Courtesy: FIFA

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.