NEWS

The Japan Football Association have signed a contract with former English Premier League referee and English F.A. referee instructor Alan Wilkie as their new referee instructor, it was announced on Tuesday.

The contract with the 57-year-old Englishman will be for 18 months through to the end of the 2010 season. He is the second foreign official appointed by the JFA, following his predecessor Leslie Mottram from Scotland.
“We have decided to invite Mr. Alan Wilkie in order to further develop the standard of our referees,” JFA Referee Committee chief Yasuhiro Matsuzaki said.
“He has good refereeing experience at the top level and can teach top-class referees. On top of that, we heard he was a strong referee. That’s what we like about him most. I hope he can provide coaching to our referees, who lack a strong mentality,” Matsuzaki explained.
Wilkie started officiating in English domestic league matches since 1984, including the Premier League from 1992-2000, and refereed a UEFA Cup semifinal in 1991, before becoming an instructor in 2004. He started his new role in Japan last week by attending J. League matches at the weekend.
“The Premier League has gone through many phases, and I’m delighted to say that I’ve been part of that and can witness the changes in the league and the approaches the league have. I’d like to think that I will bring that experience,” Wilkie said in a press conference at JFA House in Tokyo on Tuesday.
The native of Newcastle-upon-Tyne said that he was “very impressed” with the technical skills of the Japanese players, the speed of the game and tactics.
“The match officials whom I’ve seen are very efficient and they are very technically gifted,” he commented.
“One of the things that I’ve noticed in the short time I’ve been here is that there needs to be the recognition that foreign players have no special position within the game. They are just players.”
“Of all the things I see myself having an influence on, that one is the most important,” said Wilkie, who officiated in the game between Crystal Palace and Manchester United on January 25, 1995, when former French international Eric Cantona kicked a supporter in the stands after being sent off.
“My job is to make sure that referees control the football matches while trying to avoid yellow and red cards. They need to improve communication with the players and methods of controlling football matches without being obvious.”
“If they can do that, that would be a success because nobody wants to see referees, but players – the referees have the responsibility of the game.”
Wilkie continued, “I try to take them to the next level, the next challenge. So, we can move into a higher level of technical ability. Equally, I’d like to believe that I would be of some assistance to the Japanese officials to try to introduce new methods and new ideas on passing the message on to referees and referee instructors at all levels.”
“[Japanese referees and referee instructors] are extremely intelligent and hard-working, and I’m looking forward to being of some service with them,” he stated.