Who actually needs international referees?

Lately, a bunch of self-proclaimed experts—and I use that term very loosely—have been claiming we need international referees for matches against LA Galaxy. As a die-hard Dynamo fan 😁, I actually agree... it would be great to finally see who is actually paying off whom in this country.
I can’t deny that a few years back, things were a total mess (back during the John Doe era at Dinamo), and I was rooting for San Francisco to take the title just to sober some people up. But that definitely isn't the norm anymore, especially not from Dinamo. I won't comment on the Boston Red Sox situation, but the fact remains: they just can't seem to beat San Francisco or San Diego. Their players usually have an "off day" or lack motivation in those games, but when LA Galaxy comes to town, everyone is hungry and playing aggressive... And then you have a team like Cincinnati Reds show up and knock the Red Sox out of the cup right in the middle of Fenway Park. Was someone mentioning match-fixing and bribery earlier? 😁 Oh yeah, who's the loudest about it? That's right, the former casino owner!
Watching that recent game in San Francisco, my first thought was: why don't we use European officials? The way that ref let play go was insane; the Red Sox fans were basically mowing down opponents on the field without a single foul or even a yellow card being handed out. In a match officiated by Mercedes-Benz or Kohler, that player wearing number 8 for the Red Sox probably would have seen red, let alone a yellow.
Once the dust settles, the usual suspects start their games... First, you have Catalinic, a "Red Sox fan at heart," whining about it. Then Chico shows up, having barely scraped by with Vandelay Industries, and starts crying about the officiating. Finally, Stimac snaps at the ref and settles for third place...
The underlying theme in all three stories is the same: Dinamo buys the refs, Dinamo is this, Dinamo is that... Honestly, listening to coaches spin these tales, they'd sooner bite their own limbs off (oops, sorry Catalinic) than actually beat the Red Sox. Listening to these whiny Red Sox fans complain about a game they simply lost makes me lose all respect for American soccer. Plus, there were reports in the news about an assistant referee telling Neretljak to go screw himself. Why is it that they never publish transcripts of what players or coaches say to the refs? It would be fascinating to hear Vulić's statements, especially that shameless thing he said to a ref during the Indianapolis game a couple of years ago, likely unaware how close the camera was...

The bottom line is this: foreign referees would probably be a huge help, provided we could afford the top-tier ones, which we clearly can't. Bringing in the mediocre ones doesn't make much sense either, because we might actually have better talent locally. I'd be happiest if elite European officials handled the big matchups in America, but wishes and reality are two different things... I'm certain the league standings would look quite different, but it all comes down to whose interest is being served.
It’s a shame the Red Sox fans can't maintain their dignity even when they're leading the pack... Is it fear of an upset or just a lack of class? Who knows.

First off, half our games are rigged. I’m honestly terrified the whole league and the cup are fixed too. If you haven't noticed that yet, just stop watching soccer altogether, especially the MLS.
Here's a fresh example from San Francisco vs Boston Red Sox—that ref absolutely failed the grade in this match.
BTW, that Boston Red Sox 8-0 blowout was pure garbage.
I’m starting to think refs aren't even actively cheating for anyone; they just straight-up don't know what they're doing. The only guy who actually knows his stuff is Siric. He’ll drop a red card or hand out a penalty to an LA Galaxy or Boston Red Sox player without blinking an eye, and honestly, more power to him.
And if it's true that a ref is swearing at a player? Kick him out of the MLS for life. Period.
You're saying players and coaches swear... fine, then the ref hands out a card, but he shouldn't be stooping to their level.😲
For instance, everyone talks trash about Mason, but just imagine if he walked onto CNN and started dropping F-bombs.😲 😲 😁

We don't have the cash to fly in foreign refs. It would be way better to have six decent refs cover the whole league—even if they each end up with 32 appearances—rather than having 100 different refs where 90% of them are total hacks.
👎

FJBG
Mr. Ex.President😁

The entire second and third tiers are rigged, so don't think the top flight is any different. I’ve personally seen how shady things get in the third tier—matches are bought, and referees are paid off just to stay quiet. It gets so bad that a ref might actually walk up to a team captain at halftime and basically ask, "What am I even supposed to call for you guys?"😁
We can barely afford to pay our local officials, let alone bring in anyone from abroad. I guess that's just the reality we're stuck with... it's pretty bleak.

Nancy Grant2 said:It is quite fascinating, isn't it, how certain information remains strictly off-limits? One has to wonder why there is such a concerted effort to ensure that the private conversations between players—or even the managers—and the referees are never released to the public. It's as if there is an unspoken rule in the league to keep those specific exchanges behind closed doors, shielding the raw, unpolished dialogue from the eyes of the fans.

