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EuroFootball.com visitors could ask questions to Paulius Malžinskas, one of Lithuania's best referees holding FIFA category for more than a week.
We received many interesting questions from the portal visitors, to which the referee gladly agreed to answer.
Which years of your football career do you remember as the best and why? Do you still play football sometimes? If so, for which team?
Of course, the first three years at Vilnius "Panerio" team in 1991-1994 stood out the most. It was during that time that we had the opportunity to play with football aces like S.Danisevičius, V.Levandrauskas, V.Jurkus, and others. We, the young generation, formed as football players thanks to them, and later many of us represented various national teams and clubs. This includes E.Jankauskas, I.Kirilovas, T.Ramelis, T.Ražanauskas, I.Morinas, T.Gražiūnas, D.Bička, A.Sorokinas, and many others... an excellent coaching staff, a great team - all of this remains in memory for a long time.
Of course, a short period with the "Romar" team and "Inkare-Grife," as well as the last years of the career in the "Vėtra" team, when we went from the second league to the highest "A league," also remain memorable.
]]>Now I am also passionate about football and I often play with the "Prelegentų" team with great pleasure. More precisely, I participate in trainings because there is no time left for participating in matches.
Why did you end your football career so early, even though it seems that in the last season with "Vėtra" you were one of the most productive I-League players (if not the most productive)?
I was the second most productive player in the first league, but I was probably the most productive player for "Vėtra." I ended my career because when we entered the "A league," it was time to choose between refereeing and football. I understood that the requirements in the "A league" would be different, and balancing work, refereeing, and professional training would be impossible.
Why did you choose a referee job over a coaching job?
It somehow naturally came to this, but a referee career is also not eternal, and after finishing it, it may be possible to consider coaching duties. After all, there are no age limits for coaching.
What drives you to go onto the field, run there for an hour and a half, listening to players and spectators' curses, accusations of mistakes? Have you ever thought of quitting the referee job? If so - why, and what made you change your mind?
No one forces you, you simply go and do what you know how to do and get something much more than negative emotions... it's hard to explain. I call this attraction with one word - HIS MIGHTYNESS FOOTBALL.
What does it take to become an international category football referee?
Desire and perseverance.
Which Lithuanian and foreign referees do you consider the best?
In Lithuania, there have been many good referees, primarily the Lithuanian referee legends K.Andziulis and R.Juška, J.Muliuolis and J.Miliauskas, A.Dubinskas and S.Slyva, and many others from whom we still have a lot to learn. It's hard to correctly answer this question because each period had its leaders, but football progress is significant. Among foreign referees, I mostly liked A.Frisk, but in a few years, many of you will not even know who he was. That's life's reality, so I look very cautiously at various absolute best player, coach, referee, or other selections.
What do Lithuanian referees lack to shine in UEFA or FIFA tournaments? When can we expect the first Lithuanian referee in a European or World Championship?
Good question. No matter how bitter the truth is, Lithuania is still a European football province, and its voice in those organizations doesn't matter much. This also affects us referees. However, I am not such a big pessimist because I see that Lithuanian football is slowly gaining momentum. When full stadiums will be gathered in Lithuania and when the playing level of at least a few teams will allow them to compete on equal terms with the biggest European football clubs, then, I think, Lithuanian referees will have the opportunity to reach the European or World Championship.
Do Lithuanian referees communicate with each other?
Yes, of course.
Which courses or seminars have you participated in over the past few years?
The Lithuanian Football Referees Association, together with UEFA, has organized three UEFA Progress Cours cycles, and I had to participate in all of them. I also participated in top-class Scottish referee courses in Scotland this spring. LFTA also holds 2-3 seminars for Lithuanian referees every year.
Which tournament, championship, or league do you dream of refereeing? Where do you think it is easiest, and where is it more challenging? Why?
The goal and dream are to referee UEFA Champions League matches (I mean group stage matches). If I achieve that, the next goal and dream will be the European or World Championship. But it will still take a lot of work.
Where is it easier to referee? (this is one of the most popular questions) The answer will, of course, be abroad, but to answer the question "why," an article would be needed.
How much does the average football referee in Lithuania earn?
240 litas per match in the "A league," 110 litas in the first league, and 70 litas in the second league. Assistant referees earn half as much. The monthly income depends on the number of matches refereed. According to my knowledge, German and Italian referees earn the most - about 5000 euros per match. Unfortunately, Lithuanian referees (excluding small countries like Andorra or Liechtenstein) earn the least.
