Question Number: 21143

Law 3 - Number of Players 4/18/2009

RE: competative Under 15

David Buono of Stoneham, Mass usa asks...

I was told by a referee today that I am not allowed to give instruction (ie: positioning or placement directions) to my players during a game? In all my years of playing and coaching (youth through college) I have never heard of this. As a player (even in Div 1 college) I was advised of positioning placement from the sidelines by my coaches. Is this some sort of rule that has just never been enforced that I should know about?

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Coaches are allowed to give tactical instructions to their teams during the game. Hopefully, this isn't a running commentary from the coach, as that would indicate a lack of proper practices by the team, but only an occasional comment from the coach during the game, as needed.

I'm sure that is not the case with you as a competitive coach, but I have had games, as have all referees, where there is a coach who cannot conceive of his players figuring out what to do without his constant banter/ranting. It certainly destroys the enjoyment for the team(s), the spectators and the referees.

Perhaps your referee misunderstood what you were saying to your players, and/or thought your instructions were aimed at him. The latter is certainly not allowed. The former should be addressed to the referee's assignor. If the referee has a misconception, the one who is in the best position to correct it is the assignor.

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Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Sometimes I run across coaches who would be better off playing FIFA'09 on the computer. That way they could control all their players with a joystick. Coaches who attempt to control every movement with their 'tactical' instructions are doing the players a disservice. First, the players need to learn to make field decisions on their own. And second, by the time the coach yells the instruction, the player hears it, and interprets what to do, the situation has changed and the instruction is no good any more.

As Ref Maloney has indicated, tactical instructions are allowed. These include instructions such as having players change position, directions to play more up or more back, mark a particular player, etc. They do not include, 'Run! Run! Get the ball! Kick it! BOOT IT!'

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Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

No. Giving instructions to your players is the one thing you are ALLOWED to do. Screaming at the top of your lungs like a lunatic is another thing entirely, not that I'm accusing you of doing that. I'm just trying to figure out why any referee would tell a coach he couldn't give tactical advice to his players.

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