Recent content by Paul_S

On challenges, you could do one challenge per game per team. If the challenge is correct you keep it, if it’s wrong you lose it. Refs are mandated to stop their watch during the challenge (not just hold their arm in the air to make everyone think they’ve stopped their watch). Overall I’d...

Yep! It was ridiculous going there as a level 5 when they were in the Wessex (supply) league

Nothing wrong with saying "good throw/header/tackle/save", even into decent levels of adult football. If nothing else it It shows the players you're paying attention - on the more marginal decisions it can be used to communicate that you're not going to give a foul or have seen that the Red...

The number of games isn't the most difficult part. It's the availability, in particular how you have to try to know your availability (and stick to it) so far in advance. So, we had to put November's availability in the system in the last week of September. The appointing must be difficult so...

There's lots of good stuff in here, but I'm going to add my 2 cents on throw ins. Earlier in my refereeing, I used to have the problem you described where I felt I was frequently getting them wrong. For me it was a question of just focusing a little more (admittedly it will be easier in your...

What level was this?

Can't we all just agree that it's a topical issue that's relevant to referees? The issue of punishment is strongly connected to the original debate and at the very least is interesting to us all. Does it have to be any more complicated than that?

Yeah fair point - no doubt they're entitled to their opinion and it's worth a lot more than some of the ex pros on this particular topic. But it just comes across as a grudge of some kind with Halsey - if I haven't got him confused he was the one suggesting Jon Moss didn't deserve the cup final...

Now Halsey is saying yellow! https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/4429594/there-was-doubt-before-jon-moss-showed-sadio-mane-the-red-card-that-doubt-should-have-made-it-a-yellow/amp/ Is there politics at play here? Do they all dislike Jon Moss?

Yeah, thank you. When you put it in those terms it's steps 3 and 4 that went wrong. Definitely no argument with the observer's interpretation of things. I did explain whatever thought-process I went through, but that was more about demonstrating that I had one rather than pure panic! And yes...

Could be. It wasn't physical fatigue (it was only around 60 minutes) but I'd got back from USA the day before so perhaps just a mental lapse...

Thanks both. I'm not arrogant enough to think I couldn't learn something from lower level referees - I like the commentary idea Didn't lose him, wasn't mistaken identity (he had quite an impressive beard!), and the opposition were definitely reminding me about his previous YC. The reason I...

Any tips/tricks on staying focused in games? I had a incident in a game last week that is still on my mind now. Blue player running towards clarets goal in a promising situation (about half-way into the half), claret player pulls him down = denying promising attack = easy yellow card. Problem is...

Building a rapport with players is healthy. If they ask reasonably politely it's pretty arrogant not to respond - talking to players will help your match control as you move onwards and upwards. As others have said, the key is that it doesn't become a debate. It should ideally be question >...

Yeah fair enough. I think Robert probably realises by now that that thought process is a bit flawed, but the wider point he brings up about making extra sure for penalties isn't unreasonable.