Trio Slovak referees in Turkey

24. 02. 2010 01:46:10

   Beginning of the year means for the football teams a time of hard work and preparation for the rest of season. Football players do not like this part of the year because it is a time when they have to charge up for the whole year. But the referees have to do the same. They must be prepared at least so well as football players. One of the most favourite place for the winter camp among European teams is south of Turkey where a lot of teams spend several weeks in winter. And this destination becomes very popular among football referees as well.
After the winter referee workshop that took place in a beginning of February in Senec 3 of us, Miroslav Benko, Ondrej Brendza and Robert Mojsej, travelled to Turkey, to the small town close Antalya called Belek. Our trip was perfectly prepared therefor we would like to thank Lubos Michel who arranged it for us. In the luxury hotel Susesi we had excellent conditions for training, fitness and aftermatch recovery. During 10 days we had 7 very good matches. All of them managed as a referee Robert Mojsej and Ondrej Brendza with Miro Benko were excellent assistents referee during our matches. We made very well coordinated team during our stay in Turkey. We can say this stay and the possibility to referee 7 challenging matches was perfect preparing for the rest of the season. The most attractive matches we could referee were the matches Spartak Moscow v. CSKA Sofia and Steaua Bucurest v. Bate Borisov. These two matches were really exciting also because of the atmosphere that followed them. The matches were broadcasted in domestic tubes and the players were guided by a lot of journalists. Of course the rest of the matches were also very challenging and high-graded. Especially one match between Russian team Nizny Novgorod and Ukrainian team Krivbas Krivi Rig was extremely difficult. Both teams decided to play 2 half times for 55 minutes and for each half time they prepared new 11 players who played as good as they could. After this match we were really tired.
Let me once again mention of conditions that hotel resorts in the surroundings of Antalya offer. Very well prepared fields of play, quality hotels and especially a lot of high-class teams propose optimal conditions for referees in winter.  According to administrators it is not so easy to arrange good referees for so many matches that are played there. I can see very good possibility for the Slovak referees to choose this way of preparation during the winter break.
We are glad we had such a opportunity to referee these matches. We do hope that our effort during a winter break will be reflected in domestic league.
 
All our matches we had in Turkey:
CSKA Sofia – Austria Karntern; Nizny Novgorod – Krivbas Krivy Rig; Spartak Moscow  – CSKA Sofia; Novosibirsk – Atirau; Amkar Perm – Politechnica Iasi; Steaua Bukurest – Bate Borisov; Soci – Cernomorets Odesa.

(rm)