Webb will need to stay calm under pressure at World Cup

"THE King is dead," read the text as it dropped into the in-box of Howard Webb's mobile phone, "long live the King."

Just a few hours earlier, Graham Poll had committed the type of gaffe that brings infamy for a referee when showing three yellow cards to Josip Simunic before sending the Croatian defender off.

That it should happen during the 2006 World Cup group stages meant there was no place to hide for Poll, a veteran of countless high-profile games and, at the time, the Premier League's top official.

He was, quite understandably, devastated by a mistake that had come about through him having marked the second caution down as being Australia's number 3, former Rangers defender Craig Moore, and not his Croatian counterpart.

But that did not prevent Poll from being able to, if not laugh at the situation, then at least see the funny side of it – hence his text to Webb, the Rotherham-born referee considered at the time by the powers-that-be in English football to be his understudy.

"It is the thing that everyone remembers me for," admits the philosophical 46-year-old from Tring, Hertfordshire, when talking exclusively to the Yorkshire Post.

"I took charge of more than 1,500 games in my career but that is just the way it is. I realised that straight away after I had cocked up in 2006.

"It was why I texted Howard a message saying 'the King is dead, long live the King'. Howard was very kind and said 'don't say that, Polly, you have a lot more big games in you'.

"I appreciated that and I think it also said a lot about Howard. He is very level-headed guy and that is a great quality to have for a referee going into a World Cup."

That level-headed nature Poll refers to has helped Webb become so highly thought of in the corridors of refereeing power that UEFA handed him control of last month's Champions League final between Inter Milan and Bayern Munich.

The 38-year-old was widely praised for his performance in Madrid's Bernabeu, further enhancing his reputation as one of Europe's best referees. Now, however, the ultimate test lays ahead with a global audience of 1.5bn expected to tune into the forthcoming World Cup – bringing a pressure that Poll, a veteran of the 2002 and 2006 tournaments, knows all about.

He said: "A World Cup is like nothing else you have experienced. It isn't until you arrive that the magnitude really hits you.

"I had done European finals and FA Cup finals but that first World Cup in 2002 was immense. You realise the eyes of the world are on you.

"The pre-tournament press conference was what probably brought it home to me as there were journalists from all over the world present, even from countries that people would have trouble picking out on a map."

In common with every other referee on FIFA's list of 29 for the finals, Webb travelled to South Africa last week to join an intensive training camp designed to ensure everyone is in peak condition come the opening week of the tournament.

Along with fitness work, the referees will receive instructions as to what areas must be clamped down on and how they should approach their duties in the middle.

It is a process Poll remembers vividly from 2002 and 2006. He said: "Every referee will be at the same base and travel around South Africa from there. All of those involved will have been familiar with it from last year's Confederations Cup.

"A World Cup is very intense for a referee, far more so than the Premier League. There is physical training every day for the first 10 days and then once the matches get underway, there is a set plan of 'matchday minus three', 'matchday minus two' and so on where referees have to do certain things. De-brief sessions are also held every day throughout the tournament. The opening game is on the 11th so the following afternoon will be the first de-brief session for all the referees who are still at the base and not out in charge of a game.

"The de-briefs will include all manner of things, such as dealing with anything the players may have come up with that is new. The intention is to allow skilful play to flourish because the memorable moments in a World Cup are things like the Cruyff turn or Maradona's second goal (against England in 1986).

"FIFA wants to see those happen so the plan is to clamp down on what FIFA call 'brutality'.

"Everything is analysed to make sure there is consistency across every referee.

"When we all met up in Japan in 2002, they (FIFA) would ask 'could all the Spanish referees stand up? Or 'could all the UEFA referees stand up?'

"If anyone stood up, they were told off. The point being made is that everyone is the same, all World Cup referees.

"As part of that attempt to find consistency, they also get boys teams in to create situations that may arise so referees are prepared.

"That is the plan anyway –

of course once it is a game in a World Cup then it is a bit different."

Webb experienced for himself just how intense officiating in a major tournament can be in Euro 2008 when his decision to award Austria a last-minute penalty against Poland led to the latter's Prime Minister admitting he wanted to "kill" the English referee.

Polish fans also lambasted Webb on the internet and, just like every referee in South Africa right now, he will be desperate to avoid controversy this time around.

Poll added: "Referees all speak about the need not to be noticed and that is what Howard has to try and achieve.

"Howard, as with all the referees, will be excited right now. The feeling ahead of a World Cup is almost like a kid on his first day at school.

"There is a huge sense of goodwill that exists among the referees as well. In 2002 and 2006, the other referees would come round your room before you were due to set off to referee a game and wish you luck. They understand just what pressure a referee is under and want you to do well.

"Howard will have been helped by the Champions League final, when he had a very good game.

"The important thing is we don't build Howard up too much. I feel his key focus should be the 2014 final. The thing with a World Cup finals is that many of the referees have been there before.

"For example, Carlos Eugenio Simon of Brazil is at his third World Cup. Howard is at his first World Cup and what he needs to do is go there and soak up the experience.

"The hope is he can get through the first knockout phase and be retained. No English referee has managed that since 1994 and it would be a major achievement."

Poll gives his verdicts on cup referees

Graham Poll may not be officiating at this year's World Cup but he will still be involved. In conjunction with bookmakers Coral, he is providing analysis on referees and their decisions for a new website – www.coraldugout.com

Poll said: "We all know there is wall-to-wall coverage of a World Cup but what makes the Coral Dugout different is it will give a real insider's view.

"As a former World Cup referee, I hope to give everyone an insight into what is happening and what is coming up. And for anyone who fancies a flutter, I hope what I have to say will be useful. I know people like to bet on things like how many yellow cards will be shown and, by looking at the referee in question and assessing a variety of factors, predict how many cautions there will be."