Question Number: 29543

Mechanics 7/21/2015

RE: Amateur Adult

George of Parangarecutirimicuaro, California Sacratomato asks...

This past weekend I was an AR of a very close game. I call an offside but the referee did not see me in time and cautions a Green player in the process. I call the CR over to inform him that the offside happened before the caution. He CR decided to stick with the caution to keep better control of the game which was very intense by now.

Later, a Green player is cautioned on a play that happened at the midfield line and near the touchline opposite of me. As I was recording the caution, I see CR take out the red and points for the player to leave. In this particular league, players are passionate about the sport and it is not uncommon for players to earn a second caution while the CR is recording the first caution. Green player tried pleading his case but complied and left the field. At the end of the game, green player who is now dressed in street clothes approaches us and and pleads for the CR to compare his game notes with me. As it turns out, CR wrote the wrong player number on a previous caution thus wrongly giving green player a 'second' yellow.

My question is, as an AR, how should I have proceeded? Should I have called CR over to confirm the cautions? Would it have been proper to call CR over and have him confirm had there been a second caution on the spot? At the time, since the CR had ignored my earlier call, I wasn't very sure how to proceed. Also, the other AR was closer to the action, so should the other AR have been there to clarify?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi George
The referee here made a serious error in Law by sending off a player who was not previously cautioned. The correct procedure would have been to watch very closely the referees actions and to see if there were two separate cautions shown. Two cautions together for the same player are rare and this would have raised alarm bells with me straight away if I only saw one yellow card raised. I would certainly have sought clarification from the referee as to the decision when I did not see two cards raised followed by the red card. I certainly hope that the referee corrected his error in his match report by informing the competition organisers that he made a serious error and that the player should not have been dismissed and the team should not have had to play short.
As regards whose responsibility it is, the referee should be instructing one of the ARs in his pre match talk to record the cards and to bring to his attention any irregularities in the disciplinary procedures. The same would also apply when a player who has been previously cautioned is not dismissed for a 2nd caution. The referee should not be allowed to restart the game in such situations as these are serious errors. As a referee I would rather explain that I got it correct to my AR rather than explaining to an assessor or in a match report that I got it badly wrong. ARs can also pay a price for getting it wrong in these situations by not advising the referee with a markdown in the assessment score.
I also think that the players reaction of questioning the fact that he was no previously cautioned should have alerted the referee into dealing with it. Players are generally truthful when it comes to matters such as cautions. If the caution process is done correctly the player should be in no doubt about this. If I was in a similar situation I would be asking the senior AR to confirm his knowledge of the cautions and then deciding accordingly. The same discussion that took place in the car park could have happened on the field of play.
Im sure Referee Graham Poll would have preferred to have a discussion with an assistant or 4th official to put him right on the three card debacle in the World Cup when he failed to send off Simunic for a 2nd caution. Dealing with it after the game or after the restart is never good.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi George,
it appears that the good habits of communication between AR sand CR are not yet fully functional? It does take a conscious effort to remember to look at each other before and after every stoppage so missed flags do not go unnoticed or improper data is missed and not recorded. AT pro level the ARS have radio and buzzer to go along with the raised flag to ensure their input does NOT go unnoticed by the CR or is drowned out by crowd noises. The CR can CHOOSE to do as he wishes but at least he has their input!

I used to maintain a ...popping.... the flag concept to make an audible signal to the referee that I was signalling to top play. I ....SNAPPED... a crisp flag so it POPPED as it was raised in a forceful manner. Apparently this behaviour is not welcomed by the USSF as a proper mechanic owing to there mandatory eye CONTACT message they try to instill in their officials as a way of staying in touch to see if the flag is up or not. The issue in recreational soccer is how well are the officials following proper mechanics or procedures?

Whenever a card is shown by the CR he should relay that information to his ARS and 4th. i.e. 15 blue cautioned for a RT at 68 minutes! The ARs and the 4th especially should record that information and thus be aware of who is on a caution as well. So if they see the SAME player is booked they also can remind the CR And equally if they see a card procedure that appears out of place they should question such ASAP.

The CR could say to you, I just sent off # ?? Green player for receiving a double caution initially for the RT and the other for his continued dissent. If he says I cautioned him for a RT and as it was his second caution for the earlier RT I sent him off ! You then reply, what was his # or first caution I have no record of it?

I recall it was the USA referee Kevin Stoats who was the 4th official at Graham's match. I hold the opinion that the 4th should have also known Simunic was on his 2nd caution and told Graham YOU NEED TO SEND HIM OFF! In rec soccer with no radio, no buzzer, no flag, I yell REF!!!!, signal to come or go over and explain. The match is NOT restarting until I COMMUNICATE with my CR! To do as the CR did has created a protestable situation and all issues must be documented in the match report.

Cheers

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

See Question: 29551