Question Number: 22014

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 9/19/2009

RE: AYSO U10 Boys Under 11

Mike of Chino Hills, CA USA asks...

Whew, tough, close game today with difficult coach. I finally had to tell the coach that he will be asked to leave if there are any more comments. That's a first for me. Coach is a ref that thought he knew it all. I didn't blow the whistle on what I saw as a fair charge. But he wouldn't let it go. When he told his keeper not to save a long ball from kick-off, I knew he didn't know the rules as well as he thought. I awarded the goal, and he was mad because it hadn't been touched by another player yet. As a result, his team lost by one.

Back to the fair charge, because it was a gray area for me. The defender caught up with the attacker from an angled run. He didn't lean into the charge, remained upright, and went shoulder to shoulder with arms straight down at his side. The defender fell - but he had been floppy all day. The charge did not appear close to the back at all, and I saw nothing but shoulder contact. I did consider that it may be a foul because the defender was running faster than the attacker to catch up with him. Perhaps the difference in speed could warrant a call as a foul. I decided it was not careless, but it was a hard non-call for me given the way the attacker went down. Should the defender be expected to run at a speed equivalent to the attacker, or run along the attacker, before initiating the charge?

Answer provided by Referee Gene Nagy

Mike, you did well to allow the goal. The coach/referee was doubly wrong in that he did not know that kick-offs a direct kicks. But far worse than that, he is bound by referees' rule of ethics never to criticize another referee and to do it so publicly should be sanctioned. I don't care if he is at the highest level and you are at the entry level, he is strictly forbidden to do that. I suspect that the pitch was somewhat shorter than regulation size or the U-11 player was superman's son. If not, that U-11 kid has a future in this game!
Your eloquent description of the charge sounds like it was fair. The answer to your 'same speed' question is most certainly: no. In this game speed and skill wins.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Kickoffs have been direct kicks since 1997, longer than these players have been alive! This coach-who-is-also-a-ref has to keep up with the program.

More importantly, he has to remember which role he is taking at any given time. Even if you as a referee totally bollux-up the game, it is still your game to call, not the coach's. (By the way, I agree with ref Nagy that you did well on your charging decision.) Your statement, 'That's enough or you'll be leaving' should be considered a formal warning to the coach, equivalent to a caution for players. No card would be shown, unless your league rules specifically tell you to show cards to coaches. But the coach should be reported to the league, in the same manner as a player is reported for a caution. The report should also go to the local referee association, if there is one, or at least to your referee assignor.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

Good work.

A legal charge is an attempt to physically separate an opponent from control of the ball and a smaller opponent can fall down from a fair charge. Usually, the foul charge has too much force with a pushing or blocking technique more suitable to American football: watch for a player to lower the shoulder.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

As ref who perceives he knows a great deal when I coach I do indeed find it difficult to honor that ethical code when in my opinion/perception things are not going to what I think is correct. I KNOW better and still find it difficult to shut up. It is one reason I try to use my captains to approach a referee prematch to see if he is receptive to being approached to OCCASIONALLY explain if time and circumstances permit. I also write down and record glaring deficiencies to submit to the league. I also bite my tongue a great deal!

I know we need to set our ref hat aside but as a coach I also know I must advocate for my team. To present a fair play attitude and respect for the official is part of the coaches responsibility to act as a role model for his players. Although I do try to do that I have admittedly spoken out of turn on a few occasions , been taken to task and apologized for it.

It is one reason as a referee I am not so quick to tune out everything a coach has to say even if I tolerate no abuse or unethical behavior contrary to the safety and needs of the match.

When coaches speak gibberish highlighting their ignorance of the laws as opposed to voicing real concerns over a players well being, it does create a perception that the coach is an idiot . In fact the coach may not be an idiot only wrong or misguided but well intentioned but contempt creeps in our attitude towards him. Be wary of that, try to remember pride passion, emotion the needs of those in competition are not ours! As neutral officials we must balance the release of dissapointment or the rantings of the misinformed with the effect that release has on the match itself. Hot air rises and disapates or if trapped in a pressure cooker and allowed to simmer can blow up and cause great harm!

Charging fouls are notoriously misunderstood given the speed and direction of play, the fact that players are taller & shorter and to a certain degree both players are fouling the other using their free arms. As a referee you make a decision, the coach can perceive it as he wishes, but he either agrees to disagree and move on! If he mistakenly dwells on it and you need to employ the ask, tell, remove theory of approachable conduct where we say
-Please be quiet the first time lets agree to disagree and move on,
-You are acting UNREASONABLY write down the issues you have and turn them into the league but as of right now I am warning you must stop not so nice the second
-For the third time I am sorry it has come to this! I asked you nicely the first time, told you a second time you must stop you chose to continue this and now the consequences are I am suspending the match until you have cleared the field area . You have 3-5 minutes or the match will be abandoned! Goodbye adieu farewellbr>
Cheers

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 22059

See Question: 22063