"Fabian is our best horse in the stable," said board member Martin Brand casually about Fabian Schneider, a referee who moved from Grafschafter SV to Ahrweiler BC in the summer. The 26-year-old official referees in the Regionalliga Südwest, among others, and has been working as an assistant in the 3. Liga for the first time since the start of the season – most recently on December 14th in the match between Hansa Rostock and Chemnitzer FC in front of over 13,000 spectators at Rostock's Ostseestadion. We spoke with Fabian about his impressions, his ambitions, and referees and their problems in general.
YOU ARE WORKING AS AN ASSISTANT IN THE 3. LIGA FOR THE FIRST TIME THIS SEASON. WHAT IS YOUR IMPRESSION AFTER HALF A YEAR AND WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCES COMPARED TO THE REGIONAL AND OBERLIGA?
Fabian Schneider:
Any team can beat any opponent. This makes the 3. Liga very attractive from a sporting perspective. I admit that until the last summer break, I only sporadically engaged with the teams in this league. However, at the latest when I walked out for the first 3. Liga match (Viktoria Köln – Hallescher FC), I realized that this league cannot be compared to amateur leagues. Here, as an athlete – regardless of whether you are a player, official, or referee – you have arrived in professional business. Unlike the leagues below, there are professional structures, many well-known clubs, including numerous traditional clubs, and impressive venues with high spectator numbers. For us referees, the fact that all matches are broadcast live or on Sportschau is a major adjustment. Unlike in the 1st and 2nd Bundesliga, there is no video assistant referee (VAR), yet the TV broadcasters resolve almost everything. This media presence is definitely a big difference and requires precise decisions.
HOW IS THE MATCHDAY, INCLUDING THE DAY BEFORE, ARRANGED FOR THE REFEREES IN THE 3. LIGA?
Fabian Schneider:
A 3rd Division match doesn’t begin with the opening whistle. Two weeks before the actual match day, the refereeing team—consisting of the head referee and his two assistants—is tentatively assigned by the DFB Elite Commission’s sports management, meaning the match pairings are not yet announced. Internally, however, we immediately learn the details of the match so we can plan our travel (if necessary, through the DFB travel agency) and coordinate within the team. We travel the day before, partly to avoid traffic delays, but especially to allow for joint match preparation. Match preparation begins the evening before and concludes by mid-morning on match day; it is comparable to the teams’ final training session. There, we not only analyze all the key plays from previous match days but also prepare in detail for the opposing teams. With this match plan in hand, we arrive at the stadium 100 minutes before kickoff. Once there, everything is organized according to standard procedures: greeting the teams and officials, checking the jersey colors, inspecting the field, a preliminary meeting with the observer, followed by the warm-up, right up to the pre-match walk-out according to a schedule set by the television broadcasters. Immediately after the final whistle, we have a debriefing with the stadium observer appointed by the DFB. A USB drive is provided for this purpose just a few minutes after the game ends. Only after the analysis is complete does our workday end with a group dinner, before we begin our journey home by plane, train, car, or rental car. The stadium observer’s impressions are posted in text form on DFBnet by the following Monday. However, points are not awarded based on the stadium observations, but by another television observer, the so-called coach. Over 70 different individual categories are evaluated with points, which at the end of the season result in a performance profile of all matches for all referees and assistant referees in the league. In short: the officials have their own league, which ultimately determines promotions and relegations.
WHAT KIND OF REFEREE IS FABIAN SCHNEIDER? HOW WOULD YOU BEST CHARACTERIZE YOUR STYLE OF REFEREEING?
Fabian Schneider:
I'm trying to give the game what it needs; to be as unobtrusive and in the background as possible, but to have presence when necessary. I consider a clear and predictable approach, as well as guiding players and maintaining respectful communication at all times, to be important building blocks. A healthy amount of self-confidence is important, as unpopular decisions are often part of the daily business and must be enforced when necessary.
What makes good game mastering for you?
Fabian Schneider:
Grotesquely, the best testament to a referee's good game management is when no one wants anything from them after the final whistle. Controversial decisions will always exist in football, as even the introduction of VAR has shown. A special characteristic of good game management is not to want to stand above things, but rather to accompany and manage a game.
What is your weekly training volume?
Fabian Schneider:
Referees are elite athletes. However, the fitness sessions that take place 4-5 times a week (running, strength, and coordination training on equipment for 1.5-2 hours each) only form the foundation. Of at least equal importance is the post-game analysis of one's own matches, discussions with assigned coaches, DFB training centers and courses, self-study of the DFB video portal, etc., which go beyond this time commitment. Therefore, the time spent on match preparation, including a match day with travel, can easily amount to more than 20 hours per week.
Do you prepare individually for specific matches?
Fabian Schneider:
Targeted game preparation is carried out without exception. Therefore, not only team statistics are evaluated beforehand, but especially their playing styles. For successful match management, decision-makers should know the key players and leaders. True to the motto: "Preparation is better than aftermath." Without the necessary knowledge of league standings, the significance of previous encounters, fair play ratings, derby status, etc., the character of the game can unintentionally shift. Being prepared for all of this is also another key to successful game management.
What are your ambitions for operating at a higher level in the future? What else is possible, or what are the chances?
Fabian Schneider:
All 30 referees in the Regionalliga Südwest have ambitions of promotion; otherwise, we wouldn't belong in this league. However, due to the density of performance, it's not just willpower that decides further promotions in the end, but also the necessary bit of luck in perceiving, evaluating, and then making the right decisions in fractions of a second. I myself have done well so far by focusing on the things I can influence through diligence and enthusiasm.
What reasons would you provide to convince young people to get involved in refereeing?
Fabian Schneider:
Instead of waiting tables or stocking shelves, young referees, starting at age 12, now have the opportunity to earn some pocket money with football. Continuing to play football yourself is not a disqualifying factor, as DFBnet offers the option to enter any suspension dates (e.g., your own games, vacation, holidays, etc.) with your own access credentials. Furthermore, in my opinion, the personal development of young people can hardly be better promoted: independent action, making and enforcing decisions, as well as communication and leadership of people, are character traits that are of great importance not only on the sports field but also in professional or private life. If the performance on the field is good, rapid career advancement is not uncommon, because what may be innate talent for a footballer can be earned by a referee season after season. It therefore seems to be just a nice side effect that with your valid referee ID, you get free admission to all(!) games in the DFB's jurisdiction.
Violence against referees is a very current topic. Have you personally had any bad experiences in this regard, and how could the situation for referees be improved?
Fabian Schneider:
Personally, I have not yet experienced any violence. However, I personally find the increasing violence in football, especially against referees, alarming. Despite being a lone wolf as a referee, who exclusively officiates away games and disadvantages one team with every decision for another, my passion for my hobby burns intensely. In my opinion, every (youth) coach or club board can achieve a lot within the general population if values such as respect and tolerance are not only prioritized within their own ranks. A societal shift in thinking needs to occur so that the "referee" is no longer seen as an opponent, but as a fellow participant in the game. Almost every kind of emotion is an important part of sports, but it goes too far when, in the moment of misconduct, one has to answer "no" to the question of whether they would confront a parent or someone in their professional life in such a manner. This simple rule of thumb can have a tremendous impact throughout amateur football for more respect towards the refereeing system, without having to accept significant limitations.