The standard of umpires and the application of Var should also improve. Webb’s succession as head referee comes at a time of great change. Pressure from clubs at the end of last season had become enormous by the time of the Premier League AGM in June, when it became clear that Riley would not be going ahead. The clubs also discussed the possibility of dedicated Var officials to fill that role alone rather than combining the duties on the pitch and Stockley Park, as most currently do.
The bigger picture is the introduction of the Elite Referee Development Plan, driven by the Premier League and created to raise the standards of officials. The best league in the world had to have the best officials in the world, or so the theory went, and that was not what the league’s clubs and executives sometimes saw last season. Much of this was not Riley’s fault, but a result of the painfully slow process of promotion and development of umpires in the pyramid overseen by the FA.
That came under the auspices of the all-powerful chairman of the FA’s refereeing committee, David Elleray, who himself passed away this summer after a reign so long that few can remember when it began. The new elite plan will allow for faster promotion of talented referees and will hopefully lead to a much better talent pool over time. But as Webb prepares to take over from Riley, like a manager fixing up an underperforming squad, the immediate problems are clear.
The “Select Group 1” referee list has two top-class FIFA officials, Michael Oliver and Anthony Taylor, who will both be at the World Cup final in November, but behind them the four retirements this summer means the loss of more than 60 seasons of refereeing experience in the Premier League. One of Riley’s last major decisions was to offer Martin Atkinson, Jon Moss and Kevin Friend senior coaching and management positions.
Mike Dean, the most experienced retiree of them all, received a standing ovation when Riley bid him farewell onstage at the PGMOL conference in London this weekend. For Dean, a teenage ballroom dancing champion, there is certainly a different kind of Saturday entertainment waiting on television.
While all four of them have had their ups and downs and have gathered grievances from those who felt unjust, they leave and take a lot of field experience with them. Does Webb have enough officials with the necessary experience to persuade him?
Riley has only promoted one umpire to the “Select Group 1” this summer, Tom Bramall, to join four who had joined a year earlier, Tony Harrington, Michael Salisbury, John Brooks and Australian FIFA list umpire Jarred Gillett. But between them there were four who refereed just 19 Premier League games all season, nine of them by Gillett. In comparison: last season the four retirees together played 95 games.
There have also been some book signings. Former Premier League referee Bobby Madley is being rehabilitated and will be the championship referee next season. Scottish FIFA list referee Bobby Madden has switched to English football but has only been given a spot on the national list of League One and Two. You would have thought that a man regularly in charge of Old Firm games could manage Southampton v Fulham.
As Riley passes the baton to Webb, both need their new recruits to get ready. Referees must also have the support to speak. To admit when they’ve made mistakes, to explain when they’ve done it right – and occasionally not be afraid to put managers, players, fans or media in their place.