Question Number: 29638

League Specific 8/27/2015

RE: Intermediate Under 13

Phil of Tarzana, CA United States asks...

This question is a follow up to question 29633

I can see where Danielle is coming from. There are a lot of things that happen at a professional level that referees ignore.

1) When shielding a ball near the touchline & the opponent pushes from the back to force the ball out, the referees almost always give the ball as a throw-in.

2) Whenever there's a corner kick or wall at a DFK, the referees always allow a certain amount of pushing or shirt pulling, unless it really gets out of hand. In fact, I remember seeing a video that criticized the referee for losing control when he forced a corner kick to be retaken about 7 times because of pushing, etc.

3) Whenever a DFK foul is given anywhere within about 35 yards or so of the goal, some opponent is always preventing a quick free kick & it's become accepted practice for the kick to be ceremonial. I've rarely seen a referee give a yellow for preventing a quick free kick in professional soccer.

It makes it difficult to enforce these rules at a recreational level.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Phil,
I hear you!
.

Funny, take a written test, then apply the test answers to the match, rarely seems to hold much relevance when it comes to blaming who is at fault for setting the examples! Lesser referees seem to labour under the delusion that football is a global sport and its rules must be interpreted and applied with absolute consistency wherever the game is played. .

So they watch TV and note the things THEY are taught are not the same as what they witness. They are NOT The only ones. Players, coaches and fans can often see without understanding a referee perspective at the elite level is about time and money as much as it is about the match. One can not compete against technology. The TOLERANCE levels for various stages and levels is constantly changing not just as to what is FAIR or FOUL but what is foul but considered as acceptable to be looked upon as tolerable.

Yet often in trying to apply the LOTG referees are vilified and are held in contempt for putting too much of themselves into a match, supposedly failing to remember that it is not the referee's game, it belongs to the players.

The cowboy or inventive referee, often ridiculed, by the snide reference to referees with diminished mental capacities that arbitrarily make up stuff as they go along, confusing players, fellow officials, and the spectators.
I will remind the ego heads and those who like to pigeon hole, a referee with integrity sees what he sees. How well he sees, a lot has to happen for an unclouded vision!
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Phil
When it is ones livelihood, referees in certain instances allow what is acceptable even if is contrary to the laws. I read a number of years ago advice from an EPL referee to junior teferees not to emulate what they see on TV for this very reason. Unfortunately, many players mimic the antics of the players which makes it difficult for referees.