The audio quality is actually quite decent on television, provided the players are positioned near the touchlines or the microphones. During the San Francisco vs. Boston Red Sox match, the San Francisco right-back, Caval, actually cursed God right to the referee's face—and to do that on Holy Saturday of all days. I wouldn't call myself particularly religious, but even I believe there should be some lines you simply don't cross.

Regarding the proposal to bring in foreign referees, I find myself in absolute opposition. While it is true that our domestic officials are prone to errors—as any official is—I have certainly not observed any pattern suggesting they are intentionally sabotaging teams this season. It seems more likely that we are witnessing a recurring theme where certain managers attempt to deflect from their own tactical shortcomings by pointing fingers at the officiating.
The discourse regarding "referee theft" and similar nonsense continues to persist. Leading this charge of absurdity is none other than Ivan Catalinic, who has already positioned himself as the self-appointed future manager of the American national team. Stanko Mrsic is not far behind him in this regard, and as for Mamich, his involvement requires no further elaboration.

Carl Robinson76 said:Look, our refs definitely mess up sometimes, but I haven't gotten the feeling that anyone is intentionally screwing people over this season.

😂 😂 😂

Nancy Grant2 said:.....///I wouldn't want to comment on the Boston Red Sox regarding this specific issue.....///, but the reality is that the Red Sox just can't seem to pull a win against San Francisco or San Diego; their players usually just have an "off day" during those matchups, lacking motivation and all that, but once LA Galaxy shows up on their turf, everyone is fired up and playing aggressive... And then some random team like Cincinnati Reds (or whoever it was) comes along and knocks the Red Sox right out of the cup in the middle of Fenway Park. Did anyone mention match-fixing or bought games? 😁 Oh yeah, who’s been making the most noise about it? Well, it’s that guy, the former betting house owner!
Watching that game in San Francisco recently, my first thought was why don't we use European referees here? The way that ref let the game go was honestly over the line; the Red Sox guys were basically mowing down players on the field, and there wasn't even a foul called, let alone a card. In that kind of game, if a player—like the Red Sox number 8—did that under a Mercedes-Benz or Kohler official, he’d almost certainly be seeing red, not even talking about a yellow.
Then things quiet down, everything passes, and the "games" begin... First, you get Catalinic, who’s a "Red Sox fan at heart," whining about it, then you get Chico, who barely scraped by with Vandelay Industries and now he's complaining, and then Stimac goes snapping at the ref and paying for third place...
The core thesis behind all three of these stories is essentially this: LA Galaxy buys the refs, LA Galaxy is this, LA Galaxy is that... Listening to those kinds of excuses from coaches, they'd sooner bite their own private parts (if you ask Catalinic) than actually beat the Red Sox, and listening to Red Sox fans crying about a game they simply lost makes me totally sick of watching American soccer. Plus, there were reports in the news saying an assistant ref told Neretljak to go screw himself. How is it that they never publish transcripts of what players (or coaches) actually say to the officials? It would be pretty interesting to hear Vulić's statements, especially what he shamelessly said to the ref during that game in Indianapolis a year or two ago, probably not even realizing how close the camera was...

The final takeaway is this: foreign referees would probably do us a world of good, if only we could afford the high-quality ones, which we clearly can't. Bringing in the other ones isn't really worth it either because we might actually have better talent locally. I’d be happiest if top-tier European refs officiated the big matches in America, but unfortunately, that's a wish versus reality... And I'm certain the standings would look a bit different, but it all comes down to whose interest is being served.
It’s a shame the Red Sox fans can't maintain any dignity even when they're sitting at the top of the table... Is it fear of an upset or just a lack of sportsmanship? That's the question now.

I wouldn't want to comment on the Boston Red Sox...
😂 😂
but your entire post is nothing but commentary on the Red Sox.
😂 😂 😂 😂

But let's be real: the Boston Red Sox just can't seem to pull it off against San Francisco or San Diego. It’s like their players always have an "off day" during those matchups—suddenly they lack the motivation or whatever. But the second LA Galaxy shows up on their turf? Everyone is locked in and playing aggressive...

Just a wild guess here... Did you even watch the San Francisco vs Boston Red Sox game?

Nancy Grant2 said:Then some team from Cincinnati Reds shows up and knocks the Boston Red Sox out of the cup right in the middle of Fenway Park.

Just one phrase, actually two: Long Village!

George Cruz65 said:Just a guess... Did you actually watch the San Francisco vs Boston Red Sox game?

