Franchise owner calls on soccer referees to shape up

THE standard of refereeing at the semi-professional  Telikom National Soccer League (NSL) is pathetic if the performance of some referees in the triple header in Port Moresby on Saturday is any indication.
Eastern Star franchise owner Joe Ealedona yesterday said overall the NSL referees should improve their conduct on the field or even go for more courses or clinics to upgrade their skills.
He said franchises had been putting a lot of effort in their training and matches to lift the standard of the game but poor calls by referees had marred the hard work put in by respective franchises.
He said referees were human and were bound to make mistakes, they had gone too far and franchises could not tolerate such behaviour any more.
Ealedona made the comments after his side, Eastern Star FC went down to CMSS Tigers 2-1 on Saturday and attributed their loss on a poor decision by the match referee.
A similar call on poor refereeing had been made by other franchises, including Gigira Laitepo Morobe FC at the National Soccer League challenge.
Ealedona has played for University and Blue Kumuls clubs in the Port Moresby Soccer Association (PMSA) competition before hanging up his boots.