Sort it out: MSFL boss gets tough on foul play that marred last season
The boss of the Maccabi Southern Football League has this week urged Jewish footballers to show more respect towards referees, as well as demanding an improvement in players’ discipline.
Speaking ahead of the start of the new season, David Wolff wants to avoid a repeat of events that blighted last season – which included a match being abandoned after a mass 22-player brawl.
And believing such instances are driving away referees from the game, he said: “The M(S)FL has always prided itself on the fact that most of its games are covered by qualified officials. We want to maintain this standard and can only do so if they are shown respect.
“Respect works both ways and I am sure they, in turn, will offer courtesy to the players. However, when this breaks down problems arise. So I would ask everyone to make a concerted effort to raise the standards. I have heard from various sources that dissent and arguments in the league turn players and referees away and I hope we can reverse that trend.
“I also hope that we can strive to improve on discipline. Most of the cautions are for dissent and the dismissals are rarely violent. Nevertheless, the amount of cautions need to lessen and I look forward to seeing an improvement.”
Also hoping for a good relationship between players and referees, MSFL referee secretary Martin Fox says: “We’ll be promoting the respect campaign again this season. The refs will speak to the managers and players beforehand and we’re all looking forward to the season. I don’t think indiscipline was any worse last season, but there were one or two high-profile incidents.”
Forty one teams will be taking part in the league – a drop on last year – though the declining figures are to be expected according to Wolff. He said: “We still have a viable vehicle, but of course are hopeful that the numbers will swell again in the years ahead.
“We recognise that 11-a-side football nationwide isn’t as popular as it used to be and that more people are playing small-sided football. There are probably several reasons for this, the main ones I believe being the spiralling costs and that professional teams playing with staggered kick-off times means people with season tickets want to support their team.
“But we’re welcoming three new teams [this season] and I hope they and all the other members have a successful and enjoyable season. I suppose success is judged by winning the divisions or getting promoted, but not everyone can achieve this so enjoyment can also be found by being a part of something that is so big in our community.”
Disclosing plans of potentially sending a team to Israel, he added: “Now that the Representative Match programme belongs to the past, we are looking to see if we can take a team to Israel for the experience of visiting and playing in a country that is our heritage.”
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
