Question Number: 22075

Other 9/25/2009

Andrew of Golden, CO United States asks...

This question is a follow up to question 14041

Shame on you for choosing to continue to let your young keeper get kicked at just so you can continue to yell at the referee. You are no more competent than he is, you didn't do anything more than he did to protect your keeper. I have ended games because I felt I could no longer keep the players from going after each other and you should have taken your players off the field if you felt they were unsafe.

As for your comment about referees stepping up, your games (like it or not) are the place for referees to gain experience. I was once told by a very good friend and fellow referee 'You only gain experience by being in a situation where that experience is required'. Yelling at that referee will not further your cause of trying to get referees to perform better you will only facilitate that referee quitting and being replace with someone who has EVEN LESS experience than he/she does.

Do us referees a favor, worry about your own players and not about 'training' the referee in how to be abused.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

That was a while back Andie my lad, I think he got he message we were less then impressed. His attitude then, as it is now is simply unacceptable! The most unreasonable of reasonable people must learn to agree to disagree and move on during the match. Record and submit information AFTER to assist further training.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

The question Andrew refers to is 3 years old and was from a coach who said he allowed his keeper to be abused and kicked due to an incompetent referee. As I replied then, if the coach truly feared for the safety of his players he should have pulled them off the field. The parents screaming at the referee did absolutely no good and either intimidated or irritated the referee in question.