Question Number: 33924

Other 3/20/2020

RE: Rec Adult

Russell of Sydney, Australia asks...

This question is a follow up to question 33919

Really like the line 'We are not actually in disagreement we are arguing semantics.'

Doubtless, this could have been said about the many 'debates' on posts I have had over the years on this site.

But it is a really good observation.
Often, we can get fixated with our particular viewpoint, and miss that we are actually in agreement and are just seeing it from a different perspective, or, that sometimes we might be viewing things too strictly, and not in what the essence of a rule is all about.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Russell
People who have flexibility have the best chances of getting the result they want.
The people who get the most out of life are people who have options, and know that they always have options, for example about how to respond on a certain situation.
A referee can look at a particular situation and figure out options which gives him the outcome he desires.
Referee Pierluigi Collina in his book showed some great examples of that. One was reverting to the first half playing positions due to crowd trouble for the goalkeepers after half time. It would be for most unthinkable to play the second half without changing sides yet that is what he did and he got the game finished. One will not find that advice in any manual or advice book. I think most may have abandoned and went home. Probably that particular game and circumstances led him to that decision at that time.
I once allowed a team to turn their shirts inside out as there was a colour clash with the opponents and the inside of the jerseys had a white lining. There were no numbers yet that just meant asking for names on cautions etc. It got the game played.
Have a look at this video
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2SbegiQbmp8&t=4m26s
No 5 white gets blood on his shirt after grazing his head on the running track and he got cautioned.
He comes back on with a numberless shirt and the referee would not allow him to continue. A member of the technical staff marked a five on the shirt to get him back on.
http://mit.zenfs.com/210/2011/09/2011-09-06_1238.png
What about a mental note of *White five* has no number on his shirt. He is the only player with no number.
The silver lining was that the *unique* jersey raised a lot of money for charity at auction.