The 2022/23 season will be Oral Greenfeld's 14th in the Premier League.
At the age of 40, the senior international of Israeli football and the referees union will probably continue to zigzag between the prestigious courts in Europe - where he refereed Leo Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Robert Lewandowski and almost every big star who plays on the continent - and Haifa, Tel Aviv or the court in Ashdod.
Greenfeld has been a professional judge for seven years.
Lives and breathes the whistle, conducts workshops and takes frequent flights.
He experienced the cream of the world of judging, but the last year taught him that there are quite a few difficulties on that side.
Before the start of the league, Greenfeld talks about everything in an open interview with "Israel Hayom" and clarifies: "I come into the season perhaps hungrier than ever, and that's because I went through the most challenging season in my life. These were the most challenging 12-14 months in my life in general. You have to come with energy The best there are. We are involved in sports, what we love the most, so there is nothing to complain about."
What is meant by "most challenging year in life"?
"Last June I was at the Euros for 19 days. It was a personal goal that I accomplished, myself and my two assistants. Judging in the European Championship is a very high peak. At that time my wife was at home with three boys, the Corona era.
Oral Greenfeld.
An unprecedented season, photo: Ovid Tsitiat
"We were closed there in a bubble and from there we moved to something even more complex in the Olympics. We refereed the Netherlands against Austria and then Italy against Wales, and from there we returned to the hotel in Turkey. There we stayed and went through the training camp. Before each game we flew to our destination, but in the end we returned to Turkey. There is only One more judge like me who judged both the Euros and the Olympics."
And from there you went directly to the Olympics?
"I returned to Israel for 10 days and then to Tokyo, 21 days of total closure, something crazy that you can't even go out to the store in front of you. Every morning spit into a test tube to detect covid. At most they allowed a seven-minute walk for training on an isolated sidewalk and then back to isolation. It was crazy, but I refereed four games there, two as the head referee and two more as the fourth referee. It's a dream come true to referee two such events in one month. It's a disconnection from home, from the children, and with the quarantine and isolation there it's even more difficult."
These are 40 days in total, how did the family get through it?
"If it weren't for the family, I wouldn't have survived. It's not easy, it's learning on the go. For my amazing wife, then with three small children (now four - LN), it means finding assistance.
That's why I'm very jealous of my time with the kids today.
I train either during the peak hours of the sun at noon or at 11 at night so as not to miss time with the children.
Before games abroad I tell everyone that the real difficulty is at home, because without the support none of this can happen.
Greenfeld.
A 10 cm tear in the twins, photo: Alan Schieber
"The burden is there. I don't want an emotional disconnection from the children, so I make video calls, promise gifts to get through a few more days. It's a huge price, it breaks my heart, because the children ask where you are and in the morning you cut to the flight. These are small children and I sacrifice a price big".
So there was the story in the Euros, later in the Olympics, but also in Israel for the first time you experienced a very strange injury.
"That's right. After abroad you return to the league in Israel.
The season starts, after five days I flew to judge in the Champions League qualifiers.
I returned to Israel, I refereed the first game in the Premier League, minute 22 Hapoel Haifa against Maccabi Netanya, I was standing and not moving, looking towards the foundation flag, and a player stepped into my right leg.
"I took a strong hit, I didn't understand what I was doing, I passed the time, I felt pain, I lasted a few minutes and improvised a water break. At that time I went down to receive treatment. During the break I received physical therapy, a bandage, and I told the fourth judge, Sapir Berman, that if there was no improvement I would change. Luckily the game was slow and I was able to finish.
Greenfeld in action.
A crazy schedule, photo: Ami Shoman
"I was in crazy pain, I flew for tests because three days later I had a match between Russia and Croatia waiting for me. Then I found out that I had a 10 cm tear in my twins - that's how my season started.
At the time I didn't understand what the consequences were, then I realized it was two months out.
I thought about dressing up, going through treatments, I didn't want to give up the game in Russia, to continue the momentum, and then the doctor tells me 'what to judge?
You can't move.
The unequivocal decision was rest and physiotherapy so as not to cause irreversible damage.
Sometimes things like this make you appreciate what you have."
"The VAR is the game's best friend"
Greenfeld lives in Rishon Lezion, married to Rose, and three and a half months ago his fourth son, Ari, brother Linai (6), Yonathan (5) and Avitar (3) was born.
As one of the 20 most senior referees in UEFA today, Greenfeld is quite a bit of baggage, as he has described well in the past year, but sometimes the stars get to him.
He recently refereed the French Supercup in Bloomfield between PSG and Nantes.
Messi, Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and the other stars - and in the middle an Israeli referee.
