick skin. It’s not at the forefront of my mind, otherwise I wouldn’t be here. I prefer to look at the more positive aspects.”
Birchall said: “We are going to get scrutinised more than most because we are ex-players coming in and it is going to be publicised a lot more. But we will lean on each other. We are the trailblazers and I can only see it being popular with ex-players.”
Leave a Reply