Question Number: 31903

League Specific 10/15/2017

RE: Competitive Under 19

Gabriel Ramirez of West Windsor, NJ USA asks...

12 minutes to end the game, team A has two coaches carded on the team area. One coach start yelling in a an abusive language. The ball goes out of bounds, I stop the game approach the coach, ask him to stop his behavior. He continues yelling, at this point I told him to stop or I will send him off. He continues then I set him off the field. Now the second coach gets involve, I tell him "heard you coach" I try to resume the game. Coach all of a sudden starts yelling to. I repeat the procedure applied to the first coach, eject the second coach, and since there are no carded coaches left for this team I ended the game.

Go to the tournament director table give my report and now they want me to finish the game. I said not, they call my assignor, assignor says this is for the kids, convinced me to end the game with the second ejected coach on the bench and a tournament official.
The team with the trouble coaches who was up in the score by one goal receives two goals in the last ten minutes. I make and indirect call one a defender kicks the ball and hits a forward of the team giving me crap on the ear side.

I ended the game at the twelve remaining minute. The coach asks me why I gave an indirect kic, I explained to him there is not heading the ball and that that is the rule. Now he started giving me crap again.
My question is should I have refuse to officiate the last twelve minutes of the game? How could I had handle the situation different?

Any advice will be appreciated.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Gabriel
Was this an Under11 game as No Heading rule only applies to that level and below? Obviously some states have an IDFK for all contact by the ball on the head whereas some only sanction deliberate heading
As to how this should be handled I feel that there could be a few options.
1. Refuse to finish the game and the organisers can get another referee to finish the game.
2. Restart the game yet insist that a tournament official or referee act as a fourth official to control the technical area with someone else taking charge of the team
3. Accept the instructions of the organisers.
Personally I would not go with option 3 and I not restart the game without some change and while we all know it is about the players the organisers must also deal with indiscipline by technical staff in a stern manner. Restarting the game with no change or sanction sends out the wrong message.
For what it is worth a tournament that does not support the referees by taking action against coaches that act in an irresponsible manner would no longer receive my services.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Gabriel,
the NUMBER one reason referees walk away is abuse. The fact you endured some is not the worst of it is the fact your tournament/league or directors organizers have in fact sanctioned it!

In cases where you have acted in what you believe are in the best interests of the game as it IS a BIG deal to eject coaches. Make no mistake you had better be bloody sure this was necessary. However once that step is taken and those lines are crossed there is, in my opinion ONLY, no going back!

You fill in the match report and explain yourself and actions politely tell them they are free to do what they want about the result but as you have terminated play for the REASONING stated you DO NOT resume with them as coach.

They can assign a parent or legal guardian, the directors can offer to step in whatever they want but those sanctioned STAY sanctioned!

This heading thing is really starting to irritate me in a general sense at the turbidity of the arguments arising out of how or what to do at the youth level by referees seeking to come to terms with this new wrinkle have conflicting resolutions and ideas you state u-19 but I will assume this is a USA youth u-11 match or lower? .

My BASIC understanding that if the ball is hit into the head area, if there is unavoidable contact as long as no injury play continues! There is no INDFK for the ball hitting the head just as there is no DFK for ball hitting the hand.

The deliberate headings are INDFK from point of contact subject to either the special restrictions of the 6 yard goal area or the build out line which I must confess I do not know much about given I have not officiated a single match with this newest of laws for youth. ! My understanding is concussion SAFETY for the headings and free kicks are not to be taken in from close range again for safety and to allow time for players to react.

MY colleagues comments mirror my own. Hand in the whistle, say thank you very much, but no thanks! Even if you make a mistake, are thin skinned or confused in any situation where a decision is rendered the 'ACT RESPONSIBLE' sign over the technical area NEVER goes away! All coaches must accept there are other less abusive ways to get a message, voice displeasure, report conduct they believe is incorrect but ABUSE is NOT to be tolerated PERIOD!

Cheers