Film star ref Webb happy for players to steal show

Top referee – and former movie star – Howard Webb admits he will be happy to let the world’s top players steal the limelight when he officiates the Spain versus Switzerland clash at the World Cup.

The 38-year-old from Rotherham, south Yorkshire, has been a FIFA-listed referee since 2005 and the former policeman regularly keeps law and order amongst the top stars of England’s Premier League.

Webb will referee Euro 2008 winners Spain in the Group H match against the Swiss in Durban on June 16 and he admits there is some relief that there will be no cameras watching his every move, as there were two years ago.

For Euro 2008 in Austria and Switzerland, Belgian documentary makers recorded the referees’ every move in the film “The Referees”, which highlighted the often thankless task of the men in black both on and off the pitch.

It was a bit more serious than that for Webb as thanks to awarding Austria a late penalty against Poland which saw the co-hosts grab a 1-1 draw, he became a hate figure for Polish fans, who put posters of him on the internet with ‘Wanted: Dead or Alive’ written on them.

He also received a lambasting from the Polish Minister of Sport, who accused him of being a liar, though, Webb showed he possesses a wry sense of humour when told he had had a 25,000 pound bounty put on his head.

“Is that all?. If it was a bit more, I might claim the reward. I might hand myself in.”

While Webb was happy to be one of the referees featured in the film, he is happier to make sure the likes of Spanish stars Cesc Fabregas and Fernando Torres or Switzerland’s Alexander Frei steal the headlines.

“It showed the world of refereeing, not only on the field and the support we get from behind the scenes, as well and how much we care about the game,” he said.

“There are no film crews here, so that makes our lives a bit easier.

“It was a worthwhile project and hopefully it will have changed a few people’s ideas of referees, at least maybe now they see the person behind the referees uniform.

“I was delighted to get the Spain versus Switzerland game in Durban, but if the fans are all talking after the game just about the players of Spain and Switzerland, I will be happy.”

Webb is one of the world’s top referees amongst the likes of Germany’s Wolfgang Stark, Switzerland’s Massimo Busacca and Uruguay’s Jorge Larrionda.

He says the focus on this World Cup by the sport’s top officials will be making sure both the image of the game and the players’ safety are protected.

“This is a great opportunity for the world’s best players to showcase their skills without the fear of brutal, violent acts,” he said.

“Serious tackles and those which can endanger the safety of players are the sort of thing we have been asked to be strong over by FIFA.

“Hopefully, the players will get the message and not put those tackles in.”