Question Number: 22368

Character, Attitude and Control 10/26/2009

RE: Rec Under 14

Brian of Ellicott City, MD Howard asks...

I coach a Boys U-14 rec team. Yesterday there was a strange chain of events which ended with me getting a red card which was obviously very embarrassing. I really have three questions:
First, to preface, the head referee has been reffing for a lot of years and we have had him ref many of our games over the years. Although I have never questioned his calls and accepted the results, I was particularly disturbed yesterday.
We led the game for most 2-1 for most of the game. Throughout the game, there were a fair amount of marginal calls, balls that may or may not have been out, offside calls that were missed, etc. The ref gave a yellow card to one of our players for not giving 10 yards. Our player intentionally stood about 4 or 5 yards in front of the ball and waited for the ref to call for 10. Although I didn't train him to do this, I have always understood this to be a legitimate action to give a team more time to reset on defense. In this case, because the referee understood that the player was simply using this tactic. He immediately gave the boy a yellow card and then announced loudly that the player was arrogant for doing so and therefore earned the yellow card. The player accepted it and I made no interjection at that time.
With 20 minutes left in the game, the opposing striker beat our defense and was about to move in to the box when my defender tripped and pushed (with obvious intention to save the goal) the player just outside of the box. The ref called a penalty but did not issue a card. This was obviously at least a yellow card and both the other coach and I exchanged a quiet expression that we were in agreement.
The biggest concern I had came at the end of the game. We were down 2-1 with (apparently) seconds to go in the game. The other team moved the ball in to our goal area. There was a shot on goal. The ball was blocked but it floated for a minute in the box until finally it trickled into the goal. Although many on the sideline questioned if it crossed the line, I did not contest. My concern was what happened next. As soon as the referee lifted his hand to indicate a goal was scored, he blew the whistle to end the game. In eleven years of coaching, I have never seen a referee end a game in this way. My understanding has always been that the referee, if time is winding down to the final minute, will generally allow an attacking team their opportunity and blow the whistle when the ball is moved into neutral territory. Likewise, if the goal is scored, and time is out, the referee typically sets the ball at mid-field, allows for the kick-off and blows the whistle when the ball is back in play in neutral territory.
Again, I did not question the referee during the game. As soon as the game concluded I instructed my players and assistant coach to line and up shake the other teams hands. I approached the referee. As I approached, he said, I do not want to hear anything negative from you. I feel, as a coach, I am entitled to talk to the referee at the conclusion of the game. I told him so and then I said that I disagreed with both the yellow card and the way he ended the game. I told him that I had never seen a referee blow the whistle immediately following a goal as if the game actually ended at that split second. I told him that I thought it was appropriate, if he actually was following the time that closely to set up at mid-field for the kick-off, etc. He was offended, told me that he had been a travel referree for 20 years and he knows more than me. I said nothing further. I walked to the sideline and shook the opposing coaches hand. I told the other coach that his team played very well and earned the tie. I followed (privately to the other coach) with 'it's just too bad that he had to end it on the idiotic call. The other coach agreed with and it would have been left at that, if the referree hadn't followed me to the side line and been standing behind me when I made the comment. He immediately reached into his pocket and announced loudly so that the parents now walking across the field and the players could hear him announce---"Red Card--- for your remark about idiotic"... (1) Do you agree that my remarks warranted a card? (2) Am I wrong to question the way he ended the game? (3) Was he correct in giving my player a yellow card for his 'arrogance' in not immediately allowing 10 yards?
Brian

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

You seem to have a whole load of misconceptions coach. About the only thing that I can agree with you here is that you shouldn't be questioning/dissenting about the ref's calls.

You mention a bunch of marginal calls, balls that may or may not have been out, missed offside calls. If they are marginal, why do you think your vision is better than that of the referee?

The ref was absolutely correct in cautioning your player for failure to respect the distance at a free kick. If more refs did so, we'd no longer see those player 'statues' in front of the ball. Your team already broke up the opponent's play by the foul; now you want to delay their restart as well so your defense can get reorganized? Sorry, that wouldn't happen in my game either.

And then you complain because one of your players didn't get a card?

Time is up when time is up. If that happens when the ball is out of play, so be it. Why is it fair to keep going if time has expired, just because a team is on attack? Why should the defense have to defend any longer than required by the actual elapsed time of the game?

Then the ref tells you after the game that he is not interested in discussing anything negatively - yet you think that for some reason you have the right to give the ref a piece of your mind. You are not entitled to talk with the referee after the game. If you approach calmly with a question many refs will speak with you. But not to sit there and listen to a complaint.

And if you wish your comments to be kept private, watch where you are saying them. Calling the referee's call idiotic, whether directed toward the ref or not, falls under Offensive, Insulting and Abusive language (which is what we would charge a player with for such a comment).

(1) Yes, your remarks warranted the card - you were not behaving in a responsible manner.

(2) Yes, you are incorrect in your opinion of the timing of the game. The referee is the timekeeper, not the coach.

