A&H

How vocal are you?

RobOda

RefChat Addict
Level 3 Referee
Posting this in the New Referee's section as I'm not sure if it fits here or in general.

Anyway, I went to meet my RDO the other day, wanted to pick up some advice and I came away with some great stories and some great advice on a variety of matters.

One of the bits of advice he gave was to be vocal. So, call your first few obvious decisions - say, the ball goes out for a throw-in, shout 'red ball' or whatever, if it goes for a corner, shout corner-kick etc. The idea being that it gives teams the chance to get used to your voice, so that later when you're shouting for advantage, they're already familiar with you. It also acts as an exercise in confidence building for yourself, and enables you to impose yourself on the game.

It was an interesting discussion, I explained I've never really felt comfortable doing that sort of thing, I've always been of the mindset that a referee should be invisible until the crunch issues crop up, but it gave me food for thought. Anyway, he suggested I try it in the next few games, so I'm going to give it a go and see how it impacts me.

So, I thought I'd ask here, are any of you vocal like that in your matches or are you more of the quiet kind? What works for you? Does being vocal make a difference for you guys?
 
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I always found it helped my control to keep talking to players, not just decisions but also about their good play even on occasion about their crap play too....
 
I never shut up! I probably over do the talking tbh, esp with adults, but I find it helps me personally more than hinders me
I don't talk quite as much with kids games, as generally a 13/14 yo is not going to be responsive
Not so much shouting, just normal volume for anything routine, but I suppose I do shout "advantage" when its used.
Having used comms for numerous years too, I liked the guidelines of, "talk fast, flag slow" and that goes for either when in the middle, or, on the line.
I guess I subconsciously just continue that trait now.

Absolutely nothing wrong in being on the quieter side then striking when you need to, I suppose being vocal can just relate to what personality you have, ultimately all the players want is the right call but I have certainly found the more I communicate, the less dissent I get, as players recognise you are human too.

there will be periods of the game where nothing needs to be said, and I remain very much in the background, and there will be times when all you will hear for 3/4 mins is me, and of course most the game will be somewhere in the middle of the two.
 
Entirely anecdotal but in my experience, players responded with much less dissent when I called every decision verbally (red throw, corner kick, goal kick etc.) and with a signal than when I just did a signal.
 
I was almost mute when I first started refereeing, however as I have gained more confidence/experience and worked with higher level refs I have started to communicate a bit more.

And I have noticed that in games where I communicate more I do get less dissent, but I'm still not as big a talker as some local referees, we've got a couple who never shut up and it can wind players up if your giving a running commentary on everything that is happening
 
Talking = good
As above, I talk less with teenagers.
I talk a lot in real life, but I started very carefully as a ref, especially as I am in a non-fluent mixed language situation.
Since I used comms a few times as an AR, I also speak to my ARs a little - usually basic thanks or good job. I also find that helps if the players can see I've obviously gone with a tip or if the AR has flagged and I want to show my support.

However, I really try to avoid explaining decisions and/or long discussions about decisions. If a player looks like they want/need an explanation I get it out as quickly as possible "it was small but a clear trip for me". The thing I say most is "carry on" in the local lingo, well it's like a mix of carry on/go on/come on which is really useful in contact-no foul situations and at restarts etc.

The best refs I have worked with talk an unbelievable amount on comms... but at least one guy too much on comms so there was no room to correct him... he's so busy saying "corner, corner, corner" that there's no room to go "actually 22 players and I reckon it's a GK"! To be fair he's a star;)

I was very uncomfortable at first but I just started building a basket of phrases, some of which came from here, others from asking and listening to other refs...
 
I because quieter as I went on I think, shouting and bawling stuff clearly leaves you exposed to an equal response, so I went for the patient, quieter, concise approach. Isolate an offender if you can and keep it short and sweet, don't pontificate. I also used my physical size as a barrier too, grabbing snorting players bent on retribution or trying to stop handbags (within reason) when I could. I don't recommend that to all but I'm big enough and daft enough to attempt it!! If it really kicks off then GTF out of there and take notes!!!
 
I'm very communicative, particularly on the preventive things (be careful, don't foul him, etc). I'll ask in praise after, good tackle, no foul, etc, as someone once told me you shouldn't ask people to do something and then not praise them when they do it well.
 
I'm quiet, too quiet, but trying to work on speaking to players more. My communication is pretty much happening only when A) asked (like: "what was that for, ref?" "careless tackle", etc.) or B) when giving a verbal warning/talking to to a player ("Far too much force on that tackle, no more of those"). But working with more experienced officials and using comms has helped me a lot to be more vocal. I still feel a bit irritated seeing some experienced officials having soooo much to say to players during pretty much every situation, and I'm just wondering that what the heck are they saying to players. (Personally I love seeing clips of Mateu Lahoz speaking to players (you find them quite a lot in YouTube, in Spanish unfortunately) alltough I don't understand allmost anything he is saying:D.)

