Question Number: 27833

Law 5 - The Referee 9/30/2013

RE: 8 Adult

Dan of Downers Grove, IL USA asks...

Our players are dribblers, how do we get referees keep our players safe from the constant whacking, hacking shoulders in our backs. We can not play our skillfull & technically creative game due to the physical assult that we endure.
Refs either do not make calls or address the physical pounding that we take or if they do they make 10-20 foul calls in a 20-30 minute period but never caution or eject players.
As a ref of 17 years while I am coaching other refs simply ignore our request to acknowledge persistant infringement.
We do not want tp yell at refs and never say anything about anything but the constant contact our players are weathering.
I have parents that are going to put together a video of fouls that are not called or addressed and they want to see an attorney.
What can I do?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Dan
Do you mean to tell me that every single referee in the League is poor at foul recognition and that constant whacking, hacking is allowed to take place? It also suggests that all opponents bring an unpleasant 'foul' strategy to games that goes unchecked by all referees?
I can perhaps understand where an inexperienced referee allows foul play to happen or perhaps a foul here or there is missed but not blatant ignoring of fouls by all referees in all games involving your team.
So whether we like it or not fouls happen in games. At the highest level fouls range from between 25 to 35 per game depending on location with the lowest in the EPL and the highest in La Liga in Spain. It is also shown that some teams foul more than others and that all teams are not equal on the foul count.
As regards persistent infringement it is up to each referee to see a pattern in a game by a player or a group of players and to take appropriate action. Sometimes a series of minor trips, pushes are punished by free kicks only.
I officiated in a game recently and there were I believe probably less than ten fouls in the 1st half. Two tackles while not serious required me to speak to the players about being careful. At the start of the second half the visiting away coach came to me to question my lack of cards and his concern about player safety. None of the fouls IMO merited a card and I did not change the way that I controlled the game with no cards in the 2nd half either. I found the coaches comments disingenuous and demeaning. He did not know me nor my expeience of handling games at a high level nor that last season I had the highest caution count among referees in the Leagues. If a foul merits a card I have no concern about issuing it. At the end the players all acknowledged that the game was played in a good spirit with both teams happy and no injuries to either side.
As regards parents putting together a video and wanting to see an attorney I suggest that is a waste of money and time. I suggest that a letter of complaint be written to the League who will deal with any formal complaint outlined in the letter. Normally what happens is that an observer is sent to games who will report back.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

We recently did a referee clinic on dealing with parents and coaches.
The first item was when to listen to the coach. When the coach is expressing a concern for the safety of the players, the referees ought to listen and adjust.

Where opposing players are injuring your players, however, the first complaint should be to the league about the opposing coach and players - - not the referee. If an individual referee is not adjusting foul selection to the safety of the players and not dealing with misconduct, the best approach is to contact the assignor and identify the issue. Assignors can and will see that the referee is observed and adjust the assignments to meet the current skill levels. 'Letting them play' can be a sign on a great referee or a poor one. A neutral assessment or observation can usually tell the difference.

Frankly, my experience is that most comments from coaches are really about gaining a tactical advantage from having a foul called or not called, and being able to win using their style of play - - not safety. If, as is implied, the problem is the conduct of all of the opposing teams and all of the referees, then I suggest that the expectations of the parents are wrong. There are several styles of play that are lawful under the laws of the game, including those that take advantage of superior size and physicality.

But, there are times when referees don't read and adjust to the needs of this particular match and these players. We see some referees who seem to set the same bar for a BU16 than a GU10. Even at the higher levels, recognizing and dealing with persistent infringement is an advanced skill set.

A growing problem in youth soccer, is the expectations of parents at a U10 match is not on safety or fun, but that every contact is called a foul and every perceived wrong righted by the referee. They expect the coach to win, not help their child develop, and this puts pressure on the coach that should not be there. Unfortunately, if your players are U10, you also may be seeing the referees who aren't appropriate for U14 and above. The parents have reasons to get upset because they aren't seeing the best referees.

With a couple years experience, several things happen. First, the referees get better as they learn how to read and adjust a game to the players. Foul and card counts go down as the referees learn to use more than a card and whistle for match management. Second, the parents get used to the way the game is really played. No one likes to see their child fouled, but all become amazed when the player learns to play through fouls and score, using the contact to surge ahead.