Premier League referee Anthony Taylor took charge of Denmark versus Finland earlier today, and he will forever be remembered as one of the heroes of the European Championships.
His quick thinking when Denmark midfielder Christian Eriksen collapsed on the pitch allowed the medics to immediately provide specialist treatment to the player. It could well have been a critical factor in the midfielder’s revival.
The Manchester-born referee started his career back in 2002 in the Northern Premier League, and he went on to referee in the Premier League for the first time back in 2010.
This is the first major tournament for Anthony Taylor, and his journey from being a prison officer to one of the heroes of the tournament has been quite eventful.
Taylor used to be a prison officer, and he believes that he developed meaningful communication and management qualities during his previous job.
The Premier League referee has worked with several inmates with severe mental health issues, and it has prepared him for the tough and challenging situations in refereeing.
His authoritarian personality was evident back in 2017 when he had a confrontation with the then Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger.
Apparently, the Frenchman accused him of being dishonest, and he was found swearing at the referee as well.
Taylor stood his ground and dealt with the situation responsibly, and the Arsenal manager was handed a full-match ban for his behaviour on the touchline.
It will be interesting to see how Taylor performs in any high-pressure game he officiates during the European Championships. Still, his display in the Denmark game suggests that he will be alright regardless of the situation in front of him.
