Ex-Premier League referee has major Liverpool concern as image emerges
Keith Hackett has insisted referees must maintain their fitness levels throughout the season or Liverpool and the rest of the Premier League will suffer.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-Fifa and Premier League referee claimed the fitness test officials take at the beginning of the season is sufficient but “many” do not keep it up throughout the campaign.
The PGMOL released an image earlier this week (18 July) of officials doing fitness work ahead of the 2022-23 season.
The Premier League kicks off in August but Liverpool begin their campaign with the Community Shield against Man City at the end of this month (30 July).
“Referees have to take a fitness test laid down by Fifa,” Hackett told Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley.
“I have seen down the years referees train for their fitness test, pass it and then there is a decline in that level that they’ve achieved.
“What I used to do with the PGMOL is have a shuttle test as well. They have to hit the levels when running backwards and forwards.
“I brought that in three or four times a season and on occasion it was a surprise.
“The timing is always difficult in midseason because you want referees to recover. Ultimately, at the end of the day they are professional referees and should be taking the test on more than one occasion.
“The criteria I laid down was if you don’t pass you can’t referee. That protects the business and the FA.
“If they failed it twice they would be moved off the list.
“This is a psychological challenge too because this is a pass or fail. Referees don’t have pass or fail when refereeing a game. It’s unusual for a referee.
“If they pass the Fifa test, I’m happy that is a good scenario. The thing that worries me is if they don’t apply the fitness levels they achieve, and many don’t sustain those fitness levels.”
In other news, Liverpool may have next Virgil van Dijk in their ranks after a “big” reveal.