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FIFA Futsal World Championship
Pedro Galan Nieto: "I can't believe that it will soon be all over"
(FIFA.com) 08 Feb 2005
It is no easy feat to be admired by players and coaches when you
are a referee, but Pedro Galan Nieto is one official who has
managed it. Yet despite commanding the respect of the
international footballing community, the Spaniard is preparing for
retirement with one ambition still sadly unfulfilled: his dream of
refereeing the Final of a World Championship.
Ironically, what has prevented the Madrid-born referee from
achieving his lifelong ambition has not been timing or competence,
but the success of his native Spain, who have contested three of
the last four finals. "It's everyone's dream (to handle a Final),"
he tells FIFA.com with a rueful smile," but as a Spaniard I'm
thrilled with the success that the team has enjoyed, and
especially how it has helped the development of futsal in my
country. Refereeing the final would have been great for me
personally, but best of all was just being able to take part in
the competitions.
For Galan Nieto, every tournament is a new adventure with
opportunities to meet new people and see new places. "From all my
time travelling around, what I remember most were my colleagues.
Leaving aside the thrill you might get from handling certain
games, the nicest thing of all is that wherever I go now in the
world, I have people I consider to be friends," says the affable
official.
After 25 years dedicated to his profession, it will soon to be
time to hang up his whistle and make way for the next generation.
"Although I'll be sad to leave, I fully understand the need to put
an age limit on referees. At 45, I think enough is enough." After
the sacrifices of international refereeing, Galan is planning to
spend more time with his family when he retires: "I've spent a lot
of time away from home and sometimes think that my children have
grown up without me. But I have no regrets. Being part of the
world of sport has been extremely rewarding."
However, the veteran official does not plan to cut all ties with
his lifelong vocation. "While I won't be able to do my bit for
refereeing on the pitch any more, I'll still be doing all I can
from the sidelines. I will be staying on as a refereeing
instructor to help the younger officials. One always has to start
a new phase in life with a positive attitude."
The Spaniard professes himself delighted to have been named "Best
Referee of 2004" by the Futsal Planet website - an award he also
picked up in 2003. "This is recognition of the difficult job that
referees have to do. It's especially pleasing because the people
who voted are the very players and coaches that have to put up
with me week in week out. For me, that makes it all the more
significant."
Galan, nonetheless, has his feet firmly on the ground. "I don't
consider myself the best, or anything like it. I've always
believed that once you start thinking like that, you're as good as
finished. We always have new things to learn." For the
45-year-old, his challenge now is to keep on learning while he
goes about instructing. As a FIFA instructor, his work will
combine training young officials and working for the development
of the sport. In this respect, he has already taken his first
steps, speaking during a seminar at last December's FIFA Futsal
World Championship Chinese Taipei 2004.
So what is the secret to having such a long and respected career?
For Galan, the formula is simple. "First, you have to be
comfortable with who you are. You can't stand still; you have to
be improving all the time. Then you have to referee each match as
if it were the Final of the World Championship and be brutally
honest with yourself. Finally, like everything in life, you need
to have a little luck along the way."
Galan's slice of luck was in the way he arrived, almost be
accident, to the sport of futsal.
"Like most people I was interested in football as a youngster.
Back then, former greats like Amancio and Abelardo were what drew
me to the game. Then little by little, I became involved in futsal
through some friends, and once I started refereeing there was no
going back."
Now, with the refereeing profession going through a crisis in
vocations, this veteran is aiming to encourage more youngsters to
following in his footsteps. "It's true that we get bad press, and
that the nature of our work invites constant criticism and
judgment, but you have to look at the positive side as well. You
get the chance to visit new countries, meet new people and even
earn a little money while doing it. It has its benefits as well,
you know." He laughs.
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02/08/2005: Pedro Galan
Nieto Best Referee of 2004
