Question Number: 30364

Other 4/29/2016

RE: Select Under 14

Brad of Plymouth, Michigan United States asks...

This question is a follow up to question 30347

My follow-up comment to the original question. I have a bit more leeway as a coach than a parent; I coach my son's (now U-13) team and have similarly encountered referees (often younger ones) who don't know the rules as well.

If I see gross issues of judgment, I may ask to speak with the referee at halftime and explain my concerns (and acknowledge myself as a referee). This is always done in a spirit of teaching.

If, during the game, I see an error in violation of LOTG (such as improper restarts), I will often state very loudly 'Referee--that is an improper restart.' Once at a tournament I had a young referee seriously mess up an errant goal kick (my defender engaged ball at the edge of the PA). Referee called INDFK at the goal area and I had already seen my opposition had solid set plays for that situation. After he ignored my plea 'That is the improper restart.' I elevated to 'Referee--you are creating a protestable situation.' At this point the opposing coach looked at me, said 'You're sure he's wrong?' and then directed his players 'Kick it out of bounds so that they get a goal kick.' At this point the referee approached us, asked for clarification from both coaches, and reversed his ruling.

You can't do this as a parent, but it might be useful for you to educate your coach and captains (if your captains have a meaningful on-field role) as to these issues.

I don't think yelling 'trifling' is constructive--that is ITOOTR and I think such calls undermine the referee's authority. (Even if I think it IS trifling).

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Brad
First off it is not helpful to engage with an official at half time. Indeed game observers are explicitly advised not to approach a referee until the game has ended. I have too many times had coaches try to influence decision making at half time by complaining about player x behaviour or telling me to watch for x. It was certainly not done for my benefit.
The second point is that the intervention of shouting at a referee is not IMO directly about referee education in a game situation yet rather influencing his decision. It might educate the referee yet it is using knowledge of the laws to change an on field decision. As an observer I simply make a note of this and as it is a serious error it is a loss of marks. It is conveyed to the referee in the post match debriefing. That is where the learning takes place. On field there are many other factors to consider such as confidence, attitude of opponents to shouts that influence decision making, match control etc.
In a recent Womens game between England and Norway the referee made an error in law on a penalty kick which ended in a successful protest. She had three officials with her, a referee observer and match delegate. The only persons that could influence her decision was the three other match officials. I suspect that there were plenty of people on the England technical staff that knew she was wrong. Okay she is a senior official and less likely to take advice from the sideline. The principle though is the same.
The final point I make is that while I am watching games I too see referees make errors in judgement and in law. That is part of the game. One would prefer for that not to happen yet it does. The learning process is multifaceted yet shouting in from the sideline is not one of them. Might be well intentioned yet 99.99% of the time it is not for the referees benefit and I don't think yelling at an inexperienced official is constructive.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Brad,
I have been on a long relocation move across the country and missed answering the initial question. As an individual one can do or say pretty much anything if you are willing to accept the consequences and hold yourself accountable. While a referee as a NEUTRAL agent is to block out the non neutral opinions and chatter, dissent is STILL a mechanism to evaluate your game management. If what you hear, strikes a chord, it is NOT unreasonable to heed the warning signs flashing that hmmm I might be missing something or outright twigging on that the decision is incorrect. As a coach I often get myself in hot water when I see a flagrant foul go unpunished or my player endangered. but I rarely engage the referee directly more make it known that I am upset. In cases where a referee is nit picky or unsure of themselves or just plain terrible I teach my players to think of him as a paying condition, As a moving post that occasionally we need to play around, over or through! Be he like the weather, hot or cold, rain or sun, hard pitch or soft pitch, you adapt and get on with it! I have has some crazy decisions rendered the most heinous of all aside from not issuing cards colours appropriately was the DH foul when a keeper left the area to deliberately grab the ball my striker was going to get to. rather then the red card for DOGSO and a free kick at 24 yards out we got no card and a PK! This was in a match that was being REPLAYED because the referee in the previous match erred at the taking of KFRPM in a reasonably high level provincial competition. I tried to get the near AR to interceded stating the restart is incorrect he CAN NOT award us a PK he is setting up the match to be protested. The CR yelled at me to get back into the technical area and leave the AR alone! The AR was intimidated by the CR and would not approach with the information. I tried to effect a substitution but had no one at centre ready. So I grabbed my nearest player TOLD him YOU take the PK and you miss it wide. Under NO circumstances do you score. He had to argue with my striker who wanted to take it and score but it dawned on him as all my players are referees, at least in some form, as passing the exam/test is mandatory to being on the team. We won again 2 to 1 to advance but the CR wanted NOTHING to do with me and I was a hair from being tossed. Being right still can be deemed wrong as the CR his match, his decision, his reputation only suffers later.
Cheers