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Aggresive 7 year old

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farrell

New Member
I was reffing an under 7s game and one player was very aggressive (Ill call him player 1). First player 1 tried to hook his leg around the ball from behind the attacker but missed the ball and caught the attacker. I gave a free kick and had a word with him.Next in the box an attacker took the ball around him and player 1 tried to tackle him (standing but he really threw his body into him) he missed and I gave a penalty. I told player 1 to calm down.

After that player 1 and an attacker both chased the ball from opposite sides (running towards each other) and player 1 slid for the ball with one foot and on the ground so it was a fair tackle but he went in really hard. Again I told him it was fair but it was dangerous. I gave nothing.

Then he went in hard, two footed sliding in on a player. I told him next time he was off and gave a free kick. I would've asked the manager to bring him off as I wasn't going to red card or book a 7 year old.

After this he made no more bad tackles but he went in hard when running shoulder to shoulder and played a physical but fair game. He gave away one foul where he was running for the ball and ran into the defender who cleared it before he got there but it wasn't intentional so I let him stay on the pitch.

What should I have done?
 
The Referee Store
Others will disagree, but I think that's the right thing to do, although you could have asked the manager to take him off after first bad challenge.

I don't see the point in sending a 7 year old off!
 
I'm with Mike on this one. Personally, I don't think that sending off a 7 year old would achieve anything. At that age, any bad tackles are likely to be down to exuberance rather than being malicious.

It's not technically the right thing to do, but with any mini-soccer game I'd go with the subbing option, rather than the red card.

I'd probably have had a word with the manager a little earlier, maybe at half time, and asked him to have a word with the player. Other than that, it sounds like you handled it well.

:)
 
The point of sending a 7 year old off is to teach him that his actions have very real questions and that when making tackles it is entirely his responsibility to ensure that he does not endanger opponents. Teach him early, he'll learn his lesson and you won't have to try to teach him later when he thinks he knows everything.
 
No, don't send off at U7's/mini-football. Ask the manager to sub him off but tell the manager that he can not play any further part in the game, that normally works the best.
 
Aled said:
No, don't send off at U7's/mini-football. Ask the manager to sub him off but tell the manager that he can not play any further part in the game, that normally works the best.
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Only problem with that Aled, is what happens if the coach/manager says "No, he's my best player, and my son! I'm not taking him off!" Then what do you do?
 
Aled said:
No, don't send off at U7's/mini-football. Ask the manager to sub him off but tell the manager that he can not play any further part in the game, that normally works the best.
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Charlie Acton said:
Only problem with that Aled, is what happens if the coach/manager says "No, he's my best player, and my son! I'm not taking him off!" Then what do you do?
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The majority of the time, that tends to work. I guess it depends on how you word it. I've only had to do it a couple of times but I tend to go with the 'You can either take him off or he'll be sent off'. Most managers want to avoid the red card and subsequent ban and fine so will take the player off. If I had to dismiss a player in a mini soccer game, I would, but I would do what I could to avoid doing so. As I said earlier, I just don't see the benefit in sending off such a young player. :)
 
Charlie Acton said:
Only problem with that Aled, is what happens if the coach/manager says "No, he's my best player, and my son! I'm not taking him off!" Then what do you do?
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Then you send him off, you have to warn the manager if he refuses the player will be sent off
 
If a player is guilty of something that deserves a sending off, why do you give his team a chance to sub him first?
 
I'm stopping this conversation now.

We have, on numerous occasions, had this debate on this site. Every time, there has been no conclusion and a divide to opinion.

Farrell asked about this incident RE the 7 year old. We don't need everyone going back and forth about the rights/wrongs of sending off/subbing off in mini-soccer.

The thread is, currently, unlocked. If the debate continues, I will lock it.
 
Farrell, my personal opinion is you did everything correctly. You tried to calm the player down and teach him what he should be doing on a football field.
 
DanCohen17 said:
I'm stopping this conversation now.

We have, on numerous occasions, had this debate on this site. Every time, there has been no conclusion and a divide to opinion.

Farrell asked about this incident RE the 7 year old. We don't need everyone going back and forth about the rights/wrongs of sending off/subbing off in mini-soccer.

The thread is, currently, unlocked. If the debate continues, I will lock it.
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There is a very heated debate between me and Mattyonthewhistle somewhere if you wan't to open that old can of worms :p
 
Reffariiii said:
There is a very heated debate between me and Mattyonthewhistle somewhere if you wan't to open that old can of worms :p
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Nooooo...that was a calm, rational discussion not a heated debate - wasn't it?????

My feelings on this are available to read elsewhere on the site, although it is worth noting that I am now coaching an u7s side although here in NZ the structure of football is very different. To have a competitive game with a referee at u7s is unheard of here. Our u7s play 5-a-side, no league or points to play for, and both coaches are on the pitch kinda running the game, but really, we are keeping players safe and giving them a hug when they get hurt and generally making sure they are enjoying themselves.

I believe the FA are going to bring in a similar system to the NZF Junior Framework next season.

Anyway, back to the original post, if it was in a mini-game here, generally, the ref would ask the coach to sub the player for a period to calm down, if the coach hadn't already done so - and believe me, if the ref asks for the sub, then the players are talking about a 'sending off' and the kid will feel like he's been given a red. Whether he takes any further part in the game would depend on the offence and the coach.

As a coach, as a referee, as an occasional player and a Junior Club Committee member, I wear a number of different hats in the game, and I am an advocate of the 'age appropriate' approach to the game. So, while the LOTG are quite clear on most things, I do think we need to take the age, maturity and abilities of the juniors into account when refereeing them.

As referees, our Federation gives us guidelines for the junior game, so maybe you could talk to your advisors to see how you could have handled it, although, it sounds like you did what I would probably have done, although a signal, or word with the coach might have come earlier.
 
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