Respect on the pitch: Japan's polite football players take on the World Cup
Entering the arena -- A referee in Japan tells allCNNGo's resident Soccer aficionado Adam Fulford cornered Kobe-based Englishman Alan Gibson to get the lowdown on Japan's soccer players. In addition to being a fervent fan of the J.League, Gibson has followed the game's evolution in Japan for the past 20 years at pitch level as a referee. As the FIFA World Cup gets underway, we ask the ref to outline what special attributes Japan's players bring to the "global festival of football"?
CNNGo: How long have you been refereeing in Japan, and at what levels?
Alan Gibson (AG): I refereed in other places before Japan: Singapore, Hong Kong. So I started as soon as I got here. These days I referee practice games involving J.League teams in western Japan, and also games involving mainly foreigners.
AG: If I am clear and communicate my decisions, they are usually accepted. Players sometimes actually tell me what a pleasure it was to be refereed by me! Striker Kazuyoshi Miura, for one.
CNNGo: Kazu?! The man sensationally dropped from Japan's squad on the eve of the 1998 World Cup in France?!
AG: Japan's first footballer in the Italian top division! Once, after a practice game with Vissel Kobe, Kazu told me that I was the best he'd experienced.
CNNGo: He probably says that to all the refs. Do you notice anything in particular about the attitude of Japanese players to officials?
AG: They show much more respect than players from Europe or South America. Players sometimes compliment me in English: "Nice call," Thank you," "Good referee," "Nice play." These days I see less respect for the field of play itself. In the old days, a Japanese player being subbed would generally turn and bow to the pitch at the touchline. These days it tends to be a cursory nod at best.
CNNGo: What else has changed?
AG: Unfortunately, Japanese players have been getting more cynical as the years go by: learning the tricks of the trade, diving, pulling opponents more often. I see a little less respect towards officials.
CNNGo: What factors are at play?
AG: Foreign games on TV, with players seen to be getting away with more. And these days the "win at all costs" mentality is creeping in. As professionalism grows, so does cynicism. It's the price of progress. Clamping down on fouls as the J.League is doing this year -- or trying to do, according to the referee groups -- can only help.
AG: Yes. I very rarely see tackles by Japanese players that are intended to really hurt an opponent, but I do see a lot of unintentional, or clumsy, or late tackles. In my opinion most of them can be attributed to bad timing or poor judgment, although some referees and players think otherwise. But Japanese footballers are generally clean at every level, from the professionals down to the amateurs in games between foreigners and Japanese that I referee in Japan.
CNNGo: In general, how good is the refereeing in Japan?
AG: While the J.League players these days are more professional, the refereeing has not advanced much. The players improve with practice, better coaching, and so forth. The way to improve referees is to accept that mistakes are made and to discuss them openly: in the press, on TV, or in groups of their peers. It is not common in Japan to draw attention to a sporting official's mistake. But if improvements are to be made, these things must be highlighted and discussed openly.
CNNGo: What should Japanese players bear in mind about the officiating at the World Cup?
AG: The Assistant Referees will not hesitate to come forward if they see something. There will be no deferential Japanese-style kohai/sempai (junior/senior) relationships among World Cup officials. So, no sneaky stuff off the ball! You'll risk giving away a cheap yellow card. And be careful on corners. There will be penalties given for pushing and pulling by the defense.
CNNGo: Any advice as a referee to all the players at the World Cup?
AG: Play fair. You will be respected by the officials, and in the end you will get more from the officials.
