Question Number: 23432

Character, Attitude and Control 6/7/2010

RE: Club Under 15

David M of Corona, CA usa asks...

This question is a follow up to question 17018

I wish someone would emphasize to the refs that kicking the ball or especially the keeper when they have possession is AGAINST THE RULES. We have teams that are taught to 'challenge' (I'd call it attack) the keeper when they have the ball, almost no matter what. It's sickening to see, and until referee's are taught to properly regain control of the situation, this blatant offense will continue. I've refereed the sideline, where I had to tell the center ref, what 'control' is. The goalie had a hand on top of the ball, and the player kicked it in. He allowed the goal. Another time, the keeper had the ball with both hands, and the offensive player kicked the goalie in the chest. No call. What will it take for this situation to be remedied? Must a goalie go to the hospital. These refs are a menace. Any suggestions?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi David
In Europe players believe that the goalkeepers are too well protected and any contact usually ends up being punished with the award of a DFK. That is a matter of opinion and I certainly allow any fair challenge with the GK for the ball. Once he has possession no further challenge can be made.
As I explained on another question the hand on top of the ball is a very difficult call and there are many factors to be taken into account. However kicking the goalkeeper in the chest is a serious matter and it most definitely is a direct free kick and when it is reckless it is a caution and if excessive force was used it is a dismissal and a red card.
Finally might I suggest that this matter be raised at your League meetings with all clubs present. Clubs have a duty of care to all the players and coaching players to unfairly challenge the goalkeeper is not acceptable. You have identified the teams that do this so they should be challenged on it. Might I also suggest that the clubs/players that do this are the menace not the referees. I can also assure you that if referees in your League dismissed players for every poor challenge there would be a stream of protests that referees are being over officious and spoiling the game. Its not the referee's game but all the clubs and their players.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

While I sympathize with you, as an AR it is not your job to 'correct' the center referee. Your job is to assist not insist. Referees are taught, even in California, the LOTG and are taught that player safety is their first job and most important. It takes a lot of courage for a youngster to take stab at being the guardian of his goal. The keeper's job is fraught with peril and most referees know this and good referees are close enough to the play to keep an eye on the keeper. AT the very young levels I will yell 'Keeper' when he has possession and the opponents know to back off.

If your League has multiple referees allowing the keeper to be kicked in the chest and the like, you may want to bring this up not only with the assignor but at any and all referee meetings and meetings of the Board who ultimately have the power to do something about this lack of courage on the referees part and their ignoring their first responsibility; player safety

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

If a referee has concerns about a fellow referee, he should discuss the matter at halftime or after the game. If that doesn't resolve the issue, he should go to the assignor, local referee association, or the state referee association for clarification. Perhaps the fellow referee needs some correction or retraining from the powers that be.

But the AR cannot undermine the authority of the referee during the game. This will only lead to more problems. It's kind of like when we were kids, and if Mom didn't give the answer we wanted, go ask Dad. That only leads to chaos.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

I agree with my colleagues that it is not the referees that are a menace - it is coaches who teach their players these dangerous tactics. Nonetheless, you can help by reporting this issue to your local referee association and ask them to cover this item in the annual recertification clinic. If there are local referee assessors that can mentor referees, see if they are available to come and watch, and later visit with the referees.

Perhaps the referees who are being assigned to these games don't have the experience level necessary to cope with this type of team behavior. This should be reported to the assignor for the league, so they can adjust accordingly. We don't have nearly enough referees as it is. The attrition rate is about 50% a year. It is hard to keep referees long enough for them to become proficient with their skills and knowledgeable about the game. The reasons are many, but one of the big ones is because a referee is never being more than half right on decisions according to the coaches, fans and players and the abuse that goes with those 'announcements' by said folks drives many referees, especially the young ones, the future, out of the game.