Merk to return as ref
German referee Markus Merk has explained how his self-imposed exile from refereeing has been ended following the intervention of a fan.
The 44-year-old took himself off the German Football Association’s (DFB) list of referees after his disappointment in being overlooked for one of the major fixtures at this summer’s World Cup.
He asked for time to consider his future and was believed to be prepared to leave the sport completely to concentrate on dentistry.
However one supporter helped convince Merk into a rethink over his Bundesliga career, according to the referee.
“One man called across the carriage to me on the Munich underground that what FIFA did at the World Cup was wrong and begged me to continue,” Merk told the Bild newspaper.
“And, at the meeting with referees one evening, I received a standing ovation from my colleagues after saying just three sentences. Those two experiences have convinced me (to return).”
Merk will now hold discussions with the DFB and should subsequently be included on the list of referees for the fourth round of Bundesliga games in September.
