Question Number: 29920

Mechanics 11/14/2015

RE: Youth Travel Under 13

Dave Erwin of Newington, Connecticut United States asks...

I have had the situation in which at the start of a half one team is out on the field, The Referees are in position but the second playing team is still at the bench getting final instructions. I am somewhat patient but after the opponent and my crew being left on the field after a reasonable amount of time the other team is still making everyone else wait. My questions are how long should or must we wait and what sanctions if any are appropriate?

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Dave,
no matte how hard we try to give people a break there will be those who for whatever reason feel THEY can push the limit past what we prefer.
If the team TAKING the restart /kick off is ALL READY on the field you could be TEMPTED to do one of the following

You can not restart until minimum of 7 of their players are on the FOP . You can be very persnickety and permit some questionable decisions to unfold . For example if those ignoring are causing the delay
- once 7 of the opposition are on the FOP whistle play to begin.
- If the team that caused the delay is losing, suddenly time added does not seem as crucial as it would be if they were winning.
-Coaches reasonable behaviour within the technical area are now under greater scrutiny

If you choose to caution ANY of the players for not taking the field of play or hold the coach responsible and expel or warn be sure and restart correctly all 11, keeper in position , with no devious, oh yeah I will remember this act of defiance! as above. We do not carry grudges!

It is a easier decision when the team we are waiting for are the ones doing the restart or kick off with the other team ready on the field. Now you have a easy time of identifying who and what your options are!
When I call out captains to start a match try not to get too caught up in telling them what to do or how. Coin flip, hi, have a good game! Any conversation along those information lines occurred pregame during the inspection.
In 2nd half we do not do this. Teams know who restarts at kick off.

I suggest that you WARN the teams accordingly at 5 minutes left before kick off and again and a STRONGER 1 minute warning to take the FOP! Whistle to get their attention once the minute has expired state in a friendly manner they must take the FOP.

If they are doing anything but a 1 2 3 lets win cheer before breaking out of a huddle ! We could to start to intervene

The ask tell remove aspect of a warning is now in play

ASK coach! You pointedly do so Lets go, take the field, please lets hustle

20 or 30 seconds , no one yet starting with the cheer. TELL TEAM which is also telling coach. Now guys, SERIOUSLY? you really want me to have to caution for delaying the restart? Talk, eye contact with Captain! single him out hold him responsible aside from coach
Lets go NOW!

10 or 15 seconds , no one starts with the cheer?
Warn Captain, possibly caution for delaying restart or dissent for refusing to take the FOP if he does not comply . Bookings take another 10 to 15 seconds
The 1st caution to the captain you could get dissent
If they get abusive, argue and balk at hustling onto the field

It is a big step to remove the coach but that is next if it is the coach giving you grief and not he players. I gave you warning before the half began twice at 5 and again at 1 , then asked you, then told, and now after forcing me to caution a player you are expelled from the match for failing to act in a reasonable manner . Then if coach no goes, if players still refuse, abandon match and record the facts!

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Dave
For some this can be gamesmanship or for others it is simply getting consumed in giving instruction. We have all been tested by tardy teams and coaches. Some coaches try to take the break to an extreme with endless instructions.
Now what should not happen is that the game start without the full compliment of players. The referee should wait until the team is in place and ready to play. We might be sorely tempted to start prematurely and there has been a few questions relating to referees starting games with only a few players or while players are running out on to the field of play in tardy situations. That should not happen.
Now this can be a battle of wills between the referee and the team. Referees have to be proactive here and impose themselves on the situations. Some referees are better than others. I had one colleagues who was a drill sergeant when it came to instructions and getting teams to start on time. Teams knew in no uncertain terms that the game was starting and that he expected action.
Others like myself get on the case early and often with constant cajoling and intervention. Now in team tardiness situations the referee does not have many tools to work with. He has the threat of the report of a late start and fine from the competition organisers. Some though are happy to take the fine. Another option which is at the extreme is the threat of walking away. That rarely if ever happens as no referee want to do this or explain why that happened. Another is the appeal to the coach that the game needs to start NOW because there is another game, poor light, weather, have to be elsewhere. Constant badgering and interruption before the allotted time can help which can appeal to those in the group that want to get on with play

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

It is a challenging with many coaches. They lose track of time, and try to cover everything in a very short halftime interval. It is also a challenge with many referees, they lose track of the time and try to hurry things up. My experience, however, is that the least effective technique is to walk out to the field exactly at the end of the interval and start whistling.

I find the following effective (most of the time):
1. The referee team arrives at the center circle at least two minutes before the start of the next half.
2. The referee signals 'two' to the coaches (usually only seen by an assistant coach who is not talking).
3. With one minute left, the assistant referee runs to the touchline and informs the coach, 1 minute. The AR stays in the technical area to be a physical and verbal reminder.

4. With 30 seconds left, the referee walks to the one team that seems still to be straggling.

I used to advise blowing the whistle 4 minutes before the start of the second half in referee training. A couple days later, at my next game, I blew the whistle 4 minutes before the start of the second half, and one of the coaches started yelling at me. He stopped in mid-yell, said, 'oh, that's right. you told us to do that.' He was at the training.