⚽ Gehad Greisha Opens the Refereeing Debate in the Professional League
Former international referee Gehad Greisha has opened a discussion about refereeing performances in the Professional League, confirming that the opening weeks of the competition witnessed several mistakes and concerns before the overall standard improved noticeably during the fourth week.
Speaking on the “Stad Misr” program, Greisha explained that the first three weeks of the Professional League included a number of refereeing problems, while also highlighting the positive performances of several young referees who handled their matches at a good level.
The comments come at a time when refereeing remains one of the key elements in the success of any competition, particularly in the Professional League, where clubs are involved in intense competition and are constantly looking for results that can improve their positions in the standings.
🔥 VAR Experience Behind Some of the Errors
Gehad Greisha attributed part of the mistakes seen during the opening weeks of the Professional League to the involvement of referees who are accustomed to officiating Premier League matches where the VAR system is available.
Greisha believes that moving into matches where video technology is not used in the same way can create a different challenge for referees, especially because decisions become more dependent on immediate observation, accurate judgment and proper positioning at the scene of an incident.
This makes concentration throughout the match even more important because a decision that could potentially be reviewed through VAR in one competition may become final when the technology is not available.
🧠 Controversial Decisions in Some Matches
Greisha referred to several incidents from Professional League matches, explaining that the El Sekka El Hadid vs Masar fixture included a penalty awarded to El Sekka El Hadid that he considered incorrect.
Although Greisha described the decision as a refereeing error, he stressed that it did not affect the final result because Masar went on to win the match.
The incident highlights the importance of refereeing decisions even when they do not directly determine the final score, because an incorrect call can still create controversy and place additional pressure on the officiating team.
📢 Another Penalty Incident Raises Questions
Gehad Greisha also referred to the Tersana vs Mansoura match, which included a penalty appeal from Mansoura that was not awarded. He considered the situation one of the notable refereeing mistakes during the opening stage of the competition.
These incidents demonstrate that the refereeing problems were not limited to a single match but appeared across multiple fixtures, making the level of officiating during the opening weeks a subject of wider discussion.
At the same time, the improvement seen during the fourth week provides a positive indication that the early concerns can be addressed as the competition continues and referees gain more experience.
⭐ Young Referees Make a Positive Impression
Despite the criticism surrounding certain decisions, Greisha was keen to highlight a positive aspect: the strong performances produced by several young referees during Professional League matches.
The emergence of young referees represents an important opportunity for the development of Egyptian officiating, particularly because giving new officials genuine chances in different competitions helps them gain experience and become accustomed to the demands of competitive matches.
Developing a new generation of referees who can manage fixtures efficiently could also increase the options available to the refereeing committee and provide more officials capable of operating at higher levels in the future.
🏆 Refereeing Needs Stability and Development
Greisha’s comments open a wider discussion about how referees are prepared for different competitions, particularly when the circumstances and available resources vary from one tournament to another.
Technology has become an important part of modern football, but referees are still required to maintain high levels of concentration and make correct decisions regardless of the resources available during a match.
For that reason, continued training and technical evaluation remain important in reducing mistakes and improving performance, especially in a competition that requires accurate decisions because of the intensity of the battle between clubs.
🔥 Fourth Week Provides Positive Signs
Gehad Greisha believes the improvement witnessed during the fourth week provides reasons for optimism regarding refereeing standards in the coming period.
As referees officiate more matches, they can become better equipped to handle pressure and different situations, which could help reduce errors and produce greater consistency.
At the same time, controversial decisions will always be part of football, but the real challenge is to minimize their impact and maintain the greatest possible level of fairness on the pitch.
🏁 Conclusion
Gehad Greisha’s comments highlighted some of the reasons behind the refereeing errors seen during the opening stage of the Professional League, particularly the presence of referees accustomed to working in the Premier League with the VAR system, while emphasizing that performances improved significantly during the fourth week. ⚽🔥
Despite the controversy surrounding some decisions, the strong performances of several young referees provide Egyptian officiating with an opportunity to build a new generation capable of handling different matches and competitions.
📢 Do you believe the absence of VAR explains some of the mistakes made by Professional League referees? Do you think young officials deserve more opportunities in Egyptian competitions? Share your opinion. 🏆⚽
