By Joseph Solomon,
AIFF Media

NEW DELHI: The ability and dexterity of any Referee to control the volatility of a 90 minute stage is a direct reflection of the competence of his or her tutor -- the Referee Instructor.

In the quest to develop an exceptional Referee Instructor who in turn will develop sterling Match Referees, All India Football Federation kicked-off the FIFA MA Instructor Course in the Capital on Thursday (July 2).

Talking exclusively to www.the-aiff.com, some of the best in the business, who have acted as Match Commissioners in AFC Matches as well, Ravi Shankar, Walter Periera, Sumanta Ghosh, Gulab Chauhan and Michael Andrews stressed on importance of this “marquee Course” in the Indian Refereeing context.

“The FIFA MA Instructor Course is an imperative Course for Refereeing in India. It not only helps generate efficient Referee Instructors but also teaches them to ply their trade more effectively leading to better and palpable Referee generation overall in India,” Gautam Kar, Head of Referees, AIFF maintained.

“If you go by a pyramid-like structure of the Indian Refereeing World, then this Course is the base of everything,” stated Ravi Shankar.

“Inception starts from here. If there is no FIFA MA Course then you cannot train Referee Instructors, who in turn will be unable to train Referees, hence, clogging the growth of Refereeing in India,” he added.

However, with Refereeing on the boom in India and the AIFF conducting various Courses throughout the year the onus lies on the Referee Instructors to master their art of teaching, while honing their skills in tune with the rest.

“It is our responsibility to train efficient and able Match Referees. And this Course offers the opportunity to master our skill,” opined Walter.

In tune with Walter, Gulab Chauhan felt, “The Course not only helps us to learn the minute details of the game, but also refreshes our fundamentals, besides syncing us with the modern Refereeing Scenario.”

Over the course of 4 days the Referee Instructors will undergo a series of exercise and tests which are engineered to catalyst their growth and evolve them into better Instructors.

“The exercise are very interactive and fun, although sometimes discussions can turn into debates”, echoed Sumanta Ghosh.

“The exercises help you understand the minute details of Refereeing and the consequences of it. It installs an eye in you for even the tiniest of details on the Football pitch.”

“The Course has also given us a platform to share our ideas and plan for the future,” he added.

With 34 Instructors engaged in the FIFA MA Course the aura of learning and honing their skill-set can hardly be ignored. Instructors are willing to put in the extra mile, willing to study more, willing to scan a tiny detail are seldom sporadic.

“This is a golden opportunity for all of us to gain valuable knowledge, as it is imperative for each and every one of us to learn in order to be at the top of our game,” Walter further added.

“We are willing to put in the hard-work to work towards a common goal and that is to gift top-notch Referees to Indian Football. And this Course is a major step in helping us achieve that,” expressed Andrews.

With FIFA Courses commencing now and then, the future of Refereeing in India looks bright and in the right hands of the able Referee Instructors.