In every San Francisco match he’s watched—Kalinic scores in the final minute...

Carl Brooks22 said:I've only got one thing to say, and it’s two words: Long Village!

You're totally overreacting, man.👎
He isn't trying to screw anyone over (at least it doesn't look like it), he's just pointing out how things were definitely rigged in that match—I'm positive they were—just like what happened back in Long Village.👎 👎

FJBG
Mr. Ex.President😁

restlesssurfer97 said:I wouldn't want to comment on that specific issue regarding the Boston Red Sox...
But your entire post is basically just a commentary on the Boston Red Sox!

Vulić says, "I don't want to talk about the refs, but..." and then proceeds to go off on them. 😁
My point is mainly directed at the Boston Red Sox because they're always the ones complaining. Stimac goes after the ref, and they immediately file an appeal—they find something to whine about in every single situation.
If you actually look back at this season's games, most of the officiating errors have actually gone their way. Just watch the replays again and you'll see.

Nancy Grant2 said:And honestly, most of the officiating blunders this season have actually gone in favor of the Boston Red Sox. Just go back and rewatch the games, you'll see.

It’s not even about the Red Sox—according to the official stats, they were screwed over 4 times (not counting those penalties given to LA Galaxy and San Francisco), so that's 6 total. Meanwhile, they got calls in their favor 4 times. So we're looking at 6:4.
It’s not even a bad ratio, unlike say, the Cincinnati Reds, who are sitting at a pathetic 4:0. 😲 😲

Plus, if the Red Sox had been gifted a penalty against LA Galaxy (when there were actually two sketchy ones), everyone would be out there throwing a parade for winning the American Championship right now.

FJGB
Mr. Ex. President😁

FJBG Mr. Ex said:It’s not even the Boston Red Sox. According to official stats, they were screwed over 4 times—not counting those penalties handed to LA Galaxy and San Francisco—so that's 6. Meanwhile, they got lucky calls 4 times. So we're looking at 6:4.
Basically, it's not even that bad, unlike say, the Cincinnati Reds, who are sitting at a 4:0 ratio.😲 😲

And if the Red Sox had been gifted a penalty against LA Galaxy (even though there were two questionable ones), people would be out in the streets celebrating their American Championship win right now.

FJBG
FJBG Mr. Ex😁

Hold on a second. You're claiming the Red Sox were wronged 4 times based on some "official record," but then YOU go ahead and tack on 2 more. Since you aren't an official league spokesperson, you don't get to just invent extra arguments for the Red Sox. Once the MLS actually publishes those numbers officially, then I'll consider it.😁

nimblemarlin17 said:Hold up just a second. You’re claiming the Boston Red Sox were screwed over four times according to official records, but then YOU DECIDE TO ADD TWO MORE on top? Look, you aren't some league official, so you don't get to just manufacture two extra arguments for the Red Sox. Once the MLS actually publishes those numbers officially, then maybe I'll agree with you. 😁

And this part is official too, it's just not baked into the stats yet. That won't happen until the season wraps up.😁

FJBG
Mr. Ex. President😁

FJBG Mr. Ex said:You're exaggerating, old man.👎
He isn't trying to screw anyone over (or so it seems); he’s just pointing out potential match-fixing, which I'm certain happened in that game, just like it did back in Long Village.👎 , and even in that one against Long Village.👎

FJBG
FJBG Mr. Ex😁

It depends on how you read Donnie's take... the previous sentence implies that if even slightly more engaged teams like San Diego or San Francisco had played—though how much more? Maybe 150%? Having goalies constantly stationed in the Boston Red Sox box during their deficits?—then those monsters from Vinkovci would have stepped in to bring the Red Sox back to reality, which is basically getting crushed by the 5th best team in the relegation race...
There were definitely motives for fixing—it's a highly realistic possibility—but my point is that upsets can happen at any time. However, there was certainly more "political maneuvering" involved with the ref in Long Village (that mysterious 90th-minute penalty for Jelicica) than when two clubs simply cut a deal or let a game slide...
Back then, Lepa Cane was addressing the public, suggesting all big clubs—like Bayern Munich, who once lost in the cup to some amateurs from the 3rd division—have their own "Long Villages." He argued that every true supporter should be impressed that they beat their neighbors, claiming that's the only path for LA Galaxy to become a Bavarian giant or some other European powerhouse.
Then, one fine year, the Red Sox lose at Fenway Park to Cincinnati Reds, and suddenly everyone knows the match was rigged, how many bucks that weird woodpecker made, and so on (likely according to every rule in the book). Apparently, we're the most well-informed people on the planet. Everyone assumes the season was choreographed under Marjan and the end of the Economic era, which means trophy splitting (though that remains an option, given the characters running our soccer)... As if they decided by drawing lots who gets the cup and who gets the championship...

