Question Number: 15481

Mechanics 5/14/2007

RE: Rec, Select, Competitive, High School Other

Jamie Jackson of Deatsville, AL USA asks...

How do you handle a player that is shown the Red card and proceeds to walk VERY slowly across and off the field?

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

Just document it in the game report. Anything after the card is displayed will only add to his punishment and game suspension.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

"Coach, we're waiting for your player to get off the field ..."

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

If the referee has time and the presence of mind he will move the player to be sent-off someplace closer to a touchline, hopefully the one near his bench or the tunnel. This takes much more than the average referee has available but, as I have written before, a referee who meets these situations in training or in his mind is better equipped than most. Now you know. Those reading this will also know there are other options to yanking out der rot, la rouge, el rojo and waving it about.

Few sendings-off really require you show the card first, many allow you to get to the player and tell him he's off and start writing in your book while walking with him to someplace away from many players toward a spot where he can leave quickly. The referee can say things like you know I have to send you off for that, follow me. Your name is? Thanks, now when we get where I'm leading you you'll see the red card and leave like a man won't you? Right sir, ready -- off you go.

If he chooses to be an alpha hotel that all goes in the report too. If you must show the card first get it up and take a step toward him [out of reach of course] and say loudly OFF YOU GO, sir. Then watch him leave and write down his number, the time and the offence for which he left. When he is gone you can finally break eye contact with him and seek out his captain. How cum? You need his name, don't you? Walk over to his captain with your book in your hand and ask "Just who was that, sir?" This gives you a few more seconds to calm a bit before resuming play. It also shows the captain you don't hold anything against him and are still approachable.

Hey, it works for me.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Jamie,
Lets see you showed a red card, player sent off and he continues to make a statement, hey I am unhappy, dissatisfied and a bit of a boob watch me as I make my situation even more unpleasent!
Aside from running after him and kicking him in the butt! Just kidding although the thought is likely well entertained! Ensure added time if the opposing team requires it and not to be quick on the restart if the opossing team is not so concerned.

My colleague Ref Fleischer makes a great point about isolating the player to recieve a card close to a touchline and displaying the card with one hand as the other shows the direction to head off in.

The need might be great to show the card quickly to head off retailiation but most often you can manuver yourself into the path of the player you need to talk to and can choose how to proceed instead of chase and blindly follow!

The way to collect information and to fill in the time by talking to the captain of the team reduced to ten or how you are able to interact with the player being sent off will affect just how easy or hard things can go!

SEND OFF and then show then red card
CAUTION then show the yellow card
There is a reason for proceedure and it helps us to follow it by dealing with the person in a respectful but polite no nonsense manner.

Players who continue with additional misconduct after the initail misconduct which garnered the card showed just add details to a report to further harm their possible return to the game in a reasonable time!
cheers