Referee Brych ahead of record: Proud of longevity
Top referee Felix Brych is looking forward to setting a Bundesliga record. The 48-year-old will set Wolfgang Stark's (54) record with his 344th match in Germany's elite league. "The record is very important to me. When I look back on my career, I'm most proud of this longevity," Brych told the German Press Agency. "The record expresses this longevity. And records in themselves are something special for me, because they last."
Brych's record match could come as early as the weekend. The fixtures are always published on the Thursday before the game. "Just like track and field athletes or swimmers want to set records so that they go down in the annals, that's also a goal for the referee. Overall, we have few opportunities to go down in the annals - which should also be our original goal: We should basically be in the spotlight as little as possible," explained the two-time World Referee of the Year.
Brych, who has ended his international career, celebrated his Bundesliga premiere on August 28, 2004 at the match between Hertha BSC and 1. FSV Mainz 05. At that time, players such as Pal Dardai, Niko Kovac and Marco Rose, who now meet the referee as coaches, were present. Long-time manager Fredi Bobic also played as a professional.
"I've survived many careers, but I've also met many of them in other roles. Then the shared past has already helped. That is ultimately the greatest achievement of my career: it's not the one game like the Champions League final or a World Cup appearance, but the long time as a professional referee," said the doctor of law from Munich. "Performing at this level physically, mentally and in terms of performance for 20 years - that's what my career is all about."
From time to time, Brych has contact with Stark from Lower Bavaria, who officiated his 344th match in May 2017. "I used to be an assistant in his team. You have to mention his name in this context, he also did a lot," said Brych. "In the end, I'll have a few more games than him, but the performance is similar."
In his pursuit of breaking the Bundesliga record, top referee Felix Brych looks forward to surpassing Wolfgang Stark's 344 matches, an achievement he is particularly proud of due to his longevity in the league. As the DFB's longest-serving referee, Brych's record-breaking match could soon be announced in the upcoming fixture list.
Source: www.dpa.com
