Well, I’ve just had my first ‘is this worth it’ game after 6 months or so officiating. OA league match where it seemed like every man and his dog was out to make my life as miserable as possible! So need to vent.
Trying my best to figure out where it all went wrong really, first 10 mins there wasn’t much to do, gave a clear pen with next to no complaints...then came the ‘OFFSIDE!!’ shouts. Explained to both defences, if it’s tight and I can’t see it’s offside I’m not giving it, and that it’s almost impossible to tell from behind, when it’s tight- I was consistent for both sides. Both both sides wouldn't have it. It was more moaning than dissent at this stage.
After that I can’t pinpoint the exact moment every single one of my decisions started being questioned but I lost control in the first half: easy ones, 50/50’s, balls in/out the CAR’s had called- they were all ‘wrong’ to whichever team I’d given it against. If I could pinpoint a moment where a player first crossed the line in reflection I definitely should’ve sin-binned someone. At the time though it literally seemed like everyone so who do you pick? I also had the feeling sin-binning someone wouldn’t have reduced the pressure cooker, I only would’ve got more flak.
One incident stands out and I still don’t know whether or not I was in the wrong.
Yellow attacking, fouled by grey about 25 yards out. I give the foul and grey 19 moans, I say ‘19’ and go to tell him that it was a clear foul and to get on with it, I wasn’t going to call him over. As soon as I said ‘19’ yellow took the FK and scored. I decided straight away yellows were entitled to take the quick FK and that it was a goal...que mayhem all directed at me. Was confronted by atleast 8 players all in an aggressive manner- basically what fergies Utd sides used to do! The captain sorts his lads out after 5 or so seconds of abuse and I explain they were entitled to the quick FK. 19 was arguing that because I mentioned his number I should’ve pulled it back...IMO it wouldn’t have made a blind bit of difference as 19 was still getting up when yellows took it. 2-2
I could’ve dished out reds for the incident easily. But in truth I couldn’t tell who was saying what! Plus after that I’m almost certain 1-2 reds would’ve resulted in a kick-off.
Greys won 3-2 in the end. Again I got the blame for the winner as the CAR was ‘incorrect’ awarding the throw to his own team, I went with him because he was 2 yards away and it was 50/50.
What I know went wrong:
-the moaning from players started off low-level, when it went beyond that everyone seemed to be doing it at a dissent level, but I’ll be taking a zero tolerance approach from now on. Letting it slide lost me match control. The captains were as bad as anyone for it.
-I should’ve gotten wider for potential offsides, I’m conscious this will catch me out of position for incidents the other side of the pitch but I’ll need to work on it.
-The grief I was getting 100% effected my confidence and decision making on the pitch. I was less authoritative. This led to a few minor things like not remembering who touched it last after I stopped play for an injury. Which only caused me more grief.
I was bullied today, simple as that which is the hardest thing about it as I’m not that type of fella, I wouldn’t have took it in a pub! But I’m sort of convinced I would’ve got a certain level of crap all game regardless of my approach. The managers hinted to it beforehand.
The only plus was me sticking with my offside calls. I stuck with not giving it unless I see it- despite the lip that resulted in that approach. Aside from that I gave what I seen really, which will almost certainly result in 1/10 marks from both teams today.
Advice would be appreciated on the quick FK. Pulling it back would’ve got me less grief off trey but yellow definitely would’ve kick off.
It was just a nightmare!
Trying my best to figure out where it all went wrong really, first 10 mins there wasn’t much to do, gave a clear pen with next to no complaints...then came the ‘OFFSIDE!!’ shouts. Explained to both defences, if it’s tight and I can’t see it’s offside I’m not giving it, and that it’s almost impossible to tell from behind, when it’s tight- I was consistent for both sides. Both both sides wouldn't have it. It was more moaning than dissent at this stage.
After that I can’t pinpoint the exact moment every single one of my decisions started being questioned but I lost control in the first half: easy ones, 50/50’s, balls in/out the CAR’s had called- they were all ‘wrong’ to whichever team I’d given it against. If I could pinpoint a moment where a player first crossed the line in reflection I definitely should’ve sin-binned someone. At the time though it literally seemed like everyone so who do you pick? I also had the feeling sin-binning someone wouldn’t have reduced the pressure cooker, I only would’ve got more flak.
One incident stands out and I still don’t know whether or not I was in the wrong.
Yellow attacking, fouled by grey about 25 yards out. I give the foul and grey 19 moans, I say ‘19’ and go to tell him that it was a clear foul and to get on with it, I wasn’t going to call him over. As soon as I said ‘19’ yellow took the FK and scored. I decided straight away yellows were entitled to take the quick FK and that it was a goal...que mayhem all directed at me. Was confronted by atleast 8 players all in an aggressive manner- basically what fergies Utd sides used to do! The captain sorts his lads out after 5 or so seconds of abuse and I explain they were entitled to the quick FK. 19 was arguing that because I mentioned his number I should’ve pulled it back...IMO it wouldn’t have made a blind bit of difference as 19 was still getting up when yellows took it. 2-2
I could’ve dished out reds for the incident easily. But in truth I couldn’t tell who was saying what! Plus after that I’m almost certain 1-2 reds would’ve resulted in a kick-off.
Greys won 3-2 in the end. Again I got the blame for the winner as the CAR was ‘incorrect’ awarding the throw to his own team, I went with him because he was 2 yards away and it was 50/50.
What I know went wrong:
-the moaning from players started off low-level, when it went beyond that everyone seemed to be doing it at a dissent level, but I’ll be taking a zero tolerance approach from now on. Letting it slide lost me match control. The captains were as bad as anyone for it.
-I should’ve gotten wider for potential offsides, I’m conscious this will catch me out of position for incidents the other side of the pitch but I’ll need to work on it.
-The grief I was getting 100% effected my confidence and decision making on the pitch. I was less authoritative. This led to a few minor things like not remembering who touched it last after I stopped play for an injury. Which only caused me more grief.
I was bullied today, simple as that which is the hardest thing about it as I’m not that type of fella, I wouldn’t have took it in a pub! But I’m sort of convinced I would’ve got a certain level of crap all game regardless of my approach. The managers hinted to it beforehand.
The only plus was me sticking with my offside calls. I stuck with not giving it unless I see it- despite the lip that resulted in that approach. Aside from that I gave what I seen really, which will almost certainly result in 1/10 marks from both teams today.
Advice would be appreciated on the quick FK. Pulling it back would’ve got me less grief off trey but yellow definitely would’ve kick off.
It was just a nightmare!
