Question Number: 22530

Mechanics 11/16/2009

RE: AYSO Under 15

Tim S of Los Angeles, CA USA asks...

Greetings. I am a rookie intermediate ref and was AR for a semi final game in our BU14 Section playoffs. After passing the intermediate exam this past summer I've centered a dozen GU12/BU12 games and assisted with a number of GU14/BU14. The CR was one of my instructors and is a very senior, exeperienced official from the region but not our area. Thus he was not familiar with the coaches or boys. Very physical game with lots of bad language, esp. from blue. Towards the end of the first half on my side of the field blue is attacking green and the penalty area is crowded with players. The next series of events happen very quickly. Blue striker is in an offside position, receives a pass from his team mate and my flag is up. Well positioned CR sees it and blows his whistle (I think, didn't hear it but some players seem to and stop). Blue striker shoots (before? after? same time as the whistle? don't know) GK makes a diving same and cradles/controls ball on the ground; second blue player storms in and kicks the ball into GK's groin. Just as he does so, another blue player says 'WTF' behind the CR who turns and doesn't see the offending kick. I keep my flag up as CR checks on the GK until the CR sees me. He calls me over and I tell him about the incident and that I think the blue player who kicked the ball in the GK's posession should be cautioned. He says he didn't see it and will talk to both coaches and players at half, as time has now expired. He did speak to the coaches (both of whom are experienced certified refs too in our Section) and the game settles down for the second half.

Couple of questions:

I know that I am there to assist the CR but should I have been more emphatic about the misconduct? It could easily have been a send off for SFP or VC, depending when the whistle was blown. Certainly it was a reckless kick or USB. If the roles were reversed and a senior ref with experience was assisting me I would have written the blue player up.

How should a CR deal with rampant cussing amongst players that is not clearly directed at the CR?

Many thanks as always.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

Congratulations on your progress as a referee.

As an assistant referee, it is your job to make sure that the referee has the information she needs to take appropriate decisions. Once you provide the information, however, it is up to the referee to decide what is appropriate. It may be different than the one you recommend, and will be based on the referee's experience, what has happened in the match so far, and the players involved. The referee's judgment, however, isn't any indication that she didn't welcome the information from you: you saw what she didn't, and that is great teamwork.

Note: how you convey the information will be very important. 'Blue #7 just kicked the keeper' is violent conduct and is different from 'Blue # 7 kicked the ball in the keeper's possession.' In these circumstances, it is hard to convey all the information quickly. Referees often will repeat the information back to the assistant referee to make sure the communication was clear.

Dealing with language is challenging. It depends on the age of the players, what is being said, and to whom it is directed. My approach below U17 is that I will chat with someone who uses inappropriate language not directed at any other person (the frustration/emotional outburst), and will loudly and publicly warn anyone using 'trash talk' against a teammate. I will caution card anyone cursing at an opponent or a teammate. In my view, the risk of not dealing with cursing is that it can escalate into violence.

Small war story. My son at age 15 was the backup keeper for his high school team. The starting keeper was cautioned for shouting a bad word at his teammate who had made a bonehead play. My son went in as the substitute. 30 seconds later, the same teammate made another bonehead play and my son shouted the same bad word at him. The referee went to talk with my son. I asked my son after the match what the referee said. He said, 'if your defender keeps that up, your team is going to run out of keepers. Can you help me with the language?' There were no other incidents. The referee found a way to manage the match that was as effective as a yellow card.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Tim
A few comments.
I'm surprised that a whistle on a possible goalscoring offside call should not be heard? A strong whistle is required here so that there is no doubt by every player present that play has stopped. The shot is irrelevant but nothing should happen after that. The whistle stops play and I would suspect it was blown as the referee turned around away from the ball and he was then moving on to the WTF comment, having stopped play.
I suspect that the referee may have decided that the kick of the ball into the player was genuine attempt for the ball. These are always tough calls. Certainly any attempt to play the ball while the keeper has it in his/her possession is reckless, deserving of a caution and if excessive force is used then a dismissal for serious foul play. It can't be VC when the ball is being played for. Now whether it requires a more forceful communication with the CR on a caution/dismissal is really a matter of personal preference. I have differed on many occasions with colleagues on cautions. Ultimately its the CR that makes the call. You give him the information and he decides.
As regards bad language unfortunately it is part of modern society and soccer just reflects society. I usually have a word with the player with something like 'There is no need for that language' ' 'Mind your language please'. If the advice is not heeded then a firmer word is required and then followed by a caution. I know some referees who caution automatically for bad language. Surprising how teams in his presence don't swear as they have got the message that this ref does not tolerate it and the players are warned in advance?

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

First of all, you called offside and the referee blew his whistle so play has stopped at that point. Literally nothing after this may be called a foul so we may only deal with misconduct.