Question Number: 21968

Law 6 - Assistant Referee 9/14/2009

RE: Rec Adult

Dan Pfeifer of Adell, WI USA asks...

I was refereeing a U12 rec game with two young AR's (both 14 yrs old - one girl and one boy). The girl was on the team side of the field and the boy was on the spectator side during the first half. One of the coaches was constantly calling for offsides (except for one time the players were in offside position but not involved in the play - so no call) and questioning the out of play calls. At the half, the AR's switched sides of the field because the boy would be better at not letting the coach affect him. I didn't have a problem with it since I didn't want the girl to start changing the way she called things just to avoid listening to the coach complain. About 10 minutes into the second half, the coach noticed the switch and called me over to complain that it was against the rules. I told him that this was only a rec league and that it should not matter. After the game, I looked thru the FIFA rule books that I have and didn't see anything about it. What is the official FIFA rule about this? There is nothing in the league rules.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

First, the referee's job is to immediately put a stop to the coach's comments and complaints about the assistant referee's decisions when it first occurs. Please hold up the restart of play at the first instance when the assistants are teenagers and ask the coach to behave responsibly. If it occurs again, tell the coach that the behavior is unacceptable and the comments must end. That usually will solve the problem, but if not, remove the coach from sight and sound of the field. Referees may tolerate comments directed at themselves, but should not tolerate dissent by the coach against teenage assistants: It is irresponsible not to protect the referee team.

Second, the coach is wrong. The assistant referees are there to assist the referee, and nothing in the rules indicates where they must be.

Third, I believe it is a very bad idea to switch the assistant referees at the half.

(a) The referee chose (or should have chosen) which assistant would take which side based on their experience and comfort level. That hasn't changed because of the behavior of the bench (or spectators.)

(b) Each team believes (rightfully or wrongfully) that it is unfair that the same assistant referee make the offside decisions against them for the entire match. Teams switch sides at the halves so that they each have the same playing conditions for different halves.

(c) It is not respectful of either assistant referee to consider this an issue of gender. It is not. No one should have to listen to repeated dissent by the coach; no boy and no girl. No child of either gender is 'better able' to deal with dissent. Abusive language is a form of child abuse even if the kids are wearing jerseys.

(d Assuming an assistant referees asks to change sides, it is an indication that something is seriously wrong. Even as the referee should agree to let them change, the referee needs to be be proactive about the cause. Gather both coaches before the half begins, and tell them why. It is the coaches duty to behave responsibly, and the referee's duty to protect the referee team. If the coaches cannot meet their responsiblity, the referee will.

(e) These kids are the future of the sport. The referee population is aging, and teenagers correctly have decided that the pay is not worth the abuse. They affect whether any of their peers will become referees. We have to protect them.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

If the AR's moved directly across the field from their former position, so that the referee is now running what is called a reverse diagonal, there is no harm. While AR's usually line up on the goalkeeper's lefthand side (as he faces center), that mechanic is not required. I will switch referees to run the opposite line due to field conditions (one line has been churned in to a soggy rut) or direction of the sun. I've done it once to move an AR away from fans who were all concentrated behind him.

However, if the reason for the change is because of abuse, the solution would be to crack down on the abuse rather than move AR's. Why put the other AR in the line of fire? Ref Wickham expounds on the reasons that abuse cannot be tolerated.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Dan, part of your job is to protect your ARs, especially if they are young. This should have been handled by you telling the coach in no uncertain terms that he was not to talk to your AR or he would be asked to leave.

That said, while it is tradition that the AR works the same side of the field the entire game, there is no requirement for this.
This same question was answered on Jim Allen's official USSF sanctioned Q&A site on Sept 14. He basically says what we do: stop the bad behavior of the coach and the referee can change the positions of his ARs anytime he wants. Here's the url for Mr Allen's full answer:

http://www.askasoccerreferee.com/

Scroll Down to the question Interfering Coach

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

The coach is a Putz.
Plan and simple, any adult who abuses a youth is a Putz .
If I might suggest at the pregame make it ABUNDANTLY clear your ARs are 100% off limits to any form of dissent or abuse.

There is nothing in law that prevents ARs switching!

That said it is a decision not to be taken lightly as perception and tradition hold on tight to the myths!

The referee's ability to control a match is like a conductor in front of an orchestra! Each instrument is a tool to get the overall music/job done in a way that is pleasing and enjoyable. Except not everyone likes the same music and if the instruments are off key? Well enough analogies suffice to say a referee's choices affect the game in its entirety!

One weights the pros and cons of a decision to switch ARs. Switching to protect the AR is a noble aspiration but removing the reason why you might need to switch might be the better solution.

Personally as referee the coach and I are going to have a meeting. In fact we might have a maximum of three. I will ask, tell and say goodbye in that order if the coach has decided to act in my opinion unreasonable and not conduct himself with some modicum of decorum.

If you are an experienced referee and these are novice ARs you need to be aware of just how well they understand offside and look to support them as much as humanely possible. If the referee wishes the ARs to switch be it for a thicker skin in front of one touchline or as a tactical reason one teams offside tactics are complex so the more experienced AR has it figured out, to justify it to the teams ahead of doing it is perhaps better then just doing it. I have on occasion gone over to the side where an obtuse coach allowed to run rampant over the AR and affect the referee from the opposite side where I was in the first half. The coach was smart enough to understand the meaning and was much less belligerent in the second half
The key thing to remind the teams if there is a dissenting atmosphere is these are NEUTRAL officials! If you were injured or decided to take over as AR for one of them, one of them takes over the match from you!
Cheers