(3) Yes, the player has the responsibility to immediately retreat 10 yards; failure to do so is reason for a caution. Whether that was arrogance or not, I can't say.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi
A few learning points here for you
1. The referee is entitled to remove/report a team official for what he deems to be a failure to conduct themselves in a responsible manner. It is entirely in the opinion of the referee. To quote the law 'takes action against team officials who fail to conduct themselves in a responsible manner and may, at his discretion, expel them from the field of play and its immediate surrounds'
2. The referee is the sole judge of time and the game ends when he/she says so. To quote the law ' The referee acts as timekeeper and keeps a record of the match' ' The allowance for time lost is at the discretion of the referee'. There is no requirement for the ball to be in play.
3. Players are not entitled to delay the restart of play and it is a cautionable offence. It is a free kick yes free and the team fouled against does not have any rights to delay play or to reset its defence. To quote the law ' A player is cautioned and shown the yellow card if he commits any of the
following seven offences:
? delaying the restart of play'

In fact it is a mandatory 'must' caution in the case of a quick free kick and the referee has no discretion. Again to quote the law.

' If a player decides to take a free kick quickly and an opponent who is near the ball deliberately prevents him taking the kick, the referee must caution the player for delaying the restart of play'.

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Ultimately the referee has to make the best decision he can at the time, given his view of play. The presence of 'marginal calls' isn't a reflection on the referee, it's simply how the game went.

As a coach, you most certainly do not have the right to talk to the referee at any time.

If you approach the referee calmly and respectfully many will quite happy explain their decisions with you - but considering how often people come up to the referee while he's still on the field and start arguing with him I can't blame any referee for not wanting to engage in discussion at that moment. The referee said he didn't want to hear anything negative, but you didn't care and berated him anyway.

Completely unprofessinal and disrespectful - and as the coach of a youth team you should be setting a positive example, not teaching the kids that if they don't like what happened, having a go at the referee is the best solution.

I highly doubt the referee 'followed' you like a stalker. He was headed in the same direction you were, and you made further disparaging remarks about him making idiotic calls. You've now been held responsible for those comments - take it as a lesson to keep negative comments to yourself, and accept personal responsibility for how you acted.

The referee may well have thought that you said it with the intention of him hearing it, but even if that's not the case it's still up to him to deal with the manner as he sees fit.

In regards to how he ended the game, time is up when it's up. While many referees will allow a blatant attack to conclude before stopping play, this actually has no basis whatsoever in law. Extending time solely because one team is attacking is extremely unfair to the defending team.

As for the caution for your player - the defensive team has an OBLIGATION to retire 10 yards from the position of the free kick. Standing a few yards in front of the ball is nothing more than a deliberate delaying tactic, and should result in a caution. While the referee will often show the players where 10 yards is, that doesn't excuse a player standing in a position that he clearly knows isn't 10 yards.

Your player wasn't cautioned for being arrogant ; he was cautioned for failing to respect the required distance at a restart, as per law 12. I strongly disagree with the referee calling your player arrogant though, that's unnecessary.

As for the offsides that were missed - if the technical area, where you were standing, is such a fantastic vantage point that you an accurately judge offside decisions then why wouldn't assistant referees spend the entire game standing next to the coach, instead of remaining in line with the 2nd last line of defence?

Where you're standing is one of the worst places possible to try and determine offside; perhaps the referee got more of them right than you think.

Not saying he got them all right; it's physically impossible to be 100% accurate on offside decisions with assistants, let alone without. Try refereeing a game and you'll see just how hard it is to accurately make those decisions. Same with ball in/out of play.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Coach, first, you are absolutely,positively, 100% wrong in what you believe concerning the giving of 10 yards and I applaud the referee for cautioning your player immediately and putting an end to such nonsense. YOUR team committed the foul. YOUR team has no rights and are certainly not allowed to further disadvantage the team that was fouled. Your player must give the 10 yards and do so without being asked. Both FIFA and US Soccer are fed up with this tactic and have asked referees to put an end to it.

Second, your knowledge of when the game ends is equally flawed. The game is over when the referee says it is. There is no requirement that the referee allow an attacking team extra time nor is there any requirement that after a goal has been scored the referee must allow the other team to kick off and then blow his whistle. What sense does that even make? If the referee felt the goal was scored just before time ran out, then he should blow the whistle. The reason you have seen referees do what you describe is that they are gutless and extend time to the kick off because it placates coaches and parents.

Third, you have no "right" to talk with the referee after the game. Almost all of us, if approached politely will discuss most anything with a coach. This referee, on this day, did not want to hear anything negative from you and told you so. Yet, you proceed to tell him he was wrong on 2 calls when he was absolutely correct. Small wonder he didn't want to hear anything else. I'm sorry to hear that the opposing coach knows as little concerning the Laws as you do. You obviously play in a League where they have made the illegal and improper modification of allowing cards to be shown to coaches. You called him an idiot loudly enough so he heard it. You were acting in an irresponsible manner and you earned your send off.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

I coach as well and to put this bluntly your topic reads as biased venting for someone who has gone on record displaying a woefully lack of knowledge on the laws of the game.
Given you took time to craft this gem I tried to fathom what it is you were after?

