Question Number: 18459

Law 13 - Free Kicks 3/3/2008

RE: Select Under 13

Steve of Vero Beach, FL USA asks...

I was in the AR position on the coaches' side of the field during a very competitive match this weekend. White team player commits a DFK offence just outside of his PA. 4 White players set a wall about 4 yards from the ball, with #4 saying "Make them ask for 10". CR asks them to retreat and #4 refuses. CR promptly cautions the young man for DRP and the wall moves back.

The coach yells out to CR, "did you warn him first (before pulling the YC)". CR didn't hear him. I informed the coach that the CR is not required to warn a player before cautioning him. Coach then claims to be a grade 6 ref and dismissed my comment. The coach was ill-behaved most of the game and we did warn him toward the end of the game that he was about to be asked to leave, which finally calmed him down (only coach - team would forfeit). We dealt with his behavior in the game report.

I have read Laws 12 & 13 and the Advise to the Referees concerning this. Have I missed a warning requirement or is this "grade 6" not correct in his interpretation of LOTG?

Thanks.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Garde 6, grade 4, grade 2, elite premier referee, what does it matter? If the referee spouts nonsense then his credibility is obviously in question.
If you review our data you will see we are very hard on those referees who just plain fail the grit test when it comes to respecting distance and delaying restarts.
A coach/ (I am also a referee) type who conducts himself in the manner you describe has failed to live up to the conduct code expected when interacting with other officials.

I also have some issue with you as AR communicating or making excuses or explanations with the coach during the match. As referee my ARs are 100% off limits to the coaches on any matters except to follow substitution procedures. The coaches MUST remain within the technical area and conduct themselves in a reasonable manner. Distracting my ARs from their field duties to dissent or tell us how to officiate is not something to be acknowledged except by the referee who could warn or choose to expel if the conduct continues or is blatant and abusive.

In a tournament a few years back a coach saw what he thught was a goal scored by his team. I whistled it just as the ball was entering the goal. I ran over to the goal area, cautioned the player who had just scored for USB for using her hand to knock the ball into the goal. I awarded a DFK out from inside the goal area for handles the ball deliberately . The goal kick was poor and went to an opponent just outside the penalty area who shot it back in.

The coach was still trying to talk at my AR for an explanation of why the goal was disallowed. My Ar replied it was knocked into the goal with her hand. He said thats garbage it was an accidental handling so no card was required. My AR replied no, if it was accidental the referee would have allowed the goal to which the coach snorted derisively and said it was the wrong call and thus reignited more dissent more abuse and a greater chance of walking to that early shower. My AR was distracted and flagged for an offside on the deflection after the shot when no such offside was present Luckily the rebound shot was saved but it is WHY I do not want my ARs engaging the coaches in ANY conversation not related to an immediate substitution. Lose focus and more errors are bound to occur. Two more dissenting utterances, more unhealthy attitude and body language for the players to emulate, the parents to feel cheated by the nasty referee taking away a goal.

Those who think it is ok to tell coaches or explain calls forget that NOTHING says this MUST occur and I point out the problems in actually doing so are far more of an issue than not doing so.

Yes there will be matches where SOME exchanges could occur in a friendly positive environment where the coach and referee use their influence to set good examples for the players. Approachable based on the match atmosphere, willingness to accept or agree to disagree and walk away by not arguing or making dissenting or contrary remarks out loud at least.

Those reading might feel I am too harsh in my attitude and approach but if coaches coach referees referee players play and parents cheer the match is usually going to be fine!

The level of play and game management does have an influence on where, when and why a referee will decide to use or not use card power. Many feel a card must get you something in return. Others feel the use of cards must set a standard. Others again feel the match control button is card sensitive and think strong words can effect the change . Too early a card sets an unworkable level. Too many cards means a referee has lost control

Most of this is in my opinion, balderdash.

Cards are shown when the players" conduct is unacceptable and the match demands they be cautioned or sent off!

Tolerance and fair play standards are contingent somewhat on the players acceptability of conduct . But a referee must balance their willingness to put up with some stretching of fair play and bring the laws of the game within the spirit of why those laws can only be stretched so far.

What part of FREE on free kick is so hard to grasp?
Gamesmanship, where by opponents try to delay or influence the taking of a FREE kick is not permitted. Now we can see a benefit in overlooking a delay or fail to respect issue if the free kick is successful and only talking to the player about his behavior but IF the behaviors AFFECTS the free kick we have an obligation to apply the laws and set the players straight in this match this is NOT to be tolerated. Talking is fine but players are mandated to not act in this manner. It is not a hidden agenda or a secret unknown to the players just a myth reinforced by referees without substance and coaches without etiquette.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Sigh. Unfortunately, too many referee who are also coaches forget their manners and their training when they are wearing the coach's hat. There is no requirement to warn a player before issuing a caution for failing to retire the distance, or for any other reason, for that matter (which the referee/coach knew). A referee may choose to warn first, but in an instance like this, where the player has clearly been coached (shame on the coach) to break the Law, then the referee should have issued the card promptly and I'm very glad to see he did. I personally would report such behavior on the part of a coach/referee, especially a state or national referee, to your state referee association. That is a breach of ethics, and should not be allowed to continue.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Doesn't matter what his number is, if he's not lying, he's simply wrong as most coaches are. In fact, upon seeing a 4 yard wall at a Select U13 game, I would have IMMEDIATELY picked one of the young men and cautioned him for not giving the 10 yards as he is REQUIRED to do so. Any outburst that followed from him or any other player likely would have brought another caution. I can appreciate your not wanting to deal with the boorish coach due to an impending forfeit but please realize just what you did. You told him it's ok to berate the referee crew and you made the next crew's job with this clown all the more difficult. yes, it would have been a shame to have to forfeit the game but that was up to the coach when he decided to act the fool.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

"Coach, if you are a referee, then you know what 'dissent' is. Please refrain from doing so, and start acting in a responsible manner."

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Steve this is mentioned in ATR 13.3. What needs to happen is the little darling gets cautioned immediately he demands his opponents ask for 10 yards. At that point he has gotten his wish and you have delayed the restart. From there we'll manage the "wall" just like in the professional leagues where it has become accepted those defending a free kick, they have just caused, are not obligated to retire the required distance. The coach must be reminded, one time, he is allowed to give tactical instructions to his players not the referee crew. After that his little darlings have no match to strut their stuff in.