some refs are dire.....blind at best or just wont accept your nearer the action than they are while your trying to assist THEM !!!!!!!!!!! the game can`t function without them but standards are poor in some cases.
Gentlemen, I can understand your frustration. The problem lies with inconsistency and tolerance levels among officials.
For example: A defender handles the ball on the line, thus preventing a goal. The laws of the game are clear (not correct, necessarily, but clear ;)) Penalty kick and red card. Some referees will apply law, some will award the penalty and caution, others will issue no card, just the penalty.
Some referees have higher tolerance levels than others on swearing; if a player shouts at me "That was never f***in' offside!", I will usually give a public warning but if the player has already had warnings then I will take it a step further. Others will caution or dismiss the player outright.
I can sympathise with managers and players because they will see these variations from week to week and have to rely on getting to know each referee's tolerance levels.
The game I was referring to at the top of the thread I watched as a neutral and the number of cards I thought was just unnecessary, leading to a red through the sheer number of yellows shown
most refs wont allow you to ask a simple question during a game especially at youth level, if you ask a ref what the foul was for most of them wont answer you just tell you to get on with it, maybe if refs showed some respect to players and explained things now and again then players might return the respect, but all you ever hear is dont moan about refs we couldnt do without them, this is very true but without players they would have to find another form of wages !
The game I was referring to at the top of the thread I watched as a neutral and the number of cards I thought was just unnecessary, leading to a red through the sheer number of yellows shown
Brian,
Fair enough, I wasn't there so I can't comment on that game.
However, there are usually two reasons why a referee will produce a flurry of cards. The players earn them and the referee needs to retain match control. Or, he has a low tolerance level. However, if he cautions early and for relatively minor matters (still his game, though so up to him) the difficulty then is that he has to keep cautioning so as to be consistent thus 'painting himself into a corner'-so to speak. The reds will follow as a result of sheer numbers.
most refs wont allow you to ask a simple question during a game especially at youth level, if you ask a ref what the foul was for most of them wont answer you just tell you to get on with it, maybe if refs showed some respect to players and explained things now and again then players might return the respect, but all you ever hear is dont moan about refs we couldnt do without them, this is very true but without players they would have to find another form of wages !
Brucky
Brucky,
My approach is that the officials are the only ones being paid so should set the example. This includes explaining decisions, especially the more obscure ones so that there is some understanding between officials, managers and players.
The understanding of the laws of the game- and, more importantly, it's application- amongst players and coaches is varied and questions will arise-usually about offside and fouls! ;)
Now, if a player or manager wants to discuss my decision then I'm more than happy to take it up, but please wait until half or full-time when I can give you my full attention which would be demonstrating what you requested earlier- respect.
Thanks Scott, it's good to see a ref participating in this debate. It's not a witch-hunt and, even in the professional game, I think refs should be allowed to speak out more.
Great to see this debate. Big issue in football at all levels and one which we all have opinions.
A referees job is very hard and we all have a role to play to help and assist in increasing standards. Players, managers & officials can help by accepting wrong decisions (in their eyes) gracefully. If they feel a referee CONSISTENTLY gets it wrong, then, they must feel they can report the matter to the FA and action to correct and if necessary retrain a referee WILL happen.
Referees MUST explain contentious decisions to the people involved and have the humility to accept contrustuctive criticism. This means not only saying they are human and make mistakes but be "man" enough to accept corrective action and retraining.
Great to see this debate. Big issue in football at all levels and one which we all have opinions.
A referees job is very hard and we all have a role to play to help and assist in increasing standards. Players, managers & officials can help by accepting wrong decisions (in their eyes) gracefully. If they feel a referee CONSISTENTLY gets it wrong, then, they must feel they can report the matter to the FA and action to correct and if necessary retrain a referee WILL happen.
Referees MUST explain contentious decisions to the people involved and have the humility to accept contrustuctive criticism. This means not only saying they are human and make mistakes but be "man" enough to accept corrective action and retraining.
I agree, Joe. As I said earlier, match officials are taking payment for their services and so have a high level of responsibility. This starts from carrying out pitch inspections to checking boots and jewellery to taking subs' names then carrying the game to it's conclusion.
During that game, the official(s) will make many decisions- each time upsetting half of those present. Most will be correct, some will be debatable and a few will be wrong. One or two may be blatently wrong-shouldn't happen but that's life
The problem with these one or two is that they will be game-changing and the ones that everyone judges the officials by- the defender sent off for denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity, the penalty awarded in the last minute that wins the game, the player sent off for calling the referee a cheat, thus earning the player not only a hefty fine but also a lengthy ban. I don't take these decisions lightly and I'm sure most of my colleagues are the same. But if officials are consistently putting in poor performances then they must be willing to undergo further training.
After all, it's the players' game...
You're absolutely bang on, Joe. Match officials ought to be big enough to explain big or obscure decisions when asked to but players and managers ought also to cut down on the sniping aimed at match officials when it's not "going their way".
More than 75% of the cards I issue are for dissent or offensive comments. This ranges from "You're clueless, ref" to "You're just a cheating c**t, ref". It really does cover the whole range. If decisions were accepted with the grace you describe, Joe then cautions and dismissals would plummet, players would be available rather than suspended and the FA would be financially worse off ;)
I suspect the %age of cards for dissent will be pretty standard across most referees.
I think so, Brian. Most refs I talk to say if it wasn't for dissent, they'd have little else to get their cards out. You hear relatively little else about discipline for other offences as it is expected that cautions will be issued for foul tackles- it's inevitable in a sport like football, whereas players make a choice to commit dissent.
I understand that it is a passionate game and temperatures can run high. Referees need to recognise this and make allowances. But officials must act if they deem a player to be talking or acting towards them -or any other person for that matter- in an inapproriate manner.