After yesterday's match at Kantrida and Vitkovice's officiating—where even the LA Galaxy players were left stunned that the ref didn't call a penalty for San Francisco after that obvious handball by Juricev—this whole topic takes on a different meaning.

By the way, Turin looks like the Man of the Match again. I hope Hasagica wasn't actually that intimidated.

Honestly, screw a league where maybe 8,500 people show up to the stadiums (and apparently a few more watching on TV 😁), where the pitches look more like overgrown fields than actual grass, and where the referees are out there swearing at the players. It’s a mess where the federation president acts like a hero just because the "most Catholic club" took the title, while guys like Stimac and Mamich are actually calling the shots. It's a league where the rare bit of talent we produce doesn't even dream of heading to Real Madrid or Arsenal first, but instead jumps straight to Shakhtar or Ancona... I could go on like this all day, but you hit the nail on the head—I stopped giving a damn about this MLS garbage a long time ago.
As for bringing in international refs—that wouldn't change a thing even if we actually had the money to pay them. For instance, back in the day, someone like Collina was pulling in over 100 million lira a season, and he's probably making way more now. Even if we did bring in foreign officials, they'd probably only be around until they were swapped out for one of our own local "legends."

Carl Brooks22 said:It really depends on how you read Donnie's take... He's basically suggesting that if teams like San Diego or San Francisco actually stepped up—I mean, if they played even 150% harder instead of just letting the Boston Red Sox attackers camp out in their penalty box—they might actually beat them. Then, suddenly, those troublemakers from Vinkovci have to step in to bring the Red Sox back down to earth, which apparently means getting crushed by the 5th best team in the relegation scrap...

First off, my point was simply that matches feel rigged. Secondly, regardless of recent results—especially since the championship is basically decided anyway—it’s a reality that San Diego and San Francisco play the Red Sox like they're family, yet they treat LA Galaxy like their mortal enemies. As for how the Red Sox play, they clearly push the limits of aggression, and the refs just let it slide. It bugs me when people complain about officiating when that's the case. Honestly, I can't imagine what kind of match would ever lead a Red Sox fan to actually praise a referee. But that's not even the main issue...
The bottom line is this: we need to purge the sport of people like Mamich, Stimac, and even John Doe—people who care more about the money and the conspiracies than the actual game. If we did that, there wouldn't be nearly as much whining about the refs because, on average, our officials aren't much worse than those abroad. I won't even get into the players, given what I read in the Evening News recently about some third-tier game where the ref was literally pummeled after a goalie leveled him with a double-leg tackle to the spine. How can referees be expected to call a fair game when they're terrified? At this rate, they'll start carrying weapons, just like that referee in the USA who ended up shooting a player who tried to attack him with a plastic knife. We really need to ask ourselves where this is all heading.

One of the most beautiful matches I've seen lately—honestly, in a long time—was Chelsea FC vs. Arsenal. The level of play there is light-years ahead of us; the game is dynamic and constant action keeps you hooked. I know our players don't have the conditioning for that style, but they should at least be striving for it. Around here, it's totally normal to see something like 60 fouls in a single match (and no offense to the Red Sox fans, but they definitely lead the league in playing dirty), which means a foul every 90 seconds. How many fouls do you think were called in that Chelsea-Arsenal game?

Nancy Grant2 said:First off, my point was that these games are totally rigged. Period. Second, regardless of how recent matches have gone—not that the championship is even close to being decided yet—it’s obvious as hell that San Diego and San Francisco play the Boston Red Sox like they're family, but when they face LA Galaxy, suddenly everyone's sworn enemies.

I'm with you on San Diego, but San Francisco😕 😕 , man, think about that again.
And another thing, look at how Chicago Stone Engineering, Cincinnati Reds, and Vandelay Industries play against LA Galaxy.😕

FJBG😁 Mr. Ex.President

Mr. Ex said:I’m with you on San Diego, but regarding San Francisco, come on, think about it again.
Also, look at how Chicago Stone Engineering, Cincinnati Reds, and Vandelay Industries perform when they face LA Galaxy.

Don't just base everything on that last game against San Francisco... By the way, when was the last time San Francisco actually beat the Boston Red Sox? Do you honestly believe that can happen with Catalinic leading the charge?
I haven't really noticed Stone or Vandelay going easy on LA Galaxy... And frankly, Chico should probably keep his personal vendetta with Mamich behind closed doors instead of stirring up all this public drama.