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If any of you were watching the US v Ireland match June 7, you witnessed a referee's most embarrassing moment. Before a sizable live audience, and an even larger television audience, the tying goal was scored on an obvious offside. The goal was permitted to stand.
We're not going to try to explain what happened. Nor are we going to try to tell you how to prevent having it happen to you.
We're not sure of the former. And the latter is impossible.
The simple truth is, the longer you referee, the greater the chances that you will be involved in your own embarrassing moment. Probably lots of them.
Now, this may not be a very comforting piece of news to give you. And it may not make it easier when you remember that similar things will happen to every referee, not just you.
Still, there are some points to be made here.
Bad things happen to good people. You can - and should - do everything reasonable to avoid it... study the Laws on your own and at clinics, watch other referees, ask their opinions, discuss game situations, practice. But something will happen.
Don't dwell on your mistakes. Don't let them get to you. A referee needs a thick skin and a strong ego. You goofed, we all do, move on.
Learn from your mistakes. Look at them as opportunities to improve. While you can expect to make mistakes, you should work on not repeating them. Ask another referee to observe you work and give you tips. Ask for an assessment, even if you are not considering moving up just yet. Don't let a mistake become a habit.
So, keep refereeing. Have fun. And don't worry about making mistakes.
(If you wish to comment on this article, send a message to basra@basra-refs.org.)
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