Qatar World Championship

Sadly this has turned out to be Mark’s last season in England and it is my belief that one of the factors in his decision to leave was how he was treated by Professional Game Match Officials Ltd. It failed to appoint him to top matches that would challenge him on a regular basis. 9/10 2 Martin Atkinson Martin improved his fitness levels and, with it, his on-field performances have benefited. This has been Martin’s best season: he has performed at a consistently high standard, setting an example to his younger colleagues. He is the new No 1. 8/10 3 Michael Oliver Showed improvement in his on-field mobility, applying dynamic sprints to maintain good contact with the game. However, he needs to improve his accuracy: careless or reckless challenges require appropriate sanction. 7.5/10 4 Anthony Taylor Needs to slow his decision-making process and give himself thinking time before either blowing his whistle or reaching for a card. He needs to receive the support and advice from an experienced coach to work on consistency. 7.5/10 5 Mike Dean One of the select group’s oldest referees and usually a safe pair of hands. Mike was the only referee to consistently punish grappling in the penalty area. However, I do believe that this has not been one of his best seasons; he needs to work on his mobility. 7/10