Which matches were the hardest for you to referee? Which matches do you remember the most?
So far, the most memorable were the UEFA Cup matches between Mariupol's "Illichevits” and Vienna's "Austria," watched by 18,000 spectators, and the world cup qualification match between Armenia and Finland. I believe that there will be more memorable matches. The most challenging match for me was in a youth tournament, but I don't really want to remember it - 2 red cards and a host of yellow cards.
The atmosphere of all matches is unique, but could you distinguish a city or stadium where refereeing requires a special psychological attitude?
There is no such city or stadium. Everything depends on the importance of the match and the attitude of the teams. Of course, it is hardest to referee where there is a large audience.
Which famous international club or national team matches have you refereed?
I have refereed friendly matches between Ukraine and Yugoslavia. A famous club may come in the future.
What do you think about the retirement of Swedish referee A.Frisk? How would you behave in a similar situation?
It's hard to judge because we don't know exactly what the situation was, but Europe lost one of the best referees.
Which national team (besides Lithuania) do you sympathize with?
As a referee, I have no sympathies. But as a fan, I support England. I think it's time for them to become world champions.
Which European or world club impresses you the most?
Since I was fifteen, i.e., since the tragedy in Belgium in 1985, I have been a fan of only one club - FC "Liverpool."
Which players in the I-League do you like the most as a referee? Which ones do you dislike the most?
I like the players who fight to the end and respect not only themselves but also others. For the disliked players, I show a red card in the 2nd minute, leaving only those whom I like.
Have there been cases in Lithuania where referees took bribes from certain clubs for the outcome of matches?
No, there haven't been. I don't really understand why clubs would pay referees if they could agree on something themselves about certain matches. I remember there have been many questions about corruption and bribes to referees, but I really don't have much to say about them as this topic is eternal and believe me, it is escalating worldwide. If a player misses 2-3 times alone, but still doesn't score, everyone says that the player wasn't lucky or had a bad day, if the coach made a mistake in choosing tactics, everyone says that the players executed the tactical instructions poorly, if the goalkeeper doesn't catch the ball in the right place, they say that the sun blinded him or something else, BUT IF THE REFEREE MAKES A MISTAKE, EVERYONE STARTS SHOUTING THAT HE IS BOUGHT. After all, a referee is not a robot or a computer, and he can sometimes make mistakes, and you don't have to immediately see only the negative in it.
In a situation where the rules are violated in the penalty area, do you always award a penalty kick or consider the situation, for example, in the last minutes of the match, or if one team is already leading, let's say 3-0? Have you ever awarded a doubtful penalty kick yourself?
A penalty kick is always a penalty, regardless of the result or the minute of the match. When it comes to a questionable penalty kick, I have awarded one once, but if I did, it was for a reason.
Can the goalkeeper touch the ball with his hands when throwing it to a player from his own team from the side?
No, he can't. A free kick will be awarded to the opposing team from the place where the goalkeeper touched the ball.
When is the game stopped when a player is in passive offside? Is the offside considered when the forward is in line with the defenders, or already behind them?
If a player is in passive offside, offside is not called unless the player becomes active and becomes involved in the game. Other offsides are called when the attacking team's player is behind the opponent's line at the moment of the pass, not in line with them.
What minor changes in football rules (e.g., reviewing controversial episodes with video recordings during the match) would help referees do their job better?
Using video or other auxiliary means is unacceptable in the work of football referees. It's hard to imagine a situation where referees rush to watch a video recording after each questionable moment. Football will lose its dynamics and unpredictability, and how long will the matches last then? What to do if the video doesn't show the correct decision anyway? And who will then need referees?
What do you think of the student league? Why are there rumors that you only referee for the "VPU" team there (and by the way, they won every time), but you interrupted the match with "MRU"? What are your relationships with A.Baranauskas and R.Turskis?
The relations with the mentioned people are normal and purely business-like. However, the lexicon and expressions they use during matches, both towards their players and others, to put it mildly, are unacceptable and raise many questions about their ethics as high school educators.
What would you wish the EuroFootball.com team, visitors, and football fans in general?
I wish success and more optimism to everyone, both the creators of this website and the visitors.
