I think keeping track of refs is harder than before

[Sutemi]

Before '14, the previous version that I played intensively was FM '09.
Even though I wasn't tremendously successful nor was I tactically brilliant, I had refs in my pocket.

In '09, I checked the ref statistics (average rating, yellows, reds, home penalties, away penalties). Then I observed how they refereed my games. I renamed the referees according to their abilities with some short description.
For instance, during the 12/13 season of Premier League, I would've named the refs accordingly:
Marriner = Red cards
Webb = No penalties
Down = Lots of yellows

In FM '14, If I could see the average rating for the refs, I would add "****" or "solid" in their names. Such as Webb's new name in my game "Solid No penalties".

I can't get this sort of accuracy any more. I have hard time dealing with the strict/sympathetic/lenient/moderate descriptions. I'm a ref myself and I can't get the connection with the referees that I once had.

Edit: I would like to add the source where I got the information about Marriner, Webb and Down, but the forum doesn't let me post a link!

 

[wr1097]

It's a very interesting concept and one I've never thought about before.....but I don't think referees are meant to be followed/kept track of in-game, I feel I would be annoyed if I felt that a referee who was lenient before suddenly started giving decisions against my team.

 

[Sutemi]

...I feel I would be annoyed if I felt that a referee who was lenient before suddenly started giving decisions against my team.

That happened in '09 and then I just named them "bad random". Well, to be perfectly honest, I just named them "bad", because the type you just described usually falls into that category.
And if the "lenient to strict" randomness (natural in some leagues and divisions in some part of the world) happens in '14, how can we ever figure that out in this game and keep track of it? '14 assumes that referees are one-dimensional which is dangerous.