V.League is entering the final stage with key matches, deciding the chance to win the championship, fighting for a high ranking or the relegation battle and even the fate of the coaches on the shaky seat. Like many previous seasons, this peak period witnessed a familiar piece of information: Foreign referees were invited to perform duties.
The problem is not the " import" of referees. In fact, inviting referees from Japan, Korea, Malaysia or Thailand is a reasonable short-term solution, helping the "hot" matches to be somewhat fair, avoiding negative reactions, even conflicts. But the bigger question still hangs on the heads of those working in referee training and management: When will Vietnamese football really ensure a team of "king of black" with enough prestige, high expertise and courage for "hot" matches?
There are several training every year. Every year there is criteria to improve the quality of arbitration. But controversy has never been. From blowing the law, breaking the whistle, losing control of the match, to the psychology of fear of collisions, fear of public opinion ... The "scratches" repeated through each season, to the point of becoming a "specialty" of V.League.
It is known that, in sensitive matches, using foreign referees is a move to show fairness, objectivity, and avoid psychology from the teams, but looking further, it should only be a temporary solution, not a "come back to the deadline". It may sound painful, but behind the invitation to a foreign referee is the sad thing when the person involved does not really trust him. When trust is misplaced, when respect for domestic referees is getting thinner, the game - no matter how attractive - is always a bit bitter.
There have been calls for domestic referees to feel ashamed - to make more efforts - when foreign referees appear, but the change is almost zero. The question "When will it be time to invite foreign referees?" will still be there, if he refuses to answer with action. And will continue to be an indispensable part of the V.League every season.
