Question Number: 14746

Character, Attitude and Control 1/27/2007

Jon of London, UK asks...

Hiya guys,

Just wanted to throw a senario out there that could and is often seen at older youth and amateur level, that we have all experienced and just wondered what you thought of the was its dealt with.

'Handbags at 9 paces' it what we would call it in the UK. 50/50 challenges causing players to face up to each other so to speak. No punches are thrown, just a bit of pushing. You don't see the incident but it is expalined to you by your AR (hoping we have ARs not club assisstants) He expalins the facts that the players pushed each other slightly aggrasively but he had been able to enter the field to settle it down before it got out of hand (having been given my permission during the pre game to do so) His opinion that the situation could be deemed violent conduct. I trust this AR as have worked with him many times and ask him what his recommendation is if he were me. "from where i was stood a good kick up the backside would suffice" I smile and enjoy giving out this kicking!! No cards, strong warnings that no further conduct of such would be tolerated on my FOP so that they get it inot their sculs that its not gonna be happening on my watch.

However, i had this exact sernario happen to me in an amateur cup final in my first few years as a referee. Dished out the kicking, and finished with "Now both shake hands or i may be forced to take further action" One player put out to shake, other spat in his face. Dismissal for spitter, on your way back to the game with shaker. How do you guys see this situation? Easier to get rid or give them the opportunity to repent as nothing serious had really happened? Was just thinking that this kinda of 'handbags' stuff as id call it happens frequently in grass roots footbal and thought it wise to throw out there for people to see.

Cheers fellas

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Jon,
good to hear from you as always.
They have a great Monty Python sketch called the Great Twit Race which exemplifies the standard of non excellence some players choose to portray.

It is prudent not to act in a manner that is neither in your nature or within your power to pull off successfully. Yet to successfully manage certain situations you take risks to apply or impose a solution that could have an outcome that is not always what you expected. I tend to be firm and fairly polite but have cracked the odd noggin to stop a donny brook and gotten away with it. To solve these situations as you gain experience be it your own or gleaned off others you try options and discard the bad, keep the good and occasionally try some new stuff

The hard whistle sounded close to the ear gets an immediate secession of hostilities from each other and usually turns it your way.

I too have found it prudent to rip a strip off players but generally refrain from asking them to shake hands or have further contact with each other.
Flattery, You guys are too good/smart for this stuff! You either make better choices because if I am forced to make a choice it will be what colour of plastic do we think best for both??

KISS This is simple guys either you solve this we forgive and forget now or I will solve it with plastic!

Serious You could try the eye to eye contact and do we understand each other speech. "Your decisions affect my decisions whether I need to caution or send off is solely how you choose to act so step up and grow up or prepare to move off or step out!

Humour Are you well? You are looking very yellowish at the moment if red spots break out we might have to send you off. So are we feeling better now or not?

Surprise Ask them for name and number and when reaching for yellow card go to the opposite pocket and feign surprise. Now where is that card? Hmmm, do you think I should take the time to go get one? NO then get back to the game. You get attitude find the right pocket very quickly!

Let them make peace if they choose and if one or the other acted as did the spitter step in immediately to prevent retaliation with an instant red card, "That is garbage and you sir are gone!" Stay close to the action and head off additional handbags . Sometimes you command their attention and they settle sometimes they just dig themselves a hole that no one crawls away from

If you recall the Drogba / Lehman handbags recently the officials conferred and much time and deliberation went into the decision to caution both and to this day I still do not know what the restart was for yet it satisfied all concerned as the thing to do. There was reason to award a pk, red card for VC, double yellows for simulation as well as usb/ Referees use the tools of their profession and the number one is their brain and the knowledge it contains to make a decision the suits the needs of the match uphold the spirit of the game follow the laws and allow us to continue the match! Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

The spitting incident is a no-brainer. Off he goes with a red card shown. As to your first scenario, if the AR thought VC had occured then I'd want to know why he didn't recommend a send-off and red card. Personally, I avoid cards when a verbal warning will do but I take Violent Conduct very seriously and will not tolerate it. Sounds to me that VC did NOT occur and you did as needed to control the game. Sometimes we lose sight of the fact that the cards we use are for game control, not just punishment. I'm not sure your AR really meant VC. If the opponents are just in each other's faces, then I think a strong word from you would suffice. I'm not wild about your asking players to shake hands. You may have invited the player to spit. That said, once he spat, off he goes, but you may want to think about this incident before you demand players shake hands again.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

No sweat Jon, the way you dealt with things was probably super right up till the time hands were asked for. Then a huge awshitnotagain happened. This is indicative one of the participants thinking you were not that serious.

When I found myself having to intervene on a handbags at 10 paces I found the laying of hands most effective. Each grumpy player found one of my hands on his shoulder and I squeezed with my thumb on the collar bone until I thought I had their attention. Once they understood irritating me HURT we came to a satisfactory agreement about further misbehaviour. This approach is not for the faint of heart or for anyone not able to inflict pain with a smile and surely not one willing to explain to the referee committee what was going on, worked for me though. I, too have been known to use language easily understood by the average stevedore or someone at the pleasure of the Crown, needless to say when having a quiet chat with a recalcitrant player he learned new words. Another way to influence players when having a quiet word on one of those matches is to eat an onion or a few cloves of garlic beforehand -- players you talk to NEVER misbehave again... Just thoughts on how to win friends and influence enemies. I have always found it easier to beg forgiveness than to ask permission in the first place...

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

The AR has another tool at his disposal - his voice. A loud, "Hey guys, KNOCK IT OFF!" will both alert them that they are seen, and tell you that there is an incident. If it's verbal "smack", I don't know if you have this expression, but a loud "ZIP IT!" works for me. (This assumes a setting where the voice will carry, not a stadium with thousands of fans.)