As this is to be reported and dealt with I shall maintain vagueness but be clear in incident.
Being a regular referee in the Adult leagues, I feel like I have come to the conclusion (rightly or wrongly) that adult football is 10x easier to officiate than youth football. Not because of the players but because of the sheer amount of poor behaviour in coaching teams and parent spectators. So now that’s out of the way, today I took part in a Tournament in which my team of three was allocated the u15 age group. In around 14 games, the three of us had issued 5 red cards and 4 yellow cards. 3 of the reds going to managers for offensive, insulting and abusive language (and with a high tolerance level this was not a decision made hastily).
There was one particular incident which completely threw me. A knock out game of 2 halves of 10 minutes had ended scoreless and was due to go straight to penalties, now the competition rules states clearly that 3 penalties will be taken. The manager politely asked me how many penalties will be taken to which I responded. The mood suddenly shifts, “this isn’t f*cking under 11s” “this is a f*cking disgrace”. My immediate decision was to respond to him and say that his attitude and language being used were not acceptable and any more he’d receive a sanction. Whilst talking to their players (may I note, again, under 15s in pre season, 14 year olds!) they said “you think you’re a big boy? I’d love to run into you in the real world” and given his response I decided to dismiss him from the field and request his immediate removal from Tournament organisers. Whilst being shown the red card he shouted “I’ll see you in the car park after”. He was then escorted out of the area.
Now there are a number of factors to consider which may have influenced his anger;
- 2 of his players were cautioned for very very poor challenges (borderline red) which he was clearly in disagreement with.
- I had dismissed him from the field of play previously in the prior season.
Honestly concerns me that his behaviour continues to exist and appears to be increasing within the beautiful game.
Being a regular referee in the Adult leagues, I feel like I have come to the conclusion (rightly or wrongly) that adult football is 10x easier to officiate than youth football. Not because of the players but because of the sheer amount of poor behaviour in coaching teams and parent spectators. So now that’s out of the way, today I took part in a Tournament in which my team of three was allocated the u15 age group. In around 14 games, the three of us had issued 5 red cards and 4 yellow cards. 3 of the reds going to managers for offensive, insulting and abusive language (and with a high tolerance level this was not a decision made hastily).
There was one particular incident which completely threw me. A knock out game of 2 halves of 10 minutes had ended scoreless and was due to go straight to penalties, now the competition rules states clearly that 3 penalties will be taken. The manager politely asked me how many penalties will be taken to which I responded. The mood suddenly shifts, “this isn’t f*cking under 11s” “this is a f*cking disgrace”. My immediate decision was to respond to him and say that his attitude and language being used were not acceptable and any more he’d receive a sanction. Whilst talking to their players (may I note, again, under 15s in pre season, 14 year olds!) they said “you think you’re a big boy? I’d love to run into you in the real world” and given his response I decided to dismiss him from the field and request his immediate removal from Tournament organisers. Whilst being shown the red card he shouted “I’ll see you in the car park after”. He was then escorted out of the area.
Now there are a number of factors to consider which may have influenced his anger;
- 2 of his players were cautioned for very very poor challenges (borderline red) which he was clearly in disagreement with.
- I had dismissed him from the field of play previously in the prior season.
Honestly concerns me that his behaviour continues to exist and appears to be increasing within the beautiful game.