A&H

Junior/Youth Player Swearing at Opposition Coaches

M

Matthew

RefChat Addict
Had something that came up in a match a couple of weeks ago that I wanted to get some opinions on...

Team attacking down the left wing, I was in the middle of the pitch pretty much adjacent to the player with the ball. Fast forward about 30 seconds, the ball is crossed into the middle where the defender puts it out for a corner. I pointed for the corner and moved into position. As I did so, the coaches of the defending team were screaming at me that they wanted a word, encroaching onto the pitch as they did so. As we were about 30 seconds from half time, I told them to leave the pitch and said that I would speak to them at half time.

When I blew for half time, I went across to them and asked what the problem was. Clearly they were angry, and they told me that the attacking left back had told them to 'f*ck off'. I don't think they were making it up, but I explained that I hadn't heard anything as I was too far away, and that I wasn't able to take any action as a result (only club appointed linesman). They continued and argued that they wanted him to be sent off, and that he would have been sent off had it been a professional game. I again explained that I wasn't able to do anything because I hadn't heard it, and left it at that.

Just as part of the thought process, surely the player (U13) wouldn't have said that unprovoked.

Is there anything in the LotG about swearing at coaches, or what action to take when it occurs?

Had I heard it, I would probably have dismissed the player, but obviously I couldn't act based on the word of a coach.
 
The Referee Store
LoTG says any sort of offensive, insulting or abusive language (OFFINABUS) can be punished with a red card; when you choose to do this is pretty much entirely up to you. So swearing at a coach is technically a red card offence, although I personally would have a word with the player involved, unless it was more of a verbal attack than an off-hand comment.

You were right in explaining that you can't do anything unless you hear it yourself. In terms of the coaches coming onto the field to confront you, sounds like you dealt with it well
 
James said:
LoTG says any sort of offensive, insulting or abusive language (OFFINABUS) can be punished with a red card; when you choose to do this is pretty much entirely up to you. So swearing at a coach is technically a red card offence, although I personally would have a word with the player involved, unless it was more of a verbal attack than an off-hand comment.

You were right in explaining that you can't do anything unless you hear it yourself. In terms of the coaches coming onto the field to confront you, sounds like you dealt with it well
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That's kind of my thought process. My initial though would be to dismiss the player (OFFINABUS) but its difficult to make that judgement looking back without hearing what was said and understanding the context in which it was said!
 
The fact that this coach has gotten so bloody upset at being told to f**k off by a U12 is hilarious to me. He first needs to relax or leave. Second, he should be reminded that at a professional match, there would have been a NAR and a fourth official on that touchline to hear the little weasel (and even then, I doubt a sending off would have occurred, probably just a quiet warning and move on). As you said, you can't do anything if you haven't heard it, so he needs to calm down and move on or he can go home. Remind him, too, that while we're talking about things that will get you sent off in a professional match: managers entering the FOP in order to have a word with the referee is probably high on the list.
 
Ryan Owens said:
The fact that this coach has gotten so bloody upset at being told to f**k off by a U12 is hilarious to me. He first needs to relax or leave. Second, he should be reminded that at a professional match, there would have been a NAR and a fourth official on that touchline to hear the little weasel (and even then, I doubt a sending off would have occurred, probably just a quiet warning and move on). As you said, you can't do anything if you haven't heard it, so he needs to calm down and move on or he can go home. Remind him, too, that while we're talking about things that will get you sent off in a professional match: managers entering the FOP in order to have a word with the referee is probably high on the list.
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I've got to admit that I did have a good laugh about how upset he'd got about it in the car on the way home!

I'd have had a strong word with him had he not left the field when asked! In fact, I've abandoned a game in the past when a coach came on the pitch to confront me and refused to leave. That almost made me give up reffing actually: I was 14, newly qualified, reffing an U9 game. Not pleasant. Suffice to say, he was 'reminded of his responsibilities' by the FA and hasn't coached since :p
 
You know, I fail to understand why U9s play matches with referees. They should be doing only practicing -- and those practices should all be SSGs.
 
It was always an odd one being appointed to those games. That age should be about learning, not results!

Thankfully, it's all changed now. U9 teams have scheduled matches but results aren't recorded and referees aren't used (aside from a parent with a whistle). Whether right or wrong, it's at least an improvement! :)
 
In Canada, we've actually implemented the Long Term Player Development Plan which gives different groups for different ages and skill levels. At U9, and even U10 and U12, players are in the 'learn to train' category which means they should be spending all of their time learning about how to train properly so that by U14, they don't need to be taught to jog it in when the coach calls and to always run hard when it comes to training etc. My brief foray into coaching taught me that a lot of coaches are ultimately bad at big-picture thinking and understanding their role as but a cog in the overall system.
 
That sounds like a really good system. That's really been the problem here in the UK, the focus is on winning rather than learning. In fact, a lot of coaches I've come across are in it for themselves, rather than to help the players develop both on and off the pitch. It's the failure of coaches to properly understand their role, rather than a lack of player ability, that is the main issue in youth football here.
 
For me, I would rather a player I coach never win anything trophy-wise and end up on the National Team than to win all of the youth tournaments and cups leading up and never get capped. We have to maintain a focus on winning but remember who it is that we want to win.
 
My feelings exactly, it's just a shame that the majority of coaches don't seem to think in the same way! :)
 
They're starting to come around as coaching licenses become more and more necessary at lower and lower levels.
 
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