Question Number: 14343

Character, Attitude and Control 11/2/2006

RE: Competitive Under 16

Wayne Matthews of Frankfort, IL USA asks...

After a game we played, both sides shook hands and we walked over to ref, who had already left the field and collected his bag, to get our player cards. We questioned him on some calls and he got irate with us and told us to shut up. We asked what provoked this and he kept telling us to shut up. I left to talk to my team which was sitting on an adjacent vacant field and as my assistant coach followed shortly after leaving the ref saying this was going no-where. The ref approached the assistant coach while we were talking to the girls and said I'm not done with you yet and gave him a red card. Is the ref within reason to give a red card at this point and is there any recourse?

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

I assume this is NOT high school.Referees are never, ever to show any coach any card. Cards are for players and substitutes. Even if red cards were allowed, this referee could not show one for behavior off the field of play after the game was over. He could still, theoretically, expel the assistant coach from the surroundings and write up a report and send it to the Illinois soccer authorities.
As to the referees behavior, I have no idea why he reacted as he did and we only have your side of the story. Most of us are more than happy to discuss any calls after the game if approached in a reasonable and respectful manner. In any event, he should not have told you to "shut up". That's unprofessional. He simply should have said he didn't want to discuss anything more with any of you and you should have simply left.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Wayne,
referees after a match are not neccessarily approachable to being asked questions particularily if emotions are running high.
Questioning often turns into debate and finger pointing FAR too often.
Many referees, myself included, are quite open to some two way communication IF the temperment and attitude of the match was not overly confrontational at appropriate time or place even during an on going match.

For a referee to react as you indicate seems out of character unless that referee felt threatened or provoked in some manner. I dislike hearing any referee who snaps at coaches or players with rude or vulgar tones even if they feel the conduct of the teams or coach was improper.

Personally when in COACH mode as I do both I always ask the referee prior to the match if I can have clarification on occasion if my captain asks in a polite respectful manner? If the referee states he is unwilling to engage in any discussion. I simply do not pursue that line. The referee is a match condition and if he decides to be as deaf as the goal post and just as immovable or non responsive that is something we need to adapt too. I might record and report inconsistancies as I see them to the league but I will not argue or approach a referee on the field in front of my players with the exception to meet him before and shake the hand after.

As to why he reacted or in what manner or tone these questions were framed reasonable expectations demand all parties must act responsibile . Where coaches are misinformed (in my opinion )is if they think they have the right to engage a referee in conversation. Quite simply they do not. Now a referee who is irritated with those who choose to disreguard this can over react and frankly he may have well done so here but remember as a single entity surrounded by the players, parents, coaches and fans his or her mindset might not be settled if any or all of them gave him grief of some sort throughout the match. You personally may not have done so and thus suprised at the hostile reaction but to a referee you could be viewed as one of many not a lone individual seeking a simple curteous response. As in all controversy the tragedy is the perceptions of those involved both maintain they are rightous in their indignation.

To respond directly to the red card shown. A referee could possibly show a card to a player at the end of the match only while in the process of exiting the field. Usually after match incidents are simply recorded and added to the game report as there is little benifit to do so. No cards are to be shown away from the field say dressing room or parking lot after.
FIFA states no card is to be shown to the coaching staff period. They are simply requested by the referee to exit the field or settle down and the incident is recorded in the match report.
Nothing about this incident feels right or sounds appropriate. The red card shown was to your ast coach? For a referee to be so out of sorts and angry even if unreasonably so, surely what was said had to be affecting him in a negative fashion?

You ask about recourse? While the showing of the card was inapproprite it is the actions that precipitated such a response that will be brought into question. Proceedural misuse may not invalidate the reasons behind the referee's decision, he will have to explain his actions and his reasoning.

In any situation that you feel strong on principle or wish to correct a sense or perception of injustice. You record and report to the league all things seen and all witnesses to that effect. In the disciplinary hearing (assuming the league recieves andacts on the referee's match report) you state your case in a straight forward manner. Generally there are three sides to each story, what he says, what you say and what really happened. The responsibility of those who make up the disciplinary committee is to sort things out in a fair manner as best they can. Failing that, you can apologise, forgive or agree to disagree and move on. In the end one can only hope something was learned and not to be repeated. To seek blame and not fix a problem is not an acceptable solution in my opinion.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

The referee cannot show cards to coaches. The referee simply needs to report the incident to the proper authority. This referee did not need to react in the manner he did, but again we only got one side of the story. He is not obligated to explain anything to you, but I agree with my colleague that if approached in a respectful manner I will you.