Belgian arbitration is discussed almost every week. The Football Federation seems to have gotten the message. The collaboration with VAR coach Fredy Fautrel ends. He has already been replaced by Dutchman Kevin Blom. There is a good chance that technical director Bertrand Layec will also have to leave.
I WAIT. The VAR farce shortly before the winter break in the match between Anderlecht and Genk
At the instigation of Stephanie Forde, operations director of the Referees Department, the refereeing body obtained a collective salary increase at the end of last year. The head referee now earns 2,200 euros per match (+200 euros), the VAR fee has almost doubled (from 450 to 880 euros). It had been ten years since their wages had been adjusted.
“In return, we expect high-quality refereeing and efficient organization,” said Lorin Parys, CEO of the Pro League. The reality, however, is that referees have made little progress – and quite a bit backwards – in recent months. VAR in particular still makes too many errors. The most striking example is the VAR team’s error during Anderlecht-Genk, a match that may have to be replayed. Genk and Club Brugge legally defend themselves from refereeing errors. This in itself is exceptional. AA Gent manager Michel Louwagie also openly criticized the refereeing.
Lega Pro increases pressure on arbitrations. Within the football association it was understood that a breath of fresh air was needed. The Referees Department with its many bosses will be shaken up. The first victim is Frédy Fautrel. The Frenchman has been VAR coach since 2019. Although there are extenuating circumstances – the technology is not the most modern or advanced – the video referee remains a problem child. Our home referee Tim Pots pointed out last month: “Where is Fautrel? You don’t see it, you don’t hear it.
So this won’t change. According to our information, Fautrel is no longer welcome in the VAR zone of Tubize. He has an expiring contract and will be replaced by Kevin Blom. The Dutchman was active as VAR in Holland until 2021: he helped manage Champions League matches, supporting top referee Danny Makkelie. During the corona period, Blom briefly worked as a kebab courier. He gave the money he earned to charity.
Changes are also underway at the top of the Belgian refereeing pyramid. The intention is for chief operating officer Stephanie Forde to have more say in politics. The question is no longer if, but when technical director Layec will have to leave. The Frenchman is paid generously, while the association has to make considerable savings.
There has been resentment towards Layec for some time, both within the association and in the clubs. At the end of the football season, Bertrand Layec, technical director of refereeing, prepared a presentation in which he showed the excellent performance of the Belgian referees under his direction. Each year the data was even better than the previous ones.
He pointed to Lawrence Visser and Erik Lambrechts, who have risen in the international hierarchy. And before the many discussions that existed between fans and analysts, he liked to talk about the ‘grey area’. An area where no errors exist. Layec behaves in a stubborn and stubborn manner towards clubs. Layec also exercises his will when he appoints the referees for some matches.
His position also seems to partly coincide with that of German President Herbert Fändel, who through his contacts had to help put Belgian arbitration on the international map.
After yet another criticism of VAR: what stops the Refereeing Department and Lega Pro from investing further?
“The least you can expect from VAR is that it knows its rules, right?”
