This article supplements information found in Referees: Brian Hall on page 34 of the Nov. 27, 2000 issue of Soccer America Magazine. BY MIKE WOITALLA When American Brian Hall arrived in Lebanon to referee in the Asian Cup, the Arab world was largely critical of the U.S. stance on the violent conflict in neighboring Israel. On the tournamentÆs opening day, 17 U.S. sailors were killed in a Yemen port in what was believed to be an act of terrorism. Hall was the only official at the tournament from outside the Asian confederation. ôThey asked me if I wanted a personal body guard,ö Hall said. ôI declined, because I figured that I was going to stand out as being an American no matter what. As it was, I felt comfortable the whole time.ö Except once, when Hall and fellow officials were en route to the opening game. ôWeÆre having a good time,ö he said. ôAll of a sudden thereÆs a huge explosion and our heads hit the roof of the van. When we finally looked out, we realized it was the fireworks starting for the opening ceremonies.ö Hall was in the middle for two games and served as a fourth official for three games. Off the field, his nationality attracted media from around the Middle East. ôEveryone wanted to know what I thought about the Israeli-Palestinian situation,ö he said. ôI said that I wasnÆt here for politics, but to referee and make friends — that soccer was about making friends. ôAn Iranian reporter asked me if I knew any Iranians, and for that I had an interesting twist. I explained that the U.S. Soccer director of officials, Esse Baharmast, is an Iran native. So is fellow U.S. FIFA referee, Ali Saheli.ö Hall was the fourth official for a game in which the referee was Saudi Arabian, one linesman an Iraqi and the referee inspector a Kuwaiti — four men from nations on opposing sides of the Persian Gulf War. The other refereeÆs assistant was from Iran, which fought an 8-year war with Iraq in the 1980s and whose hostile relations with the United States peaked with the hostage crisis of 1979. ôTalk about a United Nations refereeing team,ö Hall says. FIFA mandates that its refs have a command of English, and most of HallÆs Middle Eastern colleagues are fluent, so communication wasnÆt a problem. His colleagues translated the press reports, which turned out positive. During Saudi ArabiaÆs tense 3-2 overtime quarterfinal win over Kuwait, Hall awarded a Saudi free kick in the 89th minute although the player had tumbled far into the penalty area. TV replays proved Hall correct. ôThe paper said, æHall found innocent,Æö he said. ôAs if I had been convicted!ö The Saudis ended up beating Kuwait, 3-2, in overtime, and afterward, Hall was praised on Arabic television by Syrian Farouk Bouzo, the Asian confederationÆs (AFC) chairman of referees. It was BouzoÆs idea to import a CONCACAF referee to the tournament for the first time. The nations of the AFC and CONCACAF have a history of exchanges and Bouzo had admired HallÆs work during last yearÆs ConfederationÆs Cup in Mexico, where Hall received high marks but was prohibited from officiating later round games because the United States had advanced to the semifinal. Hall, who refereed the 1997 MLS Cup, is the director of product management for Remedy Corporation. The Asian Cup, which took him away from work for more than three weeks, took HallÆs unpaid vacation tally up to five weeks in 2000. FIFAÆs $150 a day compensation, plus room and board, doesnÆt match what he would make at the software firm. But he has no regrets. ôIt was really an amazing experience,ö he said. ôWe got up every morning at 6:30 am and trained for an hour starting at 7:00. Breakfast was at 9:00. From 9:00 to 10:00 to noon we had videotape analysis. ôThe interesting thing about the videotape analysis — and we broke down every game — is that the media was invited. They werenÆt permitted to ask questions, but it was obvious that letting them see how we go through every call had a positive effect. ôAfter the screening, we have lunch, and at about 3:00 we leave for the stadiums.ö Referees have little free time and they have to treat each evening as a pregame situation — because officials arenÆt told until the morning if they have an assignment that day. Hall noticed a significant difference between the Far East teams and their Middle East counterparts. ôChina, Japan and Korea — those guys run into each other, get up, and theyÆre playing again,ö he says. ôWith the Middle East teams thereÆs a lot of simulation, diving and feigning injuries. I had to give two yellow cards for diving.ö Of the champions Japan, Hall says they played phenomenally. ôTheir French coach, Philippe Troussier, has turned that program around,ö Hall said. ôTheyÆre good tactically, have great skill, touch and speed.ö Hall says AsiaÆs top four teams match up well with the top four teams in CONCACAF, but after that the dropoff is greater among the Asian teams. (Hall has been refereeing in this yearÆs CONCACAF World Cup qualifying.) While in Lebanon, Hall encountered a familiar face in Bora Milutinovic, the U.S. coach from 1991 to 1995 who now heads China, which finished fourth. ôHe came right over to me and said hello,ö Hall said. He also ran into Milutinovic on the field while serving as a fourth official. ôI had a bit of a cat-and-mouse game with him,ö Hall said. ôBora doesnÆt speak Chinese, so every time he yells something to his players, his interpreter has to get up and yell it as well. ôIf you go by FIFAÆs letter of the law, only one coach can give instructions from the sidelines. Theoretically, Bora should tell his interpreter what to say and have him do the yelling. But you know Bora, he never does it the simple way. ôAmong the Asian teams, itÆs real common to have foreign coaches so this kind of situation comes up a lot.ö Hall, who reffed two MLS playoff games before leaving for Lebanon, was invited to work the college final four, but declined. ôIÆm going to rest for a while,ö he said. ôA long tournament isnÆt easy. Besides all the activity every day, the trying to stay very focused throughout, thereÆs the fact that youÆre of being away from your home, your country and your family for a long time. ôSo IÆm going to relax for a few weeks. Then World Cup qualifying and MLS will start before you know it.ö