Question Number: 27751

Law 5 - The Referee 9/11/2013

RE: JV High School

Charlie Rietschel of Andover, MN USA asks...

During a corner kick the ref called a foul against my team and awarded a PK for the opposing team. I asked the ref what the call was, and he refused to tell me why the team was awarded a PK. He told me to 'Talk to him after the game was over.'

As a coach, am I allowed to know what the call is? There was no hand signals or anything. I got no answer from the ref. when all was said and done.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

Under high school rules, the coach is entitled to be informed of the reason for any caution or send off. There is no equivalent rule for fouls or penalty kicks. There are no hand signals to indicate the nature of the foul. (This was dropped a few years ago from NFHS rules.)

Although referees answer coaches questions all the time, how and when the coach asks can matter a lot. We don't know what happened in your match, but it is common for coaches to yell 'what was the call' as a form of dissent. Frankly, my experience is that they don't really want the answer. They don't believe the penalty kick was warranted and they are expressing that opinion in the form of a question. The same coach asking 'what number committed the foul' to me is more likely to get an answer.

Penalty kicks are often controversial, and the referee needs to focus on the players and not the coaches. If the players are swarming the referee, it becomes far harder for the referee to talk to the coach.

Did you talk to the referee after the game?

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Hi Charlie,

It's not good practice for the referee to engage in a discussion across half the field regarding a controversial call. I certainly wouldn't - it's simply inviting argument and dissent.

If your intent was pure curiosity then that would be a rare case - but there's no obligation on the referee to inform you (or anybody) of the reason for a foul.

The referee needs to focus on managing the players in front of him to minimise conflict and to ensure everybody understands the laws regarding the penalty kick (such as remaining outside the area), he doesn't need to be shouting out his decisions to people half the pitch away. Not to mention it's just wasting time.

Most referees will be willing to explain their decision if calmly approached after the match - that's the best time to seek explanation, not during the match.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Most of us do not want to engage a coach during a match concerning our decisions but are happy to after the match is over if approached in a calm and professional manner

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Charlie
Would it make any difference at the time if the coach knew what the call was for? Most communication that happens here is with the players and from experience most referees 'inform' the players what the call is for. That helps with match control.
I watched a referee award a penalty recently for an 'off the ball' pull by a defender. The bench was some 40 yards away and did not know what it was for but the players knew and that is what is important.
Also in a heated situation like a penalty a referee is not going to engage in a discussion about a decision with bench personnel. If he had said 'holding' would that have changed anything?