Howard Webb ready to issue ultimatum to Premier League clubs over referees
Howard Webb is set to tell Premier League clubs that they must invest in long-term budgets if they want to see best in class officiating in the division. The Professional Match Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) chief will reportedly announce new losses of almost £1million next week.
PGMOL, the body responsible for refereeing games in English professional English football, appears to be haemorrhaging cash. And Chief Refereeing Officer Webb is to reveal losses of £900,000, per the Telegraph
That figure comes in additions to losses suffered last year that saw a £379,000 figures adjusted to £1.8 million. That means the group now have a loss of £3.4m totalled over the last three years.
With that in mind, it is claimed that Webb will inform top-flight clubs that in order to get the highest standard of officiating they will need to increase their budgets.
And PGMOL could yet have more financial undertakings to come. The body have been forced to make plans to cover a possible tax bill from HMRC that could yet arriving following a decade-long legal issue, the report adds.
That has seen proceedings head to the Supreme Court over a case that will determine whether lower league referees can be treated as self-employed or not.
As well as renewed financial concerns and scrutiny PGMOL is set to for internal change to be introduced by Webb. Referees could soon find themselves being relegated from Premier League responsibilities.
Officials who form part of select group one could soon find themselves outside of that if they do not deliver on the pitch. This forms part of wider restructure.
Select group one is also set to merge with select group two, the group who officiate matches in the Championship, League One and League Two. PGMOL is joint-owned by the Premier League, the Football League and Football Association.
At a recent meeting of 350 officials, referees learned change was coming. The 20 select group one refs discovered they can fall down the hierarchy.
The last official to suffer that ignominy was Stuart Attwell when he was temporarily demoted in 2012. There is now said to be a determination to fast-track the best young officials however, particularly those involved in the elite referee development plan including figures such as Sam Barrott, Lewis Smith and Sam Allison.
VAR's introduction has added greater scrutiny than ever but also seen an immense rise in costs. A combination of millions in fees and hundreds of work hours has added additional strain, while funding for officials has stagnated.
PGMOL's budget is said to be in the region of £33m. Webb and chief operating officer Danielle Every want to agree a multi-year deal with the body's beneficiaries as they currently work year to year with reserves covering losses.
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