The Chairman of the AFFA Refereeing Committee Frank De Blacker answered questions from the AFFA press service. The Belgian specialist commented on Elchin Mesiev's promotion to the I category in FIFA, and also assessed the work of the referees in the first half of the Misli Premier League.
- How do you feel about Elchin Masiev's promotion to the I category of FIFA?
- This is very good news not only for Elchin, but also for the AFFA Refereeing Committee. We already have two referees in the first group of FIFA (the second is Aliyar Aghayev - ed.), and this is an excellent result. This can be seen as a result of hard work and stable play, as well as a sign that UEFA is closely monitoring our referees. It will also give a positive impetus to all referees in Azerbaijan.
- What played the main role in Elchin Mesiyev's promotion to this category?
- As a FIFA referee, you have to be consistent and on top of your game with your team. As a referee, you have to remain as "invisible" as possible. An "invisible" referee is a good referee, he knows exactly what is happening in the game. It is a combination of different skills such as physical fitness, relationships with players, anticipation of the episode, clear decision-making and language skills. English is very important for communication in European football. The referee is the leader of the team both on and off the field. It is a great honor for me to represent my country in Europe.
- For the first time in the history of Azerbaijan, two of our referees will be in the I category. Can we conclude that the level of our refereeing is improving?
- I have been heading the AFFA Refereeing Committee for 6 months now and I see that our referees have made progress. They are in development. Because we work together as a real team. We support each other, we win together, we lose together. This is a new mentality! We work closely with open and transparent communication. Everyone is important in our team. During the games, I see leaders, decision makers on the pitch, and we follow UEFA guidelines and VAR intervention standards. We don’t want to award easy free kicks or unjustified red cards. Of course, our referees are not computers and they can make mistakes. But we must avoid big mistakes. We work for this every day.
- How can having two of our I category referees help the future of Azerbaijani football and refereeing?
- I hope that we can motivate young boys and girls to become referees. We need them because without a referee there is no football. For this reason, it is necessary to support and protect our referees with respect. Refereeing brings skills such as leadership, responsibility, communication with players. These are skills that we use and need in our daily lives. I recommend it to everyone. Because refereeing changes your life in a positive way.
- Finally, the first half of the Annual Premier League has ended. How do you rate the work of the referees before the winter break?
- I saw a group that worked hard in the first part of the season. At the beginning, it was important to find a balance between the referees' decisions and VAR. We followed the UEFA intervention line. That is, the referee must make decisions on the pitch himself, and not wait for VAR. VAR only helps when the referee makes an obvious mistake. Referees take responsibility during games, and VAR only helps when necessary. Our referees showed more confidence and control over the game. The decision on the pitch is made by the referee, not VAR. This was the starting point of the season. I also saw how the group made progress. Of course, it is impossible to be perfect. But together we do our best to make logical and understandable decisions. Every day we work with the department, fitness coaches and referee inspectors with a single philosophy. We work to ensure that the referees show the best game on the pitch. And now it's time to prepare for the important second part of the season. We will be ready. Trust our team of referees.
Finally, we wish you a happy upcoming holidays!