"It was a great way to give back a little good to my children, who came to watch the game," he admits excitedly, "they heard the names of the stars in kindergarten and suddenly see them with me on the field, so it was an experience for them."
Now that you're back to judging, will we see you at the World Cup?
"There will be nine judges from Europe, two English, Dutch, Italian, French, Spanish and Polish, but because I didn't judge for several months in Europe, I don't feel like I missed it, but rather I re-earned myself, and that's also something I'm taking from this year."
How did you come back anyway? Did you understand then that you will not judge because of this in the World Cup?
"It was difficult to get back in shape after three months without physical activity. I did everything I could to get back in shape, then two days before the flight to Abu Dhabi to prepare for the World Cup I got corona and informed Pierluigi Collina that I wouldn't be coming. I got a capa, I got back in proportion. They connected me to an online course, And because they know me from FIFA, they invited me to April for fitness tests.
Until then I did everything to get in the best possible shape, with all the difficulty, I returned to judge in Israel and later a European quarter-final between Leicester and Rennes, and then my wife was before giving birth.
I asked UEFA not to classify me so as not to miss another birth, because I missed the birth of my second son when I was refereeing abroad.
Greenfeld.
"I did everything I could to get back in shape", photo: Alan Shiver
"I arrived after a night flight, no sleep, a crazy fitness test, and I passed it excellently. I returned directly to the birth of my fourth son. It was a crazy season, sacrifice, hard work every day. In the professional aspect, you want to be the best there is, and that doesn't always happen." .
I try to think about this year if you had worked another job and not behaved like a professional, I don't think it would have been possible.
"My unilateral choice to conduct myself as a professional was in the hope that by the time I can reach the places I expected myself to have an understanding of the subject. I am still waiting. It is impossible not to be a professional and go through what I went through. It is a choice based on insight because the possibility of judging at a different age will not be there, so I invest all What I have at this age. In the midst of all this, learning to live with four children at home is not easy."
Back in Israel - do you feel that there is a bias towards judges here?
"I refereed the Nes Ziona match against Ashdod in the Toto Cup and they asked me what it's like to referee here. I tell everyone: if I don't give 100 percent - I won't make it to the Euros, nor to the Olympics, nor to success in Europe. No one has any idea how excited I am about refereeing the first game in the league This week I was at a conference of judges, captains and owners. Some of them said that they understand that there are things here that are no less good than in Europe. Mistakes are everywhere, and it is difficult for me to find an event that only happens here. What is happening here is no different from anywhere else."
Oral Greenfeld.
Judged last year at the Euros and the Olympic Games in Tokyo, photo: Udi Citiat
Are there any substantial constitutional changes this season that you should pay attention to?
"The changes to the constitution are not substantial, more refinements. There is a new union chairman (Gyora Inbar - LN) who comes with a lot of insights. If we adopt good things from his energies - it will be good for everyone. I want to believe that the energies will be good."
What do you think will happen with the VAR judgement? Last season there were a lot of problems, some of the moves took a lot of time. Do we see an improvement in this?
"We did simulations at the VAR center in Greece. If you look at the last four years, then there is an improvement in the work. This year there will be more TV cameras and that will help. This is a process. In my eyes, the VAR has been the game's best friend since it entered."
The best friend? It does not seem so convenient for a referee to stand for 5-4 minutes in the center of the field and wait for the screen referees to determine what happened during the course.
"I know the feeling under both hats, because I referee on the pitch but also do VAR. That's exactly what we're working on. The protocol says that only when there's a certain case, the stay on the screen should be 20-30 seconds, and then the experience will be good. When there are complex events, Checking two or three moves in an event already takes a minute. You have to draw distinct lines, it's not as easy as you think. You have to speed up the times and be more precise, and for that we work hard. No one wants to make a mistake, that's clear."
Oral Greenfeld.
Ready for the upcoming season, photo: Audi Citiat
What is required so that in the future the judges will be professionals and the level will rise?
"5-4 years ago, I wanted to the First League referees for excellence. They all didn't understand why I was four years in the National League and another four years in the National League. Today the referees are looking to advance quickly and I believe it less. The way, the experience, the belief - that's what's missing.
"There has to be a long-term path. As much as I will require to assist in the development of the referees, or to bring in young guys at the age of 16 or 14, to help them in the profession - I will do it so that there will be more good referees. If it is not financially profitable to be a referee in the Premier League - this will not happen either Professionally, but I believe that in the end everything will go forward. With the chairman Inbar Oved and the CEO Yariv Tefer in the association, they understand the importance of the judges. All of this should come together for something good."
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