Anthony Taylor, the English referee who took charge of matches at this year's World Cup, has been appointed director of elite refereeing at the Turkish Football Federation (TFF), just weeks after retiring from officiating.
Taylor was presented with a Turkish national team shirt by TFF chiefs in a ceremony that mimicked the unveiling of a high-profile new signing.
Taylor's 20-year career
The 47-year-old announced his retirement from officiating last month, ending a 20-year career in which he took charge of 668 professional domestic matches. He also refereed at Euro 2020, the European Championship that was delayed a year by the coronavirus pandemic and played in 2021, as well as the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and this year's tournament, jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Taylor was promoted to referee Premier League matches in 2010.
Announcing his retirement, Taylor said: "Officiating at the elite level has been an immense privilege, but the pressure is intense and the scrutiny is constant. The time is now right to step aside and look forward to transitioning to the next chapter of my career."
New role with the Turkish Football Federation
In his new post, Taylor is set to lead the strategic and technical development of elite refereeing within the TFF, the governing body for football in Turkey, while also supporting the organisation's ambition to further develop its match officials and strengthen its refereeing programme in line with UEFA and FIFA standards.
Refereeing in Turkey has endured a difficult recent period, with a number of officials caught up in a betting scandal that erupted last autumn and prompted a TFF investigation.
Tributes from refereeing chiefs
Howard Webb, the chief refereeing officer at English officials' body Pro Ref, described Taylor as "one of the best and most successful officials that English football has ever produced" when his retirement was announced.
UEFA referees' chief Roberto Rosetti praised Taylor's handling of the cardiac arrest suffered by Denmark midfielder Christian Eriksen on the pitch during a Euro 2020 match. "Everyone recognised that Anthony was perfect," the Italian said. "He managed this difficult moment in a great way. We are proud of his behaviour, we are proud of his cold blood."
"We recommended to the referees that safety is first, it is the most important target for us," Rosetti added. "The referees must, and they are ready, to stop the match immediately in these situations. Anthony was amazing."
