Question Number: 16080

Law 5 - The Referee 7/21/2007

RE: Adult

Al of Sarnia, ON CANADA asks...

This question is a follow up to question 16065

Chuck: Your assessment for persistent infringement, niggling fouls, and referee presence are extremely sound.

I find, however, that play-acting at all levels has added an extremely complex factor into the mix and can result in no-win situations. I had a game recently where, several times, a player receives (from what I hear and see) a glancing touch on the boot or ankle with a poor tackle, is easily able to continue with the ball, but is screaming the blues to the edge of dissent. 99% of players I see brush by those challenges, accept them as trivial, and carry on. Third time he earns himself a Caution for stopping and retaliating to trivial clip. Am I supposed to protect this player, book him for Dissent or UB the first time through, tell him to get tougher and carry on? No matter which approach is taken, I lose.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Thanks Al, I try. Right, to your question: Am I supposed to protect this player, book him for Dissent or UB the first time through, tell him to get tougher and carry on?

I think you missed my point. It was and still is on the first nick recognise it! Then, no matter what you do, blow or play advantage, ask him what he wants. If he says let me play, let him! But watch out because of his level of acceptance WILL change. If he reacts loudly he doesn't want to play through the nick any more -- protect him to the point of sending off the nicker for a second caution in the same match. Every player has the right to demonstrate his skills to his mates and the spectators, if present. Your job is to make sure he can.

When you talk to him the first time, empathise! That has gotta hurt, well done shaking it off. Are you OK with me playing advantage or would you rather I stop play for that and give the free kick. OR, Wow -- that was a nasty one, do you need any time to make sure your foot is still attached? Are you OK with this free kick or would you rather I play off the advantage if it happens again? That's the first time.

Second time whether you play advantage or not, find him and say something like, Well Done Mate, I admire you not retaliating -- what's your first name? You just set up what happens in the third hack. "Advantage!!! Keep going Bill, keep going" At the next stoppage find the hacker and either caution or warn him. Bill knows you are protecting him. He also knows if the hacker does it again he goes away.

This is the point I was trying to make, your active participation in this ONE player's match. You can't imagine the good feelings this player will have, and when you see him again he will come to you to say Hi. He is your friend for life...

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Al,
in each case when this occurred you did NOTapply advantage only decided the foul was doubtful and the screaming player decided it was not trivial ?
What message do you think is being communicated if you see and hear but do nothing?
By the opposing team?
By the player?
To foul is ok?
To dissent is ok?
Nicks, taps, butt shoves, hip checks, pinches, pulls, niggles or step on are calculated annoying and illegal. Fair Play dictates if we see a foul and that foul affects a match we have the power to deal with it.
When we resort to cards for an accumulation of match behavior as opposed to a single incident that cannot be over looked, cards are the extreme boundaries where limits are exceeded. Cautions are the last step before expulsion for the player when shown a yellow card and an example to all others as **a** final standard for the match.
We can on occasion set a standard without resorting to cards but we must recognize the need to intervene and we must communicate effectively to the players we mean business.

In matches where we can speak the same language as the players we still must identify what they want and fit if with the match need of a referee to see and hear and recognize when to intervene and at what level? We can still determine through body language and inflection of tone, the level of satisfaction players where we do not speak the same language might hold as to our guidance issues on match ethics, tolerances and acceptable standards of fair play.

The referee?s communication to all 22 players sets standards.
Yet on an individual level does the character of each referee is his ability to effectively deal one referee on one player on par with the ability to deal with all match needs of one player on 11 opponent's?

Players will look to see and await your reaction after any event especially the critical incidents early. They may feel you need help to see the foul and will fall willingly to bring it to your attention helping sell the foul as foul or scream for your attention.. Some will do so to cheat as well? Separating a hey ref I do not like this to hey ref you are a bonehead give me a freebie requires you to jump on the chances early to set the bar later!

If you watched the Chile Argentina u-20 match I believe the referee was of German origin. I have to wonder how effectively he spoke Spanish? This was a match that needed to have a few one on ones to settle and disarm the growing conflict. While the laws of the game remain constant the ability to relate individually to players in a manner as described by my colleague ref Fleischer requires the wisdom of experience that blends the science of situational awareness and the art of foul recognition into a fully developed referee.

Effective Communication is knowing when and how to straighten out behavior so that bending the laws to suit match conditions can be tolerated by the referee and accepted by the players.

You say know matter which approach you lose???
The only losers are those who do not doubt themselves and seek ways to do more.
Every good referee I?ve met has doubts about the calls they made in the game, they accept that they will make mistakes and try their best to keep them to a minimum. Everything I have read from you indicates you do this. Please in the future do not refer to your self as a loser. This game is damn lucky to have people like your self involved and the game is ONLY better for it!
Cheers