Anthony Taylor lands bold new job in football after retiring from Premier League days after World Cup duties

ANTHONY TAYLOR has landed a stunning new job in football just days after retiring from the Premier League. Taylor announced he was hanging up his whistle days after the end of the World Cup in North America. Anthony Taylor has landed a new job in Turkey Credit: Getty The move could be considered bold given the scandals which have hit Turkish refereeing in recent years Credit: AP However, the 47-year-old has now announced he has swapped his 20-year career, in which he managed 668 domestic games plus at three major international tournaments, to become Turkey‘s director of elite refereeing. His new post was confirmed on Tuesday in a statement by the Turkish Football Federation (TFF), which they shared details of a long-term agreement. Sign up for the Football newsletter Thank you! A statement said: “In the new role, Anthony will lead the strategic and technical development of elite refereeing within the Federation. “His responsibilities will include supporting the development of matchofficials and helping to strengthen the wider refereeing programme in line with Uefa and Fifa standards. “The appointment marks the next stage of a career spent at the highest levels of domestic and international football. “During his time as a referee, Anthony officiated in the Premier League, UEFA Champions League, Uefa European Championship and Fifa World Cup.” Making the move to refereeing in Turkey could be seen as a bold move given the severity of officiating scandals seen there recently. Last season Turkish football chiefs launched a disciplinary investigation into refereeing after 152 refs were found to be actively gambling. Most read in Sport BEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UK Top football travel deals A five-year investigation revealed that 371 out of 571 officials in the country had betting accounts, with 152 of those being active gamblers and 42 of them placing wagers on over 1,000 matches including one case of an official placing a staggering 18,227 bets. A separate issue saw a ref in the third tier carry out a bizarre pitch inspection by dropping a ball on the pitch despite a thick layer of snow making it obvious conditions were not playable. However, Taylor is excited for the change of pace in Turkey. In a statement he said: “I am delighted to be joining the Turkish Football Federation and very much looking forward to beginning this new role. “Elite refereeing has been at the centre of my professional life for many years, and this appointment gives me the opportunity to use that experience in a different way. “I am excited by the Federation’s ambitions for its match officials and by the opportunity to help shape the strategic and technical development of its refereeing programme. “There is already a great deal of talent and commitment within Turkey, and I look forward to working with colleagues across the Federation to build on those foundations and support the continued development of referees at every stage of the elite pathway.” Taylor also spoke about his retirement from the beautiful game. He said: “Retiring from elite refereeing was a significant decision, but I was always clear that I wanted to remain closely involved in the game and contribute to the future of officiating. “This is an exciting opportunity to begin that next chapter, and I look forward to getting started.” Comment now