MY TAKE AS - REFEREE HOWARD WEBB RETIRES

By Idris Alli

Howard Webb has retired from refereeing to become techincal director at Professional Game Match Officials Limited.

Webb, 43, started his refereeing career in 1989 and oversaw his first Premier League match in October 2003, before being added to Fifa's international referees' list two years later.

In 2010 he took charge of the Champions League final between Inter and Bayern Munich, and then the World Cup final in South Africa as Spain beat the Netherlands.

Webb's new role will include "overseeing the technical direction and standards that govern the on-field performance of PGMOL's match officials", according to an official statement.

He will also be responsible for the training and coaching of referees, as well as "informing and educating" the public on refereeing issues.

I wish he had not retire now, he brings with him some sort of drama to any game he officiates. Face-off with different EPL coaches and players alike.

A disciplinarian and a master at what he does, always in control on the pitch, never lose is ground and can be very soft as some point.

Never knew Webb can be that soft on a player, I watched him in an EPL match at the just concluded season where he had to call captain Steven Gerard and report to him an improper conduct carried out by Raheem Sterling. Sterling had earlier on confront the referee by pushing and pointing at him.

With all said and done, Webb has not been cleared of controversies like any other Epl referee. Cases of match-fixing has come and gone and other cases of misconduct off the pitch as been recorded.

This notwitstanding ex-referee Howard Webb remains one of those referee you can rely on, on big occasions where the stage is fierce and tension is high. I personally will miss him and I know that other Epl fans and football lovers around the world will do too.

Wish him all the very best as he moves on to become techincal director at Professional Game Match Officials Limited.