A referee is a match condition that you adapt to same as the weather or the pitch surface. You can't change it, you simply do what you need to, to stay ready and play. If it was rainy or windy and cold you could wear some heavier under garments, maybe gloves even a toque! If it was sunny and hot, drink lots of water to stay hydrated, use sunscreen put up a shade tent. Was the grass cut recently and smooth surface so a nice roll or a bit long and slick or wet so the ball skips or bobbles because it is bumpy?

The referee is he rainy or sunny, smooth or bumpy?

If you want to elect a conversation that will help not hurt your efforts you need to pay attention, these conditions matter, you need to adapt. Every referee is an official in charge of the safety and well being of the players. The degree of excellence and accountability is inherent in the effort one applies to become more than a holder of a whistle.

Referees are neutral not perfect!

Whether you can agree to disagree or not, you can not argue with the one person on the pitch that has no interest in the score of the match but must render decisions during the match to achieve a successful outcome! The referee should not be the most popular guy in the field, but he should be treated with the respect and courtesy of the position even if we dislike his personality or approach to the game!

On going training, foul recognition, mechanics, fitness levels, law interpretation these items with assessments and mentoring provide a solid foundation for good officiating! To have successful exchanges of information between coaching staff and officials in a beneficial manner there needs to be communication. The issue is communications do not occur well in a match or just after it concludes because of the dynamics of free play and the emotional passions that arise in heated competitions

You certainly could record and monitor the actions as you perceive them. Leagues require constant monitoring and evaluation of their officials! If a referee has issues be it attitude, foul recognition, lack of fitness etc... Such things can be noted from your perspective and while some bias is to be expected you need to be as truthful about the incidents as you can! Patterns can be determined by the amount and validity of the data!

I advocate seminars and information gatherings with all participants! They can be effective communication and sorting out the needless confrontational aspects during matches , IF, we take the chips off the shoulders when we enter the room and discuss not vent, exchange ideas not spout off emotions and remember we are all on the same side even when we agree to disagree! The benefit of the youth.

You reference several times that you accept the referee's decisions without complaint yet these complaints are baseless?
The coach's job is to tactically instruct their players and act in a responsible manner. Seems straightforward, yet I know how difficult it is on the touchlines when I see things that I perceive as wrong on the field to remain calm and not say out loud what it is I think. The advantage I have though, I know the laws of the game pretty well, you apparently do not! I also understand the code of ethics that guide youth sports participation and respect the part each of us play in our roles as the adults

The laws are something you as a coach SHOULD get to know backwards and forwards, up and down, sideways and inside out, restart for this restart is that, you know them cold, and then you will not be spouting drivel when you talk about the laws of the game and what a referee could or could not do!

Marginal calls usually balance out!

Offside is a tricky eye to the line and only those directly in line with a second last opponent have any reasonable hope to get those calls right! The technical area is very poor indeed!

I am absolutely gobsmacked that a caution for failure to respect the distance has you bent out of shape? The defenders have no rights at all on a free kick except to withdraw a MINIMUM of 10 yards. A referee does not intervene unless (a) the attacking team request it or (b) it is necessary to caution an opponent or player for mucking up the opportunity

If the referee is rude or speaks in an unacceptable manner to the youth report him

There are very few mandatory aspects of cards! They are a tool to achieve a result. If there was foul but no card shown without seeing it, I have no way to think it must be! I can accept from a coach's viewpoint that it looked as if it needed it!
It could well be a send off show a red card for DOGSO if a foul prevented a goal or scoring opportunity neverever mind just a USB caution show a yellow card for a professional tackle of breaking up attacking play. Or if the tackle was reckless in of itself or excessive by its nature the card colour again is questionable. The fact a referee called the foul but chose not sanction it with for additional misconduct stands based on his opinion on a FACT of play. Whether you or I might decide differently changes that not a bit!

The referee as the sole timekeeper choose to end the match, as a match decision after a goal based on his opinion on a FACT of play! The fact that a kick off does not occur is somehow game changing to you again has me wondering what you think this accomplishes and why it is controversial? The only good thing about a kick off is it is easy for the referee to pick up the game ball?

After a match referees are most often instructed to vacate the field area after the team handshakes to avoid this issue of being CONFRONTED by irritated emotionally charged people who want a chance to spit in their eye more than an explanation of a true concern!

I also know in certain communities a referee and coach will develop a dislike for each other rather than a mutual respect. I find it funny you say you know him for a long time but are bewildered at the ongoing situation?

On the pitch, by your players in the proximity of others if you have nothing good to say than keep the mouth closed! You want to run the mouth or disrespect the official better do it where his power and authority do not extend to have you sanctioned. FIFA does not permit referees to show cards to coaches but I know the youth leagues that grant this action in their by-laws feels this ability will somehow curb the coach's misconduct and empower a referee to act rather than take needless guff!

You can defend yourself, record and report the referee action's if you perceive them to be unfair, biased or demeaning. That is the right of every coach accused of unethical behaviour by the referee! Those who sit in judgement weigh in and we accept responsibility for who we are and what we say and do!
Scientia potentia est

Cheers