But I think communication in general is one of the biggest points of improvement for me (not that I have anything else than big points of improvement tbh).
 
Another big advantage of calling the obvious, say “red throw” etc. early in the game (and star of second half) is that it helps set in my mind who is playing which direction.

Sounds silly, but I’m sure we’ve all had those brain freezes - particularly at the start of the second half - when you know it’s a red ball, but point the wrong way.
 
I because quieter as I went on I think, shouting and bawling stuff clearly leaves you exposed to an equal response, so I went for the patient, quieter, concise approach. Isolate an offender if you can and keep it short and sweet, don't pontificate. I also used my physical size as a barrier too, grabbing snorting players bent on retribution or trying to stop handbags (within reason) when I could. I don't recommend that to all but I'm big enough and daft enough to attempt it!! If it really kicks off then GTF out of there and take notes!!!
Agreed on this. Any ref that turns the volume up will end up with a headache. It helps to have sat an apprenticeship on the terraces or to have played a lot. Football is a language I wouldn't want to learn as a referee
 
Thanks everyone.

I talk a lot in real life, but I started very carefully as a ref, especially as I am in a non-fluent mixed language situation.

Yeah, sort of a similar situation in a different way for me. I know I have a massive communication barrier that I have to work around, so I've just kept quiet unless I absolutely need to be getting involved. But it's all food for thought.

Another big advantage of calling the obvious, say “red throw” etc. early in the game (and star of second half) is that it helps set in my mind who is playing which direction.

That's a good point.

I tried being vocal first five minutes either half today. Was surprised at how much of an impact it had actually. Players didn't argue, then when I stopped calling the decisions they were looking at me and getting on with things.

It didn't nip dissent in the bud in full though, the away team became serial moaners as they had a player sent off. I was assessed today as well, and he said they were well known for being gobby so I did well to manage/ignore it once it started.

Pretty positive. :D
 
Posting this in the New Referee's section as I'm not sure if it fits here or in general.

Anyway, I went to meet my RDO the other day, wanted to pick up some advice and I came away with some great stories and some great advice on a variety of matters.

One of the bits of advice he gave was to be vocal. So, call your first few obvious decisions - say, the ball goes out for a throw-in, shout 'red ball' or whatever, if it goes for a corner, shout corner-kick etc. The idea being that it gives teams the chance to get used to your voice, so that later when you're shouting for advantage, they're already familiar with you. It also acts as an exercise in confidence building for yourself, and enables you to impose yourself on the game.

It was an interesting discussion, I explained I've never really felt comfortable doing that sort of thing, I've always been of the mindset that a referee should be invisible until the crunch issues crop up, but it gave me food for thought. Anyway, he suggested I try it in the next few games, so I'm going to give it a go and see how it impacts me.

So, I thought I'd ask here, are any of you vocal like that in your matches or are you more of the quiet kind? What works for you? Does being vocal make a difference for you guys?

I tend to be quite vocal, have been from the start, more now. Only issue I have is projecting my voice, but sometimes I don't feel the need to, I just use my arms for throw in, corner etc. It does vary, for some reason, but I tend to call things more often than I realise, just not usually very loudly.
 
I shout every decision throughout the whole match, corners, goal kicks, everything, so far I feel it works quite well. I also have quite a loud voice that travels and feel like it helps with some of the closer decisions.
 
I have become quieter not announcing throw ins GKs etc unless there is a doubt and when I get questioned then point out who it came from. When cautioning I am normally polite and curteous and explain calmly and listen to the player but still book him..I f 2 players are having hand bags but not enough to caution I will be loud and forceful with my warning which includes any more from either of you I will take action. I don't tend to compliment much but if a player is asking for a foul and it isn't i will give a quick response on my decision and vice er versa. There are some games where I rarely speak others I am very vocal, i think it depends on the game.
 
It is quicker to call "red throw" and signal, so when on your own your voice is a valuable refereeing tool for decision-making. I was always vocal for decision-making, then had no voice halfway into the second half.

Higher levels, the voice is more "man-management" so you don't need to be as loud.
 
I'm going to bed a bit of a rebel here. Don't quite agree with calling the obvious, just a signal would do. If you are doing it for your own benefit then quietly talk to yourself. Communication and being vocal is good but only when you need to. Your voice is like your whistle, using it when you don't need to means when you have to use it, it will become less effective. It also attracts needless attention to the referee which is not good. I am not saying not to be vocal. Just saying pick the right times for it.

I know a fair few here have also been players. Can you remember any referee you had who constantly talked, even when he didn't need to. while some players don't mind it, I often heard the phrase "sick of hearing his voice".
 
I don't talk very loudly/clearly in general life, so while I'm capable of raising my voice to project a quick "red throw" shout, it takes a conscious effort and it's not something I can sustain easily for a longer sentence. As a result, I don't bother with a shout for any obvious throws, and try to emphasise any non-obvious corners with my whistle.
 
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