Can we stop adding new rules to the game until the umpires are able to consistently apply the ones we already have.
If umpiring is so hard, and i believe it is, lets not make things harder on the umps by changing rules and interpretations in the game so often.
If the umpiring higher ups need to justify their pay cheques then they should be spending time on improving consistency of umpiring and finding ways to make the adjudication of our game easier.
If one of the goals is to have the umpires better respected, then stop making things harder for them by changing things up all the time. Keep the rules and interpretations static and spend the development time on improving consistency.
Maybe use the 4th umpire as a video umpire who can overturn bad decisions or jsut review free kicks inside 50 in the time the player takes to have his shot. If it is clearly not a free kick then over turn it.
My favourite memory of umpiring was quite a few years ago when an umpire paid a free kick for nothing, then another one ran over and over turned the free kick and there was a ball up. Ive never seen it happen again since but it was great when it happened.
Umpires are people and they make mistakes, lets have systems where those mistakes can be over turned if it can be done quickly and appropriately. Make umpires consistent and stop bad decisions getting through as much as they do and people will respect the umpires more.
If umpiring is so hard, and i believe it is, lets not make things harder on the umps by changing rules and interpretations in the game so often.
If the umpiring higher ups need to justify their pay cheques then they should be spending time on improving consistency of umpiring and finding ways to make the adjudication of our game easier.
If one of the goals is to have the umpires better respected, then stop making things harder for them by changing things up all the time. Keep the rules and interpretations static and spend the development time on improving consistency.
Maybe use the 4th umpire as a video umpire who can overturn bad decisions or jsut review free kicks inside 50 in the time the player takes to have his shot. If it is clearly not a free kick then over turn it.
My favourite memory of umpiring was quite a few years ago when an umpire paid a free kick for nothing, then another one ran over and over turned the free kick and there was a ball up. Ive never seen it happen again since but it was great when it happened.
Umpires are people and they make mistakes, lets have systems where those mistakes can be over turned if it can be done quickly and appropriately. Make umpires consistent and stop bad decisions getting through as much as they do and people will respect the